Last Updated on 6 November 2023 by Colette
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You may be aware that this summer, Year 4 children will take part in the “Multiplication Tables Check” – this is mandatory government testing of our 8 and 9 year old’s times tables recall. I’m sure you can all imagine what I think of this . . .
(Edited to add – I wrote this last week before all exams & testing for 2020 was cancelled . . . )
My opinions on mandatory times table testing aside, the MTC has brought times tables to the forefront through early Key Stage 2 with classes doing regular times tables tests and schools signing up for Times Tables Rockstars (which is great for working on response times – especially as the Multiplication Check itself is an online test). But what if you don’t want to introduce another reason for screen time in your home? Orchard Toys have got your back with two games focusing on developing multiplication skills!
First Times Tables
The First Times Tables game is for ages 5 – 8 yrs and focuses on the 2, 5 and 10 times tables making it perfect for those children in Key Stage 1 and the start of Key Stage 2.
In the first instance, First Times Tables offers an introduction to multiplication: making links between repeated addition and “groups of” or “lots of”. I love that the instruction sheet gives clear direction on how to do this using First Times Tables pancakes & number lines a visual aid and pointing out the appropriate mathematical language to use. It is well worth working through this introduction before you attempt to play the game itself – especially with younger children. Obviously Ben and Chloe are well versed in multiplication in KS2 but Amy, in Year 1, is just learning to count in 2s, 5s and 10s so this is new thing for her.
The Flipping Pancakes Game itself can be played with a 10 minute time limit or until all the pancake cards are taken. The game is simple – you spin the spinner and take the card that the spinner points to. You solve the times table on the card and say the answer out loud before flipping your pancake to check your answer (my three soon got fed up of flipping pancakes and just turned them over). If you are correct you get to stack the pancake on your plate, if not the pancake goes back to the bottom of the pile (fruit side up so there’s no cheating!) The winner is the player with the most pancakes when the time is up or all the cards have been taken!
You can also test your times tables recall by trying to answer & flip as many pancakes as you can in 60 seconds!
This game is a cracking early introduction to times tables and one I think we’ll be playing a lot over the coming weeks with Amy. Ben and Chloe weren’t so impressed as there wasn’t really any challenge for this but they humoured Amy and played along!
Times Tables Heroes
The Times Tables Heroes game is recommended for ages 6 – 9 years and helps children to master times tables from 2 – 12. So this is definitely the game you want to be looking at to support your child ahead of the Multiplication Tables Check, or indeed at any point through Key Stage 2 if their times tables recall is a little wobbly.
As is often the way with Orchard Toys games, there are multiple ways to play the Times Tables Heroes game – with a double sided board you can practice the 2, 5 and 10 times table with Multiplication Bingo or right the way through to the 12 times table with Times Table Heroes.
Multiplication Bingo
Multiplication Bingo is really straight forward – you spin the red and green spinners to give you a times table calculation and then shout out the answer – everyone then checks if they’ve got the number on their board (you could also do this without shouting out to make sure everyone had a chance to work out each calculation – the better you are at your times tables the faster you’d be able to get your counters down and shout, “Three in a Row!” Whilst this game is set out for you to practice your 2, 5 and 10 times tables, you can actually download more advanced boards from the Orchard Toys website.
Hero City game
The Hero City Game comes with a full back story about how Hero City is under attack from an evil robot and you, with the Times Tables Heroes, must race to reach him!
The green spinner practices 2, 5 and 10 times tables whereas the red spinner practices all the times tables – different players can use different spinners in the same game which means you can make it a more level playing field and pitch the game according to player’s ability / confidence.
To play, you spin your chosen spinner and the square spinner and then multiply the two numbers before shouting out your answer. (There is a handy times table checker so you can make sure you go the answer right!) If you get the right answer you move to the next space on the board which shows the same vehicle the square spinner is pointing to (that sounds complicated to explain but isn’t when you are playing!). If you land on a shield you pick up a shield card, work out how to solve the problem using your imagination and super hero powers, them moved the number of places shown on the car. The winner is the first person to reach the evil robot!
I love that this game can be tailored to suit different ages and confidence levels – and the times tables checker tool means the kids can get on and play without arguing over who got an answer right!
Why not read some of our other Orchard Toys reviews:
Heads & Tails | Shopping List | Once Upon a Time Dominoes | Penguin Clock Face | Cake Monster | Who’s in Space? | Ladybirds
Or check out this list of board games for six year olds.
