Mom and Dad,
    Here are some time-honored tricks for helping kids learn their multiplication tables:

   First of all, multiplication is simply adding the same number numerous times and / or ‘counting up.’ Some children have difficulty learning their multiplication tables because they don’t understand the concept, thus the process lacks meaning. Children should learn what multiplication is:
2 x 3 = 2 + 2 + 2 = 6
3 x 2 = 3 + 3 = 6

   In other words, multiplication is a form of skip counting or ‘counting by…”
2 x 6 = 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 12 (counting by 2)
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

   Teaching children to skip count (or count up or count by…) is the first step toward memorizing and giving meaning to the process. Skip counting is easily learned through songs… let the children pick a tune. It’s fun!

   ‘Doubles’ are also pretty easy. In high school, we called these ‘squared’ numbers: 2 x 2 was called 2 squared or 2²
   Because these are ‘double multiplication problems,’ they are easier for children to remember.
2 x 2 = 4
3 x 3 = 9
4 x 4 = 16
5 x 5 = 25
6 x 6 = 36
7 x 7 = 49
8 x 8 = 64
9 x 9 = 81
10 x 10 = 100

   Write these problems on index cards, one problem per card, and keep them in your car. Ask your child to review the cards while you travel; however, review only two at a time. ‘Studying’ ten is not as productive as learning two.
   After your child masters the ‘doubles,’ use index cards to master one set of problems at a time… again, only two card per day or per car ride.

   Another trick: Checking facts for multiplying 9. Although this trick might not help children during timed tests, it is a great trick for checking problems with 9 as a multiple.
Check this out:
2 x 9 = 18 18 - 1 + 8 = 9
3 x 9 = 27 27 - 2 + 7 = 9
4 x 9 = 36 36 - 3 + 6 = 9
5 x 9 = 45 45 - 4 + 5 = 9
6 x 9 = 54 54 - 5 + 4 = 9
7 x 9 = 63 63 - 6 + 3 = 9
8 x 9 = 72 72 - 7 + 2 = 9
9 x 9 = 81 81 - 8 + 1 = 9
10 x 9 = 90 90 - 9 + 0 = 9
   See the pattern? Add each digit in each two digit answer, and the answer will always be 9.