Most adults remember learning their times tables by rote during their school days, and while this may still have a place in today’s learning for quick recall, it is also hugely important that children have an understanding of what multiplication is. This includes learning what it looks like (for example to physically make 3 groups of 5), learning the mathematical language (times, multiply, lots of, groups of) and learning how to problem solve (understanding what is being asked in multiplication word problems and to use multiplication knowledge in the real world).
Below you will find seven day programs for Year 2 students, Year 3 and 4 students and for Year 4 and 5 students (the reason Year 4 appears in two of the programs is because children will learn at differing paces). Children should be secure in their times tables knowledge (up to the twelve times tables) by the end of Year 4/beginning of Year 5.
At Education Boutique, we are very aware that children learn in different ways and at different paces. If you feel your child needs further support with their times tables knowledge, get in touch to see how we can help.
*Please note, the below activities are written in child-directed/child-friendly language.
Year 2
| Day | Learning Activity |
| Monday | Count aloud looking at the 100 square – first by twos, then by fives See how high you can count without looking |
| Tuesday | Make groups of/lots of with concrete materials (counters, Lego pieces etc) e.g. make 4 groups with 2 in each group; A farmer has 3 paddocks each containing 5 sheep, how many sheep altogether? (you can draw or make this) Make arrays for twos and fives e.g. an array for 3 x 5: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
| Wednesday | Fill in a number square that has every second number blanked out/or highlight every second number. What do you notice? Does it make a pattern? As above but counting by fives. Have a go at recording two and five multiplications formally and in order, e.g.: 1 x 2 = 2 2 x 2 = 4 3 x 2 = 6 (continue to 12 x 2) NB: It does not matter if the multiplication is written as 3 x 2 or 2 x 3, the answer will be the same |
| Thursday | Count by tens and then threes, aloud and looking at the 100 square See how high you can count without looking |
| Friday | Make groups of/lots of with concrete materials (counters, Lego pieces etc) e.g. make 6 groups with 10 in each group; There are 4 ponds, each pond contains 3 fish, how many fish altogether? (you can draw or make this) Arrays for tens and threes |
| Saturday | Fill in a number square that has every tenth number blanked out/or highlight every second number. What do you notice? Does it make a pattern? As above but counting by threes. Have a go at recording 10 and 3 multiplications formally and in order, e.g.: 1 x 10 = 10 2 x 10 = 20 3 x 10 = 30 |
| Sunday | Complete sums out of order, separately to begin with (so mix up your twos, then move on to fives, then tens and finally threes) then try a mixed list (e.g. 4 x 2, 5 x 6, 8 x 10, 3 x 4) |
Year 3 and 4
| Day | Learning Activity |
| Monday | Count aloud looking at the 100 square – first by fours, then by six See how high you can count without looking Fill in a number square that has every fourth number blanked out/or highlight every fourth number. What do you notice? Does it make a pattern? As above but counting by six. Do you know any fun times tables songs you can sing along to? |
| Tuesday | Make groups of/lots of with concrete materials (counters, Lego pieces etc) e.g. make 3 groups with 4 in each group; A farmer has 3 paddocks each containing 6 sheep, how many sheep altogether? (can draw or make this) Arrays for fours and six e.g. an array for 3 x 4: * * * * * * * * * * * * |
| Wednesday | Revisit and revise your 100 squares from Monday. Have a go at recording four and six multiplications formally and in order, e.g.: 1 x 4 = 4 2 x 4 = 8 3 x 4 = 12 (continue to 12 x 4) NB: It does not matter if the multiplication is written as 3 x 4 or 4 x 3, the answer will be the same |
| Thursday | Count by sevens and elevens, aloud and looking at the 100 square See how high you can count without looking Fill in a number square that has every seventh number blanked out/or highlight every seventh number. What do you notice? Does it make a pattern? As above but counting by eleven. Do you know any fun times tables songs you can sing along to? |
| Friday | Make groups of/lots of with concrete materials (counters, Lego pieces etc) e.g. make 6 groups with 7 in each group; There are 4 ponds, each pond contains 11 fish, how many fish altogether? (you can draw or make this) Arrays for sevens and elevens |
| Saturday | Have a go at recording 7 and 11 multiplications formally and in order, e.g.: 1 x 7 = 7 2 x 7 = 14 3 x 7 = 21 |
| Sunday | Complete sums out of order, separately to begin with (so mix up your fours and answer, then move on to six, then sevens and finally eleven) then try a mixed list (e.g. 3 x 4, 6 x 6, 7 x 3, 2 x 11) |
Year 4 and 5
| Day | Learning Activity |
| Monday | Count aloud looking at the 100 square – first by eights, then by nines See how high you can count without looking Fill in a number square that has every eighth number blanked out/or highlight every eighth number. What do you notice? Does it make a pattern? Now repeat for nine. Do you know any fun timetables songs you can sing along to? |
| Tuesday | Make groups of/lots of with concrete materials (counters, Lego pieces etc) e.g. make 4 groups with 8 in each group; A farmer has 3 paddocks each containing 9 sheep, how many sheep altogether? (can draw or make this) Arrays for eights and nines e.g. an array for 4 x 8: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
| Wednesday | Revisit and revise your 100 squares from Monday. Have a go at recording eight and nine multiplications formally and in order, e.g.: 1 x 8 = 8 2 x 8 = 16 3 x 8 = 24 (continue to 12 x 8) |
| Thursday | Count aloud by twelves looking at the 100 square See how high you can count without looking Fill in a number square that has every twelfth number blanked out/or highlight every twelfth number. What do you notice? Does it make a pattern? Do you know any fun times tables songs you can sing along to? |
| Friday | Make groups of/lots of with concrete materials (counters, Lego pieces etc) e.g. make 4 groups with 12 in each group; There are 6 ponds, each pond contains 12 fish, how many fish altogether? (can draw or make this) Arrays for sevens and elevens |
| Saturday | Have a go at recording 12 multiplications formally and in order, e.g.: 1 x 12 = 12 2 x 12 = 24 3 x 12 = 36 |
| Sunday | Complete sums out of order, separately to begin with (so mix up your eights and answer, then move on to nines and finally twelves) then try a mixed list (e.g. 3 x 8, 9 x 6, 7 x 12) |
Brooke McClure, Lead Resource Teacher at Education Boutique