How to Learn Times Tables with a Chart

A printed multiplication chart helps children see the patterns behind the times tables. Here is how to use a filled and a blank chart to learn them.

Updated 4 min read By CodingEagles
Free tool Multiplication Chart Maker A 1–12 times-table grid, or any size you set. Open tool

To learn times tables with a chart, print a filled multiplication chart and pin it up so a child can look up answers and start spotting the patterns. Once the patterns are familiar, switch to a blank chart and have them fill it in from memory. Moving from looking up to recalling is what turns the chart from a crutch into a learning tool.

A times-table chart is more than a lookup table. Laid out as a grid, it reveals the structure of multiplication, and seeing that structure is what makes the facts stick.

Start with the filled chart

Print a filled 1 to 12 grid and put it somewhere the child sees it often. At first they will use it to find answers, which is fine. Looking up 7 times 8 a few times a day builds familiarity before any memorising starts.

While it is up, point out the patterns. The 2, 5 and 10 columns are predictable, the diagonal holds the square numbers, and every answer appears twice because order does not change the product. Patterns are easier to remember than thirty separate facts.

Switch to a blank grid

When the easy tables feel solid, print a blank chart and have the child fill it in. The empty grid with just the headers forces recall instead of recognition, which is the harder and more useful skill.

Time them gently to make it a game rather than a test. Re-printing a fresh blank sheet costs nothing, so they can try again and watch their time drop, which is motivating in a way a worksheet of sums is not. The multiplication chart maker builds both the filled and blank versions.

Drill the tricky tables

Most children stall on 7, 8 and 9. Focus practice there rather than re-drilling the tables they already know. The 9 times table has a finger trick worth teaching, and the square numbers like 6 times 6 and 7 times 7 are useful anchors to memorise outright.

Keep sessions short and frequent. A few minutes filling a blank grid each day beats a long weekly slog, and the chart gives instant feedback the moment the child checks it against a filled copy.

Frequently asked questions

Can I print a blank multiplication chart for practice?
Yes. Turn the answers off and you get an empty grid with only the row and column headers, so a child fills in each product themselves. It is a quick way to test recall, and you can print a fresh blank sheet every time.
How big should a multiplication chart be?
The classic chart runs 1 to 12, which covers what most children learn at school. Go up to 20 by 20 for older students or extra challenge. Larger grids use smaller cells, so check the preview fits the page before printing.
What order should children learn the times tables in?
Start with the easy patterns: 2, 5 and 10. Then 3, 4 and 6, and tackle 7, 8 and 9 last because they are the trickiest. The 9 times table has a neat finger trick, and the square numbers down the diagonal are worth learning as anchors.

Ready to try it?

A 1–12 times-table grid, or any size you set. Free, in your browser, with a live preview before you print.

Open the Multiplication Chart Maker