Times tables feel big, but fast does not mean rushed. Speed comes from patterns, not pressure, and a child who learns the patterns first answers faster than a child who just repeats rows. I have taught Grade 6 math for over thirty years, and I start every child with the easy patterns, then build up.
Start with the Easy Patterns, Not the Whole Table
The 10s are the friendliest: add a zero, and 10 times 7 is 70. The 5s are half of the 10s, so 5 times 7 is half of 70, which is 35. The 2s are just doubling, so 2 times 7 is 14. Three patterns already cover a third of the table, with no hard memorising at all.
Learn one pattern until it feels easy, then add the next. A child who owns the 2s, 5s, and 10s walks into the harder tables with wins already banked. Confidence is the fuel here, and easy wins build it fast.
The Doubling Trick for 4s and 8s
The 4s are double the 2s. If 2 times 6 is 12, then 4 times 6 is double 12, which is 24. The 8s are double the 4s. If 4 times 7 is 28, then 8 times 7 is double 28, which is 56. One doubling step turns a scary table into a known one.
Teach it as a chain, not a new fact. 2 times 7 is 14, double it for 4 times 7, which is 28, double again for 8 times 7, which is 56. Children love chains, because each link holds the next one up.
The 9s Pattern Children Actually Remember
The 9s hide a neat check: the digits of each answer add up to 9. 9 times 4 is 36, and 3 plus 6 is 9. 9 times 7 is 63, and 6 plus 3 is 9. If the digits do not add to 9, the answer is wrong, and your child can catch it alone.
The finger trick helps too. Hold up ten fingers, fold down the finger that matches the number you multiply by, and the fingers left of it count tens while the fingers right of it count ones. For 9 times 4, fold finger 4, and you see 3 fingers and 6 fingers, which is 36.
A 5-Minute Daily Routine That Beats One Long Session
Five minutes a day beats one long weekly session, because memory grows with sleep between tries. Mix old facts with new ones, say each answer out loud, and stop while your child is still winning. A short, happy session brings them back tomorrow, and a long, tired one pushes them away.
Keep the routine tiny and fixed. One minute on the easy patterns, two minutes on the new pattern, two minutes on a quick quiz with mixed facts. Same time, same place, every day, and the tables settle in without a fight.
Using Times Tables in Real Life (Shopping and Cooking)
Shopping runs on tables. Six packs with 4 rolls in each pack is 6 times 4, which is 24 rolls. Cooking runs on them too. A recipe needs 3 spoons per batch, and 5 batches need 3 times 5, which is 15 spoons. Real uses give tables a reason, and a reason makes them stick.
Tables also speed up fractions: 3 quarters of 12 needs 12 shared by 4, which is 3, then 3 times 3, which is 9, and my Why Do We Learn Fractions? guide shows why that link matters. When a child sees tables inside fractions, shopping, and cooking, practice stops feeling pointless.
Try It Yourself: 3 Quick Questions
Cover the answers, let your child try, then check together.
- What is 7 times 8? Use the doubling trick.
Answer: 56. 7 times 2 is 14, double it for 7 times 4, which is 28, and double again for 7 times 8, which is 56. - What is 9 times 6? Check it with the digits.
Answer: 54. 9 times 6 is 54, and 5 plus 4 is 9, so the digit check passes. - A shop sells bags with 9 apples in each bag. How many apples are in 4 bags?
Answer: 36 apples. 4 times 9 is 36.
Key Takeaways
- Fast means patterns first, not rushed repeating.
- The 2s, 5s, and 10s are the easy start.
- Double the 2s for the 4s, and double the 4s for the 8s.
- In the 9s, the answer digits always add up to 9.
- Five short minutes a day beat one long weekly session.
If your child handled those three questions, she has the patterns, not just the answers. Keep the 5-minute routine going for two weeks, and the tables will feel like tools, not tests.
For more topics at this level, browse our Grade 6 math worksheets page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should times tables take to learn?
Most children need a few weeks of short daily practice, not one weekend. Patterns first, then recall, and speed follows on its own.
Should my child memorise in order?
Order helps at the start, but mixed recall proves real learning. Once a pattern feels safe, quiz it in mixed order so answers come from memory, not from counting up.
What if they keep forgetting the 7s and 8s?
Go back to doubling: 7 times 8 is double 7 times 4. Forgotten facts are not failure, they are a sign to use a pattern instead of guessing.
Are times tables still needed with calculators?
Yes, because tables give number sense. A child who knows 7 times 8 is 56 can spot a wrong calculator answer at once, and mental maths stays fast in shops and kitchens.
What is a good daily practice time?
Five minutes is enough, at the same time each day. Short and regular beats long and rare, every time.