How to learn times tables by singing

Looking for easy times tables songs for children who are learning their times tables? Want to know how to learn times tables by singing? Try these tunes! 

 

 

How to learn times tables by singing

Singing your times tables is such a fun way to learn multiplication! 

Knowing your times tables is an important building block in math skills. It’s such a help if you know them. If you can recall them quickly and easily, it frees up your brain to concentrate and work on other more complex areas of maths. You’ll find later math lessons much easier if you know your times tables.

But, not everyone does find it easy to memorise times tables. I’ve known children who’ve picked up their times tables easily, and ones who have struggled. Bright, intelligent children who find other areas of math easy to understand can still find learning their times tables a real challenge. 

One thing that I’ve found to be really helpful, with all the children I’ve worked with, is to sing your times tables!

Why does singing times tables make it easier to learn them? Perhaps it’s because you’re adding in an extra sensory element. Maybe it’s because it’s more fun, so you don’t mind practicing. Maybe, like an annoying jingle from an advert, it simply gets stuck in your head.

Whatever the reason, singing your times tables really works. Give these times table songs a try and I’m sure you’ll find them a great help.

 

 

Using a multi-sensory times tables station

Practice makes perfect, and hands-on learning really helps concepts stick, so be sure to check out this multi-sensory times table station and use it as part of your multiplication practice too.

 

 

Fun skip counting activities

And try these fun skip counting activities too – they’re great to combine with songs.

 

 

Easy songs to learn times tables

When it comes to using songs to learn times tables, I’m looking for three things.

Firstly, I want the song to be really easy to remember, so using a tune your children already know is perfect.

Secondly, I want to be able to use the song really quickly, under my breath, when I need it. Some times tables songs a too long and slow, and are impractical. When you’re using the songs as part of your math work, you don’t want to get stuck for five minutes singing one times one is three, two times three is six…. We need to be able to cut to the 3 6 9 12…. answers really quickly. For this reason we only sing the answers part of the times table. We can use our fingers if we need to mark the one times, two times, three times part to keep track, but our songs only sing the answers.

Thirdly, we need a song that fits with the beat of the times table pattern – the syllables of the numbers need to fit the song naturally or it doesn’t work.

 

The best songs for learning times tables

The two, five, and ten times tables, we simple chant. These are the times tables we learn first, and we have so much repetition of them from an early age, that chanting, perhaps while clapping or stamping our feet, is all we need for these ones.

 

 

Three times table song

This is the one that got us started with singing our times tables, thanks to the inspiration of Mr. Demaio singing it to UpTown Funk. Check out his super fun video above and see more on his Youtube channel. We focus on singing just the section with the answers which you can hear from minute 1:05 to minute 1:12 on the video.

 

Four times table song

We Row, Row, Row, Your Boat for the four times table and the pattern fits nicely.

 

 

Six times table song

For the six times table, sing to the tune of Happy Birthday To You!

 

 

Seven times table song

For the seven times table we use Old MacDonald Had A Farm. Try it!

Old Mac = seven

Donald = fourteen

Had A Farm = twenty one

E I = twenty eight

E I O = thir-ty five etc.

 

 

Eight times table song

Cheat time! The eight times table is the worst, right?! And so far I haven’t found a great song for this one.

So with children who are struggling, we unashamedly cheat here! The only entry in the eight times table we learn is 8 x 8 is 64. For every other part, we use one of the other times table songs to find our answer. So for example, for 6 x 8 we sing the six times table.

Are you shocked we skip the 8s? Ha! Let me know if you do have a great song for the 8s and we can add it in.

 

 

Nine times tables

We don’t use a song for the nine times tables either. Instead we use the nine times table finger trick! Have you seen this one? Kids love because it so cool and clever. And because you always have your hands with you, it’s a trick you can rely on whenever you need it.