The times tables are the foundation of everything that comes after in math:
long multiplication, division, fractions, algebra. Kids who know their times tables fluently find later math dramatically easier; kids who don't spend the next six years struggling with problems that shouldn't be hard.
This page has everything you need to help your child master the multiplication tables from 1 to 12: dedicated practice pages, memorization tips, printable worksheets, and interactive games — all free.
Pick a times table to practice
Each page below has the full table, memorization tricks specific to that table, common mistakes to watch for, and a printable worksheet you can download.
■ Easier tables ■ Medium difficulty ■ Harder tables
Which times table should you start with?
It's tempting to teach the times tables in numerical order — 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on — but that's actually the wrong order. Some tables are dramatically easier than others, and starting with the easy wins builds the confidence needed to tackle the harder ones. Here's the order most experienced teachers use:
- Phase 1 — Easy wins:
Start with the 2, 10, and 5 times tables. All have obvious patterns (doubling, adding zero, alternating ending). Kids master these fast and feel smart doing it. - Phase 2 — Trivial:
Cover the 1 times table (anything × 1 is itself) and the 11 times table for single digits (double the digit: 11 × 3 = 33). Very little to memorize. - Phase 3 — Doubling extensions:
The 4 times table is double the 2s. The 8 times table is double the 4s. If Phase 1 is solid, these come almost for free. - Phase 4 — Skip counting:
The 3 times table needs genuine skip-counting practice. The 6 times table is double the 3s — teach them as a pair. - Phase 5 — The hard ones:
The 9 times table is full of patterns worth teaching explicitly. The 7 times table is universally the hardest — save for last. - Phase 6 — Capstone:
The 12 times table is easy once you teach chunking (12 × N = 10 × N + 2 × N).
Practice tips that actually work
Beyond picking the right order, three principles make times tables practice stick:
Short and frequent beats long and rare
5 to 10 minutes daily produces dramatically better long-term recall than 30 minutes once a week.
Sequential recall isn't fluency
A child chanting "7, 14, 21, 28…" in order is still computing rhythmically. Real fluency means answering "what's 7 × 4?" out of order in one or two seconds. Move to mixed practice once sequential is comfortable.
Keep pressure mild
Timed drills with stakes create math anxiety in vulnerable kids. Practice should feel like play, not like being tested.
For a deeper dive into how kids memorize multiplication facts, read ➹ How to Help Your Child Memorize Times Tables.
Ready for more?
For ongoing multiplication practice — and the rest of math fundamentals — Math and Snake is a free game on Google Play (ages 5 to 12). It covers counting, addition, subtraction, times tables, and division, with adjustable difficulty that grows with your child.
