A times tables race where the timer is only a guide

Most of us learned tables by chanting them in class. "Two ones are two, two twos are four." It worked, eventually, but it felt endless, and for some children it turned maths into something to fear.

The Times Tables Race on KidsZone tries a friendlier approach.

How it works

A single question appears, like "What is 4 × 4?" in the screenshot. Your child types the answer on the number pad and taps the tick. Then the next question comes.

There's a blue progress bar under the question, and here's the detail I like most. Under it, a small line says the child should take their time, because the bar is only a guide. That's exactly the right message. The race is there for fun and motivation, not to make anyone panic.

You choose the pressure

There's a Timer switch you can turn on or off. Some children love the race and push themselves to go faster. Others freeze under time pressure. With the timer off, they can think calmly, and speed can come later on its own.

That choice makes the game suitable for a much wider range of children, and it's a good lesson for parents too: accuracy first, speed later.

Three levels

• Tables 2–5: the first tables most schools teach
• Tables 6–10: the harder ones, where 7 × 8 lives
• Mixed tables: everything together, for revision

Odd or Even, and Missing Number

Two other games in School Skills work well alongside it.

Odd or Even sorts numbers into two groups. Simple, but it's the start of noticing patterns, and patterns are what maths is really about.

Missing Number turns a sum into a small puzzle: something is missing, can you find it? That's early algebra, though nobody needs to call it that yet.

A routine that works

• Pick one table for the week, say the 4 times table.
• Play the race with the timer off for the first few days.
• When your child is getting everything right, switch the timer on.
• At the weekend, try Mixed tables to see what stuck.

And tell your child about their own progress, not anyone else's. "Yesterday you were stuck on 4 × 7, today you got it straight away" is far more motivating than any comparison.

The tricky ones

Every child has a few facts that refuse to stick. For many it's 7 × 8, 6 × 7 or 8 × 9. When you notice the same question tripping them up, write it on a sticky note and put it on the fridge or the bathroom mirror. Seeing it every day for a week does wonders. Then come back to the race and watch them get it right without a pause. That little victory is worth celebrating.

Play the Times Tables Race on KidsZone.