Creative And Fun Ways To Do Multiplication Practice

The best way to master multiplication? Practice until it becomes second nature. But drill to kill is never fun for anyone. Plus some techniques can trigger some serious math anxiety. So I’ve been looking for some innovative games and fun ways to incorporate multiplication practice and I’ve found some winners!

Top Picks for Fun Multiplication Practice

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Growing up I had to repeat my “times table” over and over until I could recite it in my sleep. This sort of rote memorization was the style used back then to teach math facts. Although this may not have been the best way to learn math, there was some merit to it that I feel is lost with new math.

Let’s face it, new math is confusing. There are a lot of students struggling and something needs to change. My son is struggling. Math does not come easy to him. But next year he wants to return to a bricks and mortar school, so he needs to have a level of mastery before that big day.

His biggest struggle? He has to work sooooo hard to get a simple multiplication answer. It’s crazy. And as the problems are getting more complicated, those basic answers aren’t coming easier.

I really believe the answer is memorizing. My son needs to know his multiplication table up to 10×10. He needs to have those answers readily available. Once those numbers come easily he will be able to tackle more complicated and advanced problems.

Now the traditional drill and kill rote memorization of reciting multiplication tables is not fun. So I set out to find some interesting and fun ways to practice multiplication.

Online Multiplication Games

While still learning the multiplication tables, a fun way to learn is Times Tales. One word of caution though, if your kids are older, they may find the imagery and approach too “little kid”. At least that was my oldest son’s complaint.

Prodigy is a fun game that allows the parent or teacher to set the types of problems the kids need to solve in order to win battles. Sadly after a couple of years my kids became bored of the game, but as an educator I LOVED the back end control and reports I was able to get from this game.

Math Xtra is one I’m using right now. It challenges kids to not only answer the questions but to do it with speed as they develop full mastery. My youngest likes it, my oldest freaks out about the time limit.

Printable Multiplication Practice

Practice multiplication skills by pretending to work in a restaurant with these fun printable packs.

Royal Baloo has created this Minecraft Multiplication Game that looks like so much fun! My kids love Minecraft, especially my youngest, so I’m sure he will all over this game. Best of all it’s free. Some assembly required. LOL

Math Geek Mama has a massive pack of printable multiplication practice materials. This is one of the most comprehensive worksheet packages I’ve come across.

Schooling a Monkey has a simple multiplication printable to help with daily practice. It incorporates showing problems in numerous ways to help solidify the facts. You could also combine this sheet with their multiplication dice game.

Fun Activities to Practice Multiplication

Combine some engineering with your math practice in this fun, fast paced, active way of practicing math skills – Switchgrip Math Game.

Spirolateral Math Art is such a cool activity. It encourages the use of skip counting and multiplication to create gorgeous masterpieces. I can also see it really helping comprehension and understanding. Such a great hands on activity!

Got a fidget spinner? Check out this game that helps busy kids practice multiplication.

This is a great way to get kids practicing hands on without the need to write (perfect for my son with dysgraphia). Save those plastic Easter eggs, and use them to create this fun Multiplication Eggs game.

If you don’t have Math Keys, you can make your own version using a paper plate.

Board and Card Games for Multiplication Practice

Check out our favourite STEM Games for even more ideas for math board games!

Math is in the Cards is a book that is PACKED full of ideas on how to use card games to practice math skills. There are so many different ideas and skills covered, it has something for everyone.

It seems like no matter what your child is into, there is a multiplication game for them! I found Star Wars, Minecraft and Pokemon, just to name a few, at Royal Baloo! Check out the site to find even more amazing resources.

This is a fun way to create a math game with a deck of cards. You will need lots of space to play, but it looks like a lot of fun and is very adaptable.

With a little ingenuity it seems you can turn any game into multiplication practice. Check out this fun twist on Tic Tack Toe.

Did you play War as a kid? It’s a card game that can be easily adapted to practice multiplication. Here are some great tips on how to play.

Don’t want to spend a bunch of money on a math game? Here is a free board game you print and build at home.

More Math Resources, Tools and Games

              

Best Videos for Learning Multiplication

Sometimes a catchy song or visual presentation can really help solidify a new concept. So although these don’t provide practice, it is a way of reviewing and learning by watching these videos.

This trick shows how to use your hands to help learn the times table

Khan Academy also has some great videos and lessons. Check them out here.

Finally Multiplication.com offers tons of great resources including videos. Visit them here.

Teacher Led Online Classes

Lately we have enjoyed a few online classes on math through Outschool. This site is kind of like an Air BnB of education. Some courses are great, others are not the greatest. It is independent teachers who offer the classes and instruction. Do your due diligence and research the course and teacher before signing up.

The nice thing for my son is that the classes he has taken were live (not all are, so definitely do your research). So he was in a virtual classroom where he could chat with the teacher and interact with other students. This kind of immediate feedback has worked really well for him. He has also benefited from learning with other children, something that is very difficult to provide when homeschooling.

Plus they have some incredibly motivating themes. Some of these teacher are so creative! Whatever your kids loves, Dinosaurs, Pokemon, Harry Potter… there is a class with that theme.

Overall, I have been generally happy with Outschool and will likely book more classes. Especially when I can find reasonably priced classes so I can “test” the teacher first before committing to longer, more intensive, more expensive classes.

Did I miss anything? Share your favourite innovative ways to practice multiplication in the comments.

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