Physical activity games for learning multiplication

[Satori]

My dd (9) understands how multiplication works but she needs to memorize at least 0-9 (seriously it makes math soooo much easier!) We've been trying for almost a year and nada. I even paid for the full version of Timez Attack when she got bored with the free world, she enjoys the game but has never gotten past 3, she says she can't remember.

My math teacher was telling us a story about a family get together she went to and the kids were playing some kind of running game or something and as they would run by the uncle would call out a multiplication problem and the kid would answer as they went by and even the 4-5 year olds knew the answers because its always been a fun game for them. dd is a very very active kid and this just might be a good exercise for her but I need suggestions on what to try since its just her.

[Lillian J]

She might try vocalizing too - trying out using all the senses can help narrow it down to which seem to capture in the most. I can access multiplication facts fastest, for instance, when I mentally say the whole thing, such as "eight times seven are fifty-six." In other words, sometimes I just know the answer, but other times I need to hear myself say the whole thing in my mind and the answer just comes to mind as I say it.

But there are some fun tricks, including "finger multiplication," on this website: Joyful Math

Lillian

[bendingbirch]

There is a lot of learning math through the body in Waldorf Elementary Ed. Bouncing a ball, tiptoeing with a stomp, snap-snap-clap rhythms, tossing bean bags all work with multiplication tables nicely.

[simple living mama]

Well, we used to physically eat chocolate if that counts. I made a chart like you would see in the old fashion Peechee folders. I would cover up the answers with a chocolate chip, if my kids got it right, they would get to eat it. It was so fun and boy did my kids learn fast! I would use the mini chocolate chips so they wouldn't get sick.

[LoMaH]

I know you asked for physical activities, but another method in which multiplication facts can be learned is through skip counting.
Google "skip counting songs" and you'll find quite a few resources.
HTH

[iamme]

One of my dc learned her facts by jump roping to catchy facts songs. We did start with skip counting, then just bought a used facts cd. It worked!

[bendingbirch]

Jumping rope is great! I second that!

[phathui5]

Ds (9) likes to play "War," like the card game, but using multiplication flashcards. It's been good practice for him.

[ChristaN]

We practiced counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, etc. by bouncing a ball back and forth. I'd throw it to dd and say "2," she'd throw it to other dd and say "4," dd#2 would throw it back to me and say "6," and so on until we got to 2x10 or so.

I like the jump roping while counting the numbers out idea as well, though .

[craft_media_hero]

Here's one we just discovered:

Skip counting while on our brisk walk to my school. Obviously 2's are easiest, but it's a fun challenge to do higher numbers, and notice things like the threes land on every other foot whereas twos are always the same foot.

That led us to draw modified hopscotches with sidewalk chalk.

For threes, I made a staggered brick pattern and then only labeled the threes. So she noticed by walking or hopping it what the pattern was of intervals between the threes. Then in another color we wrote in the twos and hopped or walked them. This led us to see that going by fives means alternating odds and evens. This simple game also led us to a discussion about prime numbers and how they are special because you can't ever skip count to them (no divisor except 1 and itself), which I felt was enough for a six year old.

Shortly after this, she starting naturally skip counting a lot higher in her math problems, I think up to 21 by threes. I'm not doing any drill this year, and she's totally learning her multiplication just by practice and natural math!

I love how the simplest physical, hands-on activities have led us to some of our deepest discussions about math. We love sidewalk math!! It is my fav! Even tho our Miquon and Singapore are great, I feel like living math is where she really gets it, which is why it's so important to skip the workbooks and get outside, hopping, skipping, clapping, number hunting.