Stories by Storie

Everyone has a story to tell. What is yours?

  • Stories by Storie
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • Book Activities
    • Book Lists
    • Classroom Management
    • Freebies
    • Math
    • Reading Tips
    • Writing
  • Free
  • Shop
    • Teachers Pay Teachers
    • Amazon
    • Bookshop
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

Fun Ways to Practice Multiplication

January 3, 2022

Multiplication facts are an important building block for so many math skills, but many students struggle to learn their facts. How can we help? We can teach them vocabulary and strategies, but we also need to make time for hands-on learning and games. Here are some fun ways to practice multiplication.

Multiplication facts are an important building block for so many math skills, but many students struggle to learn their facts. How can we help? We can teach them vocabulary and strategies, but we also need to make time for hands-on learning and games. Here are some fun ways to practice multiplication.

Fun Ways to Practice Multiplication

Build Arrays with Manipulatives

Once students understand the relationship between repeated addition and multiplication, you’ll want to give some hands-on practice using manipulatives. This is a concrete visual that really helps students. Before you pass out the manipulatives, remind students that they are tools, not toys.

Some of my favorite manipulatives for multiplication arrays include cubes, counters, and mini erasers. To help students keep their columns and rows organized, students might use a pencil to straighten or line them up. You might also consider using Bingo daubers for a touch of color or allow students to have fun with food (Goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, pretzels, etc.).

Cubes, counters, and mini erasers are great math manipulatives for multiplication. Students use the tools to build arrays. Then they can share the repeated addition or multiplication sentence to match.

You can also use printable mats to help students keep things more organized. Students use a repeated addition sentence to build an array and then record a matching multiplication sentence.

Help students see the relationship between multiplication and repeated addition by building arrays. These mats help keep math manipulatives organized to support learning.

Find even more arrays activities and practice pages here.

Multiplication Dice Games

In my experience, adding dice to an activity boosts engagement. That’s why I love using math dice games with students. Whether your students need practice with basic multiplication facts, repeated addition, or building arrays, this set of games will help. To save on paper, place the pages inside dry erase sleeves and students can reuse the activities with different results.

Adding dice to an activity helps boost engagement. These multiplication dice games help students with basic facts, repeated addition, arrays, and more. There are printable and digital options.

Are you a paperless classroom? Use the digital option for Google Slides that animates the dice directly on the slides as students play.

You can find these Multiplication Dice Games here.

Multiplication War

For this 2-player game, you will need a deck of cards and two players. Students shuffle and deal the cards out evenly. At the same time, players turn over two cards each and determine their product and compare to their opponent. The player with the highest product takes all four cards. If there is a tie, students can either repeat the steps in a winner-takes-all format, or each player may keep his own two cards.

Variation: Students shuffle and deal the cards out evenly. Each player keeps their stack of cards facedown. At the same time, each player reveals the top card from their own stack. The first to correctly multiply and name the product gets to keep both cards.

Math Mazes

Another fun way to practice multiplication facts is with mazes. These provide a fun challenge that will keep students engaged from start to finish! Choose between printable and digital options.

Multiplication mazes make fact practice more fun. These mazes provide a fun challenge that will keep students engaged from start to finish.
Looking for some fun ways to practice multiplication facts? These digital mazes work in Google Slides.

You can find these Multiplication Mazes here.

Circles and Stars

This is a very low-prep, high interest activity. This activity can be done individually or with a partner.

To play, students need a paper and pencil (or whiteboard and marker) and 1-2 dice. Students roll the dice and draw that many circles on their paper or whiteboard. Students roll the dice again and draw that many stars inside each circle. Then students record a multiplication sentence or repeated addition sentence to match.

When played with a partner, students complete the steps individually, but the player with the highest product wins the round. The first to win 3 rounds wins the game.

If students draw their circles too small, they can use dots instead of stars inside the circles.

Multiplication Bingo

This is a game that can be played with the whole class or with a small group who needs more support. Here’s a set that can be played with up to 36 students.

we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scavenger Hunt

Multiplication is all around us in the real world. Take your students on a scavenger hunt through the school (or in their own homes) to find examples. Have students take photos of these arrays and combine them into a class book where students label each photo with the multiplication fact it represents.

If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some examples:

  • ice cube tray
  • egg carton
  • donut box
  • soda 6-pack
  • spider legs
  • ten frame
  • side of a Rubik’s cube
  • muffin tin
  • Lego bricks
Multiplication is all around us. Take your students on an array scavenger hunt and then compile their findings into a class book.

Add Music

There are many songs and videos to help students practice their multiplication facts. This Multiplication Mash Up video came highly recommended from one of my teacher friends.

Read Books

You know how much I love to share books! Here are some of my favorite multiplication books for kids.

Here are my favorite books about multiplication for kids.

Don’t forget that it’s also okay to have students work with flash cards from time to time. What are some of your favorite ways to practice multiplication?

You might also enjoy:

  • Math Dice Games
  • Dominoes Activities
  • Fun Ways to Practice Doubles
  • Hundreds Chart Activities
  • Making 10 Games & Activities
  • Counting Coins Games & Activities
  • Telling Time Games and Activities

Enjoy!

Are your students struggling with their multiplication facts? It's time to give them some hands-on practice. Here are several games and activities to help your students practice multiplication.
signature

Related posts:

Making ten is a key building block that helps students mentally add bigger numbers as they get older. So how can we make sure kids know all of their tens partners or ways to make 10? We practice! Here are some of my favorite games and activities for making ten.Making Ten Games and Activities Math Dice Games 5 Reasons to Play Math Games Hundreds Chart Activities Fun Ways to Practice Doubles
«
»

Filed Under: math, teacher tips Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Categories

Latest on Instagram

Took a quick trip to the local library after volun Took a quick trip to the local library after volunteering today. Here’s what made it into the bag. Which titles catch your eye?

#librarylife #libraryhaul
Whether you’re starting a plants & garden unit o Whether you’re starting a plants & garden unit or just looking for an entertaining book to share this spring, grab a copy of Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!

This story follows Mr. McGreely as he finally starts the garden he’s been dreaming about for years. He plants lettuce, carrots, peas, and tomatoes. But after he goes to bed, a trio of hungry bunnies sneaks into the garden: Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!

Frustrated at the sight of gnawed sprouts, Mr. McGreely places a wire fence around his garden. But after he goes to bed, a trio of hungry bunnies sneaks into the garden: Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!

Mr. McGreely tries a tall wooden fence and a deep wet trench, but those hungry bunnies still manage to find a new way in. More furious than ever, Mr. McGreely builds a large creation. One that he’s sure will keep the bunnies out. But readers will delight in the final moments of the book as they discover one final surprise! 🥕🥕🥕 

This is one of my favorite books for spring. Swipe to see a peek inside along with a craft to pair with this funny story! The craft is just one part of my Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! book companion, which is available in my TPT store (tap the link in my bio). 

Have you read this story yet?

#munchamunchamuncha 
#springbooksforkids
Have you ever WANTED something so much that you fe Have you ever WANTED something so much that you felt like you NEEDED to buy it? Guilty! 

The concept of wants vs. needs can be tricky, especially for kids. So when I saw that Michael Rex wrote this new book, I knew I wanted it to have a home in my library.

The robots in this book need four things to survive:
- batteries for power
- arms to do work
- legs to move
- oil to run smoothly 

When one robot prioritizes wants before needs, it trades away its oil, arms, legs, and batteries for a pile of stuff that it can’t even enjoy. Fortunately, the author gives the robot a reboot. With a second chance, the robot is able to make better choices. In the end, the robots are happy to HAVE the things they NEED so they can ENJOY the things they WANT! 

🤖 Have you read this one yet? 

@fangbone_rex @penguinkids 

#kidlit #kidsbookstagram #classroombookaday #picturebooks #wantsvsneedsvsrobots
I am a BIG fan of fractured fairy tales! The Pois I am a BIG fan of fractured fairy tales!

The Poisoned Apple adds a dark, but humorous spin on the tale of Snow White. Like the classic version, an evil witch detests Snow White and plans to get rid of her once and for all with a poisoned apple. However, things take a detour after that.

The witch didn’t know that Snow White was on her way to deliver lunch to the dwarfs when she finally put the poisoned apple in Snow White’s hands. As a gesture of kindness, Snow White gives the apple to a dwarf. He ends up giving the apple to a hungry forest creature. Meanwhile, the witch watches her plot spiral out of control. Can she get the apple back before it’s too late? Or will this scheming witch discover that what goes around comes around?

What are your favorite fractured fairy tales?

#thepoisonedapple #fracturedfairytales #kidlit #picturebooks #classroombookaday @pagestreetkids
☘️One Week☘️ It was time to grab some St. ☘️One Week☘️

It was time to grab some St. Patrick’s Day books and get them on display. My kids may not ask for every single one of these for bedtime stories, but you can bet they will be reading their favorites on their own time.

☘️What is your go-to read aloud for St. Patrick’s Day?

#seasonalbookshelf #stpatricksdaybooks
EMPATHY We tell kids that empathy is being able t EMPATHY

We tell kids that empathy is being able to understand and share how others are feeling, or being able to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes to see things from their perspective. But how can we get kids to show empathy? One of my favorite ways is using books to share examples of empathy that kids can then emulate. When @hangingwithms.cooper told me she had a new book about empathy, I couldn’t wait to read it.

The Sunshine Rock: A Story About Empathy follows Alexis as she moves to a new city with her family. The night before her first day at a new school, her brother gives her a Sunshine Rock, which she can use whenever she needs more support. 

Alexis uses the rock to battle her nerves on the big day. After an embarrassing moment at the start of the day, the school counselor gathers the class for an important discussion about kindness and empathy. This challenges the class to find new ways to help Alexis feel welcome, included, and cared for in her new school.

This book would be great to share before welcoming a new student mid-year, but could also be read anytime your class needs a gentle reminder about showing empathy and kindness to others. A big thank you to Tahiya Cooper for sharing this new book with my family!

💛What are your favorite books about empathy?

#TheSunshineRock #picturebooks #empathy #kidlit #picturebooksaremyjam #classroombookaday
This may have been one of our shortest library vis This may have been one of our shortest library visits ever, but I still found a small stack of books to check out. See any titles that catch your eye?

#libraryhaul

Copyright © 2023 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs