Multiplication is one of the 4 basic pillars of arithmetic operations. But most children find it difficult to understand the concept of multiplication easily. They learn addition and subtraction easily but when they transition to multiplication, they find it complicated. Moreover, multiplication is something that everyone must master. You can’t rely on a calculator at all times.
But learning multiplication is a necessary skill, so kids should master the multiplication tables. Kids usually learn the multiplication tables from 1 to 10 fairly quickly. But they tend to struggle with the times table from 10 onwards, like the 11 times table. One of the easiest ways to help kids master multiplication tables for numbers after 10, is to teach them multiplication facts.
Are you still wondering if it’s worth your time to teach your child the multiplication facts? After all, rote learning will eventually get them to learn and commit the times tables to memory! But it is worth your time. Here are 4 reasons why you should teach your kids multiplication facts.
4 Reasons To Teach Multiplication Facts To Your Child
- Makes learning easy: The multiplication facts are nothing but the answers to a multiplication problem. Multiplication facts lists all the products of multiplication problems from 1 to 20. Once children know these facts, learning the times tables becomes quick and easy. So, paste the multiplication facts chart where the children can see it often. Teach them how to find the products of any two numbers on the chart. Before long, your child will have memorized the times table for all the numbers.
- Boosts confidence: When they can’t find the solution to a problem, children usually get demotivated and lose confidence. Committing the multiplication facts to memory helps children solve problems quickly and easily. This builds their confidence and even the most math weary student will learn to solve problems quickly.
- Stay engaged: Solving math problems can get exhausting for anyone. Beyond a certain point, you’ll want to step away and take a break. But you don’t always have the choice of disengaging from solving the problem. Children cannot afford to do this, especially in tests and exams. When you have the multiplication facts memorized, solving problems becomes easier. It also reduces the amount of time used, so the child isn’t mentally exhausted and can stay focussed.
- Useful in real life too: Multiplication is a concept that isn’t just for math textbooks. We often use multiplication in our daily lives too. We use multiplication while shopping, construction, cooking and baking etc.
For example, imagine you have to cook for 48 of your friends. But your recipe only makes 12 servings. If you knew the multiplication facts for the 12 times table, you could easily calculate whether you have to double or triple your recipe.
Another example is shopping for school supplies. If you use 2 pencils and 3 erasers in a month at school. How many pencils and erasers should you buy to last the whole school year? Knowledge of multiplication facts comes in handy in such situations.
