Multiplication Made Easy: Helping Kids Build Confidence in Times Tables

As a tutor with years of experience, I’ve had the privilege of guiding hundreds of students through the ups and downs of learning math. And if there’s one milestone that can make or break a child’s confidence, it’s multiplication.

Take Leo, for example—a bright, creative fourth-grader who loved art but hated numbers. When his mom brought him in for tutoring, she explained that multiplication tests were a nightmare. He froze whenever he saw a problem like 7 × 8, and his brain scrambled through guesses until frustration took over.

"I just don’t get it," he told me during our first session. "I can add fine, but I can’t remember these stupid facts."

And right there was the key to unlocking Leo’s struggle: he hadn’t made the connection between multiplication and addition yet. Like many kids, he saw multiplication as a list of random facts to memorize instead of a pattern-based system.

Making Multiplication Click: The Power of Patterns

One of the first things I did with Leo was show him how multiplication is just repeated addition. We grabbed some counters and grouped them into sets. Instead of asking him what 3 × 4 was, I asked him to count three groups of four.

"Ohhh," he said, eyes lighting up. "It’s just 4 + 4 + 4!"

From there, we looked for patterns in multiplication facts.🔹 The 5s always end in 0 or 5—easy to spot on a number chart!🔹 The 9s have a cool trick—the digits in the answer always add up to 9! (e.g., 9 × 7 = 63 → 6 + 3 = 9)🔹 Doubles (2s, 4s, 8s) are just doubling over and over!

Once Leo saw multiplication as a system, not a list to memorize, his anxiety started to fade.

Bringing in Music and Movement

Memorization can still be tough, so I introduced skip counting songs and rhythm games.

One day, we stood up and clapped while skip-counting by threes:"3, 6, 9, 12…"

Leo was skeptical at first, but after a few rounds, he was laughing—and more importantly, he remembered the numbers. Movement and rhythm made the facts stick in a way that staring at flashcards never did.

The Breakthrough Moment

A few weeks later, Leo’s mom texted me:

"Guess what? Leo took his times table quiz today… and he got a 90%! He’s so proud of himself!"

That’s the moment I live for as a tutor—not just when a child gets the right answers, but when they start believing they can.

My Recommendations for Parents of Struggling Students:

✅ Make it visual—Use counters, LEGO bricks, or drawings to show multiplication as grouping.

✅ Use patterns—Look for tricks in the times tables to make memorization easier.

✅ Incorporate music and movement—Skip counting songs and clapping games can turn memorization into a fun activity.

✅ Create a multiplication chart together—Hang it somewhere visible and review just one row per day.

Encouragement for Parents

Multiplication is more than just numbers—it’s a skill that builds confidence and independence in math. It might take time, but your child is capable of mastering it. The key is patience, practice, and making learning fun.

If your child is struggling, remind them:

🌟 Math isn’t about being perfect the first time—it’s about learning patterns, making connections, and growing step by step. 🌟

And one day, just like Leo, they’ll look back and wonder why it ever seemed so hard.

Learn More about My Math Tutoring Services

Learn More

CONTACT Raff-A+Matics

Phone: (1)847-710-7207

Email:  raffamaticstutors@gmail.com

At Raff-A+Matics Tutoring, your first 15-minute introductory meeting is not only informative but also completely free, allowing you to experience our personalized approach to education and to set up a progressive path to meet individual goals!