What Order Should Children Learn Times Tables In?
By the TimesTable.co team · Updated · 3 min read
Learning times tables from 1 to 12 in number order seems logical, but it's one of the slowest ways to do it. The 7 times table comes long before the 10s, even though the 10s are far easier, and by the time a child reaches the 7s, most of those facts could already have been learnt from other tables. A smarter order makes every table easier than the last.
Why does the order matter?
Two reasons. First, early success matters: a child who masters the 10s in a week feels capable, and that feeling carries into the harder tables. Second, many tables are built from others. The 4s are double the 2s, the 8s are double the 4s, and the 6s are double the 3s. Learn them in the right order and each new table is half-known before you start.
There's a third, hidden bonus: 3 × 7 is the same fact as 7 × 3. Every table you learn fills in one fact of every other table, so the later tables shrink.
The recommended order, table by table
| Stage | Tables | Why now |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10, 2, 5 | Clear patterns: 0s, even numbers, 5s and 0s |
| 2 | 4, 8 | Double the 2s, then double again |
| 3 | 3, 6 | The 6s are double the 3s |
| 4 | 9, 11 | Strong patterns and tricks |
| 5 | 7, 12 | Few new facts left to learn |
How many new facts are left by the 7 times table?
Follow this order and, by the time your child reaches the 7s, they already know 7 × 1, 7 × 2, 7 × 3, 7 × 4, 7 × 5, 7 × 6, 7 × 8, 7 × 9, 7 × 10 and 7 × 11 from other tables. The only genuinely new facts are 7 × 7 and 7 × 12. Presenting the 7s as "just two new facts" turns the most feared table into one of the quickest.
The same happens with the 12s: once 10 and 2 are known, 12 × anything is simply 10 × it plus 2 × it. We cover this in how to learn the 12 times table.
How long should each stage take?
It varies a lot, but with 5–10 minutes of practice a day, a typical child might take a week or two for the 10s, 2s and 5s together and two to four weeks for each later stage. Our article on how long times tables take goes into what speeds it up. The important thing is to move on only when the current table is secure.
How to practise each stage
- Start by seeing the table: the times table grid shows how each table fits into the whole square.
- Practise the new table on its own with times table practice (pick just that table).
- Then mix it with earlier tables so nothing fades: smart practice does this automatically.
- Finish each stage with a speed drill or a round of times table bingo as a reward.
What about the tables beyond 12?
Schools in the UK stop at 12 × 12, and the US Common Core expects fluency with single-digit facts. Going to 20 is a fun challenge for keen children, but it's better to make 1–12 automatic first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest times table to learn?
The 10 times table is usually the easiest, followed by the 2s and 5s. Each has a pattern children can see straight away, which builds confidence before the harder tables.
What is the hardest times table?
Most children find the 7 and 8 times tables hardest, with 6 × 7, 7 × 8 and 6 × 8 the facts most often forgotten. By the time they reach the 7s, though, most 7s facts are already known from other tables.
Should children learn the 1 times table first?
It is worth a quick look to understand that any number times 1 stays the same, but it does not need practice like the other tables. Move on to 10, 2 and 5 quickly.
Do schools teach times tables in this order?
In England the national curriculum introduces 2, 5 and 10 in Year 2, then 3, 4 and 8 in Year 3, and the rest by the end of Year 4, very close to this order.
Should children learn one table at a time?
Focus on one new table at a time, but keep mixing in the ones already learnt. Mixed practice stops earlier tables fading and helps children tell similar facts apart.
When should a child move on to the next table?
Move on when your child can answer any fact from the current table in any order, without counting, on two or three different days.