How to Memorize Multiplication Tables: A 4-Week Plan for Kids in Grades 2 to 5

Short answer: First make sure your child understands what multiplication means. Then learn the facts in an easy-to-hard order (2s, 10s and 5s, then 3s and 4s, then 6s to 9s), using about five minutes of daily retrieval practice, such as flashcards, instead of long drills. Short, regular practice tends to work better than cramming.

If you're wondering how to memorize multiplication tables without hours of drilling, the answer is a clear order, a short daily routine and patience. This guide covers when kids are expected to know their facts, the order that makes them easier, a 5-minute routine, a 4-week plan, and how to tell when it might be more than a memory issue.

When should kids know their times tables?

Curricula differ a little, but most expect fluency with facts up to 10 × 10 around grade 3 or 4:

• United States (Common Core): standard 3.OA.C.7 says that by the end of grade 3, students should "know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers" (Common Core State Standards, 3.OA).
• Alberta: the grade 3 math curriculum includes "Recall multiplication number facts to 10 x 10 and related division facts" (Alberta K–6 Mathematics curriculum, PDF).
• Ontario: the 2020 math curriculum builds it in stages. In grade 3, students recall multiplication facts of 2, 5 and 10. In grade 4, facts from 1 × 1 to 10 × 10. In grade 5, facts from 0 × 0 to 12 × 12, each with related division facts (Ontario Mathematics, Grades 1–8, Number strand, PDF).

Treat these as curriculum expectations, not a race. Children get there at different speeds, and a child who is a little behind in grade 3 has plenty of time to catch up with steady practice.

Understand first, memorize second

Memorizing works much better when the facts mean something. Before drilling, check that your child can explain multiplication in their own words.

• "Groups of." 4 × 3 means four groups of three. Use buttons, LEGO bricks or coins to build it.
• Arrays. Draw 4 rows of 3 dots. Count them. Then turn the paper sideways: now it's 3 rows of 4, and still 12.
• Turnarounds (the commutative property). That sideways trick is a huge shortcut. If you know 3 × 7, you know 7 × 3. Of the 100 facts from 1 × 1 to 10 × 10, 10 are "squares" like 6 × 6, and the other 90 come in 45 turnaround pairs. So there are really only 55 different facts to learn, and once the 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s are known, far fewer are left.

If your child is shaky on what multiplication actually is, spend a week here first. Our guide to help your child understand difficult subjects has more ideas for building understanding before speed.

The best order to learn multiplication facts

Learning in this order lets each new set lean on facts your child already knows.

By the time your child reaches the 6s, 7s and 8s, most of those facts are already known as turnarounds. The truly new ones are often just a handful, like 6 × 7, 6 × 8, 7 × 8, and the squares 6 × 6, 7 × 7 and 8 × 8.

How to memorize multiplication tables in 5 minutes a day

Five focused minutes a day is easier to keep up than a long weekend session, and it fits the research on retrieval practice (more on that below).

1. Warm-up (1 minute). Quickly say a few facts your child already knows well. Start with a win.
2. One new fact family (1–2 minutes). Introduce the strategy with an array or objects, then practise just those facts.
3. Mixed retrieval (2 minutes). Shuffle flashcards of new and old facts. Your child answers from memory; flip the card to check.
4. The hesitation list (30 seconds). Any fact that takes more than about three seconds goes on a "hesitation list". Those facts come up first tomorrow.

Keep it light. If your child is tired or upset, stop and try again tomorrow.

The 4-week plan

This plan assumes your child understands what multiplication means. Adjust the pace to your child; it's fine to repeat a week.

Week 1: The easy anchors. 2s, 10s and 5s, plus the 1s and 0s rules. Build each one with an array the first day. Start the hesitation list.

Week 2: Doubling families. 3s ("double plus one group") and 4s ("double, double"). Mix in week 1 facts every day so they don't fade.

Week 3: Patterns and near facts. 9s ("10s minus one group") and the 6s. Point out the turnarounds already known, so the list feels shorter.

Week 4: The tricky few, and mixing it all. 7s, 8s and the squares (6 × 6, 7 × 7, 8 × 8). End the week with mixed practice across all facts, focused on the hesitation list.

After week 4: keep a two-minute mixed review a few times a week. Facts that aren't used get rusty.

Games and tools that actually help

• Flashcards. Simple, cheap and well suited to retrieval practice. Let your child sort them into "know it" and "practise" piles.
• Dice multiplication. Roll two dice and multiply. Use 10-sided dice for harder facts. Highest product wins the round.
• A hundreds chart. Colouring in multiples (all the 3s, all the 4s) shows patterns visually.
• Card "war". Each player flips two cards and multiplies; the bigger product wins the cards.
• Apps. They can help when they ask for answers from memory and adapt to mistakes. They help less when they mostly reward tapping or when your child guesses to win points.

Are timed tests bad?

This is debated, and a balanced view is useful.

On one side, the aim is fluency: recalling facts quickly so working memory is free for harder problems. Practising retrieval helps. In a study of 48 grade 2 pupils in a real classroom, retrieval practice with flashcards led to a stronger short-term and one-week increase in multiplication fact fluency than chanting the facts out loud (Ophuis-Cox et al., 2023, Applied Cognitive Psychology). Note that this was a small study of retrieval practice, not of timed tests.

On the other side, some children find time pressure stressful, and the study above did not test timed drills, so it can't settle that question.

A practical middle ground: practise retrieval often, keep it low-stakes, and focus on your child beating their own previous results rather than a clock or a classmate. If timed tests at school are causing tears, mention it to the teacher.

When it's more than a memory problem

Some children practise steadily and still can't hold on to facts. That isn't laziness, and it is worth paying attention to. Possible signs that something more is going on include:

• trouble understanding what numbers and quantities mean, not just remembering facts;
• still counting on fingers for simple facts long after classmates have stopped;
• strong anxiety or avoidance around math;
• difficulty with other number skills, such as telling time or handling money.

These can be signs of dyscalculia, a learning difference that affects math (Understood: What is dyscalculia?). Only a qualified professional can make that call. If you're concerned, talk to your child's teacher or school about an assessment. In the meantime, keep practice short, concrete and encouraging.

If you're not sure whether extra help would make a difference, these signs your child may need a tutor are a good starting point. Younger children can work with grade 1–3 math tutors, and older children with grade 4–6 math tutoring. See our tips on getting the most from an online math tutor.

Multiplication tables FAQ

What is the fastest way for a child to memorize multiplication tables? There is no instant method, but a short daily routine works well for many children. Make sure they understand multiplication first, learn facts in an easy-to-hard order, and spend about five minutes a day recalling facts from memory with flashcards. Focus extra practice on the facts that make them hesitate.

How long does it take to learn the times tables? It varies a lot from child to child. Our 4-week plan introduces all the facts in about a month of short daily practice, but many children need longer to make every fact automatic, and that's normal. Steady review over several months helps the facts stick. Curricula expect fluency gradually across grades 3 to 5.

What order should I teach multiplication facts? Start with the easiest anchors: 2s, 10s and 5s, plus the rules for 1s and 0s. Then move to 3s and 4s, which build on doubling, then 9s, and finally 6s, 7s and 8s. Use turnarounds (3 × 7 = 7 × 3) to show your child how few facts are actually left.

What grade should know the times tables? In the US, Common Core expects students to know all products of two one-digit numbers from memory by the end of grade 3. Alberta's grade 3 curriculum expects recall of facts to 10 × 10. Ontario builds it up: 2s, 5s and 10s in grade 3, facts to 10 × 10 in grade 4, and to 12 × 12 in grade 5.

How do I help a child with dyscalculia learn times tables? Talk to the school or a qualified professional first, so support is based on an assessment. At home, keep practice short and concrete with objects, arrays and visual patterns. Focus on strategies such as doubling rather than pure recall, celebrate small progress, and avoid timed pressure. A patient tutor can also help.

Are timed drills bad for kids? Not necessarily, but they don't suit every child. Retrieval practice helps build fluency, and some children enjoy beating their own time. Others find clocks stressful. Keep practice low-stakes, compare your child only to their own past results, and talk to the teacher if timed tests are causing real anxiety.

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