My Child Can't Remember Their Times Tables: What Helps
By the TimesTable.co team · Updated · 3 min read
It's one of the most common worries parents have: your child seems to know the 7 times table on Monday and has lost it by Thursday. It's frustrating for both of you, and it's easy to conclude they just "aren't good at maths". That's almost never true. Forgetting is a sign that the facts haven't moved into long-term memory yet, and there are clear, practical ways to help that happen.
Why do times tables facts slip away?
- Long, occasional sessions. An hour on Sunday feels productive but is mostly forgotten by Wednesday. Memory is built by spacing, not volume.
- Always in order. Reciting 7, 14, 21… lets a child count up rather than recall. Out of order, they're lost.
- Practising what's already known. Re-doing 2 × 5 feels good but doesn't touch 7 × 8.
- No meaning. A fact without understanding has nothing to hold on to.
- Stress. Anxiety literally uses up the working memory needed for recall. See maths anxiety in children.
What actually helps facts stick?
- Find the real gaps. Most children know most facts. A few sessions of smart practice reveal the handful that keep going wrong, often just 15 to 25.
- Short and daily. Five to ten minutes, same time each day.
- Random order. Mixed questions force genuine recall.
- A hook for every hard fact. "5, 6, 7, 8: 56 = 7 × 8"; 8s by doubling three times. Our times tables tricks have one for each table.
- Revisit before it's forgotten. A fact reviewed after a day, then three days, then a week lasts. Smart practice schedules this automatically.
- Say it, see it. Say the whole fact aloud ("seven eights are fifty-six"), and look at it as a dot array in the visualiser.
Could my child have a learning difficulty?
Most children who struggle with times tables don't. But if your child also finds it hard to judge which of two numbers is bigger, to count reliably, to estimate, or to remember number facts of any kind, and it's been going on a long time, it's worth raising with their teacher. We explain the signs in dyscalculia and times tables.
How do you keep motivation up?
- Celebrate specific wins: "You got 6 × 8 without thinking!"
- Track progress visibly: the My Progress jigsaw reveals a piece for every table mastered.
- Mix in play: times table games and games at home.
- Compare only with their own past, never with siblings or classmates.
What should I avoid?
Long drilling sessions, timed tests before facts are accurate, and showing frustration. If a session is going badly, stop and do something easy and fun instead. Tomorrow's five minutes will do more than tonight's extra twenty. For a structured plan, see how to learn times tables, or print a times table chart to keep nearby for checking.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't my child remember their times tables?
Usually because of how they practise: long occasional sessions, reciting in order, too little focus on the hard facts, or pressure. Changing the practice routine usually helps more than more practice.
Is it normal to forget times tables?
Yes. Newly learnt facts fade unless they are revisited. Short reviews spread over days and weeks are what move facts into long-term memory.
Could it be dyscalculia?
Possibly, if difficulties are broad and persistent: trouble with number sense, estimating and counting, not only times tables. Talk to your child's teacher, who can arrange an assessment if needed.
How many facts does my child really need to learn?
Fewer than you think. Of 144 facts in the 1 to 12 grid, only 78 are different, and most children already know most of them. The real list is often 15 to 25 facts.
Does chanting times tables help?
Chanting helps with rhythm and the easier tables, but children who can only chant in order often count up to find a fact. Mix in random-order practice.
Should I use rewards?
Small, immediate rewards for effort (a sticker, a game, extra story time) can help motivation. Avoid rewards only for speed or perfect scores.