Ways to practice multiplication facts at home

Where to Start

  • Start by teaching the zeros and ones facts. These facts are easy to learn because they follow specific rules.

Anything multiplied by zero equals zero (8 X 0 = 0)

Anything multiplied by one equals itself (8 X 1 = 8)

  • Demonstrate how the twos facts are just the numbers added together

(8 X 2 = 8 + 8)

  • Show how to solve five facts by counting by fives

(5 X 3 = 5 + 10 + 15)

  • Show how to use the multiplication facts they know to find the facts they don't know

(If they know 5 X 3 = 15, solve 5 X 4 by adding 5 + 15)

  • Then move to each of the fact families: 3's, 4,s, 6's,7's, 8's and 9's, 11's and 12's.
  • Remind that all multiplication facts can be done backwards

(8 X 2 = 2 X 8)

  • DO NOT move to a different fact family without first mastering the previous one.

Flashcards

  • Create your own. Students write the multiplication question on the front of the card and the answer in number and picture format on the back. Example, students write 4x7= (front of card) and write 28 and 4 sets of 7 on the back of the card. The picture representation allows the student to understand how 28 becomes the answer. Multiplication is simply repeated addition.
  • The dollar store almost always has multiplication flashcards.

For Active Kids

  • Have your child bounce a basketball or catch a ball as he or she says the multiples of different numbers. For example, he can practice the multiples of 9 for each bounce 9, 18, 27, 36. Then he can say them backward: 81, 72, 63, 54. Research shows that kinesthetic movement helps the brain learn facts.

Games

  • This game is played with two people. They put both hands behind their backs and on their count, shoot out a number. Each player multiplies his or her number times the other player’s number, and keep score.
  • Multiplication War: Deal a deck of cards between two people. Each person flips the top card of his/her deck onto the table at the same time. The first person to call out the product of the two numbers on the cards gets to keep the cards. (Ace=1, Jack=11, Queen=12, King=0)
  • Roll the Dice: This game can be played with one person or two. Roll two dice. Multiply the two numbers showing face up. Write the digits 7-12 on squares of masking tape and stick to the dice to practice your 7-12 facts.

Some great websites that will help you practice those facts: