Multiplication in a breeze

It is a difficult task to introduce multiplication to younger kids. Over the years I have found that some methods work better than others. 

Let us go back to the hundred chart once again.



If you remember the hundred chart, we can use it to skip count early multiplication tables.



So in this  way, we can do skip count by 2, 5 and 10 first.

If the child catches the pattern, you can go upto 20 on skip by 2. 

After that make him or her understand that through finger counting.

For example, 2 x 1 = 2, Use the pinky finger to say 2, then ring finger to say 4 etc.

Writing in a book. 

Then comes writing it in a book. Each time let the child count forward skipping by 2 and write that down in a book. 

5 tables 

Now you know the pattern. Count again in fingers through 5, 10, 15 etc.


You can show  how to write through 5 counting numbers, you can fill some numbers and make the student fill the rest. There are so many innovative ways to think.


10 tables

Same method for skip count by 10 as well.


Use a tic tac toe game to increase the retention of memory for the tables you taught. I used to ask my daughter to walk across the house reciting the skip count and when she reaches 

the answer, she will put a cross on the

 tic tac toe on the board.


You can make your own games like forward tables, reverse tables, dodge tables like in math gym app. 

Forward tables means, the child has to recite skip count on his or her fingers like 2,4 ,6 etc.

Reverse means he or she has to use to say 20, 18, 16, etc. Soon this will become a practice.

Then give  Dodge. Like ask the student what is 2 x 5, then  has to count forward till the student reaches fifth finger and say it is 10.

Do the same 2 tables till the student masters the concept.

Now that he or she is comfortable about 2 tables, make him or her write as a fact.

2 x 1 = 2

2 x 2 = 4

 Etc till he or she understands that there is a pattern to using it.

Then take up 5 tables and follow the same process.

And so on.

Repeated addition 

Now we can start showing her that tables 

are just repeated addition.

For this, we can use th

 method called grid multiplication. First fill 

The tables she knows, 1, 2, 5.

Then see how many numbers are left.

As you can see, only few are unfilled.


Teaching upto 10 tables

After this, take up the full grid.


  1. Draw the grid on a chart.

  2. Ask the student to fill in 1 table for each number, horizontally and vertically.

  3. Then 2 tables, 5 tables, 10 tables horizontally and vertically.

  4. Then the chart will look like this

  5. As you can see most of the chart is filled.

  6. Now use repeated addition to fill the rest.

  7. for eg: 6 + 3 = 9, so 3 x 3 are 9.

  8. If you know 3 x 4, the grid makes the student understand that 4 x 3 is same 12. Same way for higher tables. 12 to 19 or any number.



As you know , we have taught how to skip count by 10.

Now , it is time to teach multiplication by 10 after the 100 number is reached.

For example 2 x 10 = 20, 3 x 10 = 30.

Tell the child that if it is multiplying by 10, you need to add a zero at the right of the number.

Show that 11 x 10 = 11 and add a zero at the right of 11.

So it becomes 11 x 10 = 110.

Same for multiplying by 100s. You just need to repeat the number and place two zeroes at the end of the number.

For example start with 100 tables.

1 * 100 = 100 

2 * 100 = 200 and so on till 

10 * 100 = 1000.

25 * 100 = 2500

Please  comment on this article and share it to other teachers. I have videos of how I teach this. If you wish , you can mail me at nirusri74@gmail.com and I will share the videos. 









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