44 Fun, Hands-On Ways To Teach Multiplication

Multiplication is a basic skill students need to master before they can move on to more advanced math. Memorizing multiplication tables is one option, but it’s important for kids to understand exactly what it means to multiply. This list of fun and engaging ways to teach multiplication has so many options. You’re sure to find a way to resonate with every one of your students!

1. Build multiplication skills with Minecraft

Your kids will flip for this fun version of Minecraft multiplication. Download the game and instructions for free!

Learn more: Royal Baloo/Minecraft Multiplication

2. Deal a hand of Spiral

Players take turns rolling the dice and moving around the game board with this fun multiplication card game.

Learn more: Math Geek Mama/Spiral

3. Sweeten up multiplication practice

Write multiplication problems on the bottom of small cupcake paper liners. On the inside, write the product. Two players take turns picking a liner, finding the answer, and flipping it over to check.

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Learn more: Teachstarter/Cupcake Math

4. Take a whirl at fidget spinner math

The object of the game is simple: Spin the spinner and complete as many problems as possible.

Learn more: Royal Baloo/Fidget Spinner Math

5. Make multiplication pool noodles

Pick up some pool noodles and use our easy tutorial to turn them into the ultimate multiplication manipulatives! This is such a unique way for kids to practice their facts.

6. Match wits at Array Capture

You can use dice-in-dice or just a regular pair of dice for this game. Players roll the dice and use the numbers to block off space on the grid, writing in the math sentence too. At the end of the game, the player with the most spaces colored in wins.

Learn more: Teaching With Jillian Starr/Array Capture

7. Punch holes to make arrays

Arrays introduce multiplication in a way that kids can easily understand. This activity is great for active learners who will love punching holes as they create multiplication arrays for basic facts.

Learn more: Primary Theme Park

8. Fold a multiplication cootie catcher

We love finding new and clever ways to practice math facts! Get these free printables at the link, then let kids color and fold them up. Now they’ve got self-checking practice at their fingertips.

Learn more: Artsy-Fartsy Mama/Cootie Catchers

9. Visit the Multiplication Shop

How fun is this? Set up a “store” with small items for sale. Kids choose a number of items from each section to “buy” and write out the multiplication sentences as their receipt!

Learn more: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls/Multiplication Store

10. Ask a partner, “Do You Have …?”

Got an old “Guess Who?” game lying around? Turn it into a multiplication game instead!

Learn more: @rainbowskycreations

11. Pull out the base-10 blocks

Base-10 blocks are one of our favorite manipulatives, and they’re a terrific tool to help you teach multiplication. Build arrays with them to let kids visualize the problems and their answers.

Learn more: Laura Candler’s Teaching Resources

12. Color in Emoji Mystery pages

Here’s a twist on color-by-number. First, kids have to answer the multiplication problems in each square. Then they get to color! Get a free set of these pages at the link.

Learn more: Artsy-Fartsy Mama/Emoji Mystery Pages

13. Multiply with dice-in-dice

Something about dice-in-dice just makes learning more fun! If you don’t have a set, you can use a pair of regular dice for this activity. Mix things up with polyhedral dice with higher numbers too.

Learn more: Life Over C’s

14. Pick sticks to play Kaboom!

So easy and so fun! Write multiplication facts at the end of a variety of wood craft sticks. On a few, write “Kaboom!” instead. To play, kids draw sticks from a cup and answer the problem. If they get it right, they can keep pulling sticks. But if they get a Kaboom! stick, they have to put their whole collection back!

Learn more: Teaching With Jillian Starr/Kaboom!

15. Match Multiplication Memory cards

Practice facts with a memory game. Make your own cards by writing facts and answers, then lay them all face down. Turn over a card and try to find its matching answer or problem. Your turn continues as long as you’re able to make matches.

Learn more: This Reading Mama/Multiplication Memory

16. Find it first

Write a series of products on the whiteboard, and mix in a few random numbers too. Send two students up to the board and call out a multiplication problem. The first one to find and point to the correct answer wins a point.

Learn more: Who’s Who and Who’s New

17. Draw Waldorf multiplication flowers

This is a creative way to teach multiplication facts. Draw a flower with 12 petals and a circle in the center. In the circle, write the multiplicand; on the petals, the numbers 1 to 12. Now, draw larger petals outside, and fill in the product of each fact. Add some color to make fun classroom decorations!

Learn more: Multicultural Motherhood

18. Play multiplication war

All you need for this is a deck of cards, plus a paper and pencil for each player. Split the deck between the players. Each player flips two cards, then writes out the multiplication sentence and the answer. The player with the higher product takes all the cards. Play until the deck is gone. The player with the most cards wins!

Learn more: Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas

19. Compete at multiplication bingo

Grab these free printable bingo cards at the link and provide one to each student along with some chips or beans to use as counters. Call out multiplication facts and have students cover the answers if they have them. When they get five in a row, it’s a bingo!

Learn more: Confessions of Parenting

20. Put a twist on rock-paper-scissors

Chances are your students already know how to player rock-paper-scissors. This is similar, but instead, each player holds out a random number of fingers. The first one to correctly multiply them together and call out the answer wins a point. Play to 5, 10, or any number you choose.

21. Do some egg carton multiplication

Number the cups of an egg carton from 1 to 12. Drop in two marbles or beans, then close the carton and shake it up. Open it up and have students write out the multiplication number sentence based on where the marbles landed. This is an easy tool parents can make for kids at home too.

22. Try interactive flash cards

These aren’t your ordinary flash cards! These free printables are a cool way to teach multiplication since the answer side includes a dot array to help kids visualize the solution. You can use sticky-note flags to cover the answers while kids use the arrays for help too.

Learn more: Research Parent

23. Teach multiplication facts with a paper plate wheel

All it takes is paper plates, glue, and a marker to help your students learn their multiplication tables. Let kids have fun decorating their plates, and this doubles as a math craft!

Learn more: Creative Family Fun

24. Practice with fact family triangles

Tie together multiplication and division facts with triangle flash cards. Learn how to use them and buy a printable set at the link. You can also have kids make their own.

Learn more: Primary Flourish

25. Make LEGO arrays

LEGO bricks are one of our favorite ways to teach math! You can use multiple bricks to make arrays or just look at the bumps on the top of a single brick as an array in itself.

Learn more: Math Geek Mama/Lego Multiplication

26. Try the finger trick

This cute craft also teaches kids a clever multiplication trick that can help them if they’re stuck with multiplication “times nine.” Learn the easy trick at the link.

Learn more: Create a Learning Environment/Finger Trick

27. Use the Force to teach multiplication

Sometimes learning multiplication facts just takes practice. Worksheets may not be very exciting, but adding a theme that kids are interested in may motivate your students. This free download from Royal Baloo features homework sheets and practice papers with graphs, mazes puzzles, and more, all with a Star Wars theme.

28. Watch a multiplication video

From Schoolhouse Rock to Animaniacs and beyond, there are lots of fun videos to help you teach multiplication. Find our big list here.

29. Play multiplication checkers

Turn a thrift store checkerboard into a multiplication game with some stickers and a marker. The play is similar to traditional checkers, but you have to solve the problem before you can leave your checker on a new space.

Learn more: Teach Beside Me

30. Toss a multiplication soccer ball

Write random numbers in the white spots on a soccer ball. Toss the ball to a student and have them look at the numbers closest to their thumbs. Multiply the two numbers together and say the answer out loud.

Learn more: Creating a Learning Environment/Soccer Multiplication

31. Flip bottle caps

Here’s a cool alternative to flash cards. You can use metal bottle caps or plastic bottle lids, along with round stickers that fit the caps. It’s a great way to go green while you teach multiplication!

Learn more: Croft’s Classroom

32. Batter up to learn multiplication

Sports-loving kids will love this one! Get the free printables at the link, and use them along with a 10-sided die to get some multiplication facts practice.

Learn more: Line Upon Line Learning

33. Line up dominoes

Single dominoes turned sideways become multiplication number sentences! Grab a handful and have kids write out the sentences and their answers.

Learn more: Teaching With Jillian Starr/Multiplication Dominoes

34. Roll to win

This works a bit like Yahtzee. Roll a die, then choose a number from 1 to 6 to multiply it by. Each number can only be used once, so choose carefully to rack up the most points. If you have polyhedral dice, you can play with higher numbers too.

Learn more: What Do We Do All Day

35. Sculpt play dough arrays

What kid doesn’t love the chance to play with play dough? Use this activity for math centers, and kids will really enjoy practicing their multiplication facts.

Learn more: Miss Giraffe’s Class

36. Connect the dots with Multiplication Squares

This is a math spin on the old Dots and Boxes game. Kids roll two dice and multiply the numbers together. Then they find the answer on the board and connect two dots next to it. The goal is to complete a box, coloring it in with your own color marker. When the board is full, count the squares to see who wins.

Source: Games4Gains

37. Cut out and assemble array cities

Here’s another colorful math craft: multiplication array cities! Most high-rises have their windows arranged to make perfect arrays. Have kids make their own city skylines with buildings showing various multiplication arrays.

Learn more: Bright Concepts 4 Teachers

38. Stack math power towers

There’s a universal appeal about making stacks of cups, so don’t be surprised if kids clamor to play this game over and over again. Pull a cup, answer correctly, and stack. See who can get a stack of 10 first, or who can build the highest tower in 2 minutes, and so on.

Learn more: Fabulous in Fifth

39. Change your students’ names (temporarily)

Grab some name tags and write multiplication equations on each. Give a tag to each of your students. For the remainder of the day, everyone will refer to each other by the answer to the equation on their tag (e.g., the student with the name tag that says 7×6 would be referred to as “42”).

Learn more: Mr. Elementary Math

40. Take multiplication to the gridiron

All you need is poster board, 12-sided dice, and a couple of game pieces. Students move their game piece up the field by rolling the dice and multiplying the two numbers that face up. They get four chances to score a touchdown.

Learn more: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls/Multiplication Football

41. Roll and Bump!

Print the free game boards, each with a multiplier in the heading. Roll two dice, add them together, then multiply by the multiplier. Then place your game piece over that answer. If another player also comes up with the same product, they can “bump” your game piece off and replace it with their own. The player with the most markers on the board at the end of the game wins.

Learn more: This Reading Mama/Multiplication Bump

42. Weave multiplication patterns

Skip-counting provides an introduction to multiplication. We love this hands-on activity, where kids skip-count and weave yarn into pretty patterns.

Learn: Lemon Lime Adventures

43. Challenge yourself with Multiplication Jenga

Grab an old Jenga game at the thrift store (or pick up the generic version at the dollar store). Write multiplication problems on each block, then stack ’em up. Player one pulls a block and tries to answer the problem. If they get it right, they keep the block. If they miss, their partner gets a chance. But if no one can answer it, the block gets stacked up on top. Keep playing until the tower collapses!

Learn more: Multiplication.com

44. Twist and learn

Your students will love this twisted version of an old favorite! The original Math Twister was designed for addition, but it works for multiplication too. Simply write products on sticky notes and add them to circles. Then call out math problems like “Left foot, 4 x 5!” The player must put their left foot on the number 20—if they can!

Source: Math Geek Mama/Twister

Looking for more activities to teach multiplication? Try these Teacher-Tested Tips and Activities for Teaching the Area Model Multiplication Method.

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