Blank Multiplication Chart

This blank multiplication chart gives you the numbers 1 to 12 along the top and down the side, with all 144 squares left empty. Fill in as many answers as you can from memory. It shows right away which facts you know and which ones need more work. Print a fresh copy each week and watch the page fill up faster.

Why filling it in works

Reading a chart is one thing. Pulling the answer out of your own head is another, and that effort is what makes a fact stick. Teachers call this retrieval practice. A short test you give yourself can do more than rereading the same list ten times. The page on the testing effect on Wikipedia explains the idea in more depth.

It also feels good. Each filled row is a small win, and a child can see the progress with their own eyes.

Five ways to use the blank multiplication chart

• Fill in one row a day, starting with the 2s.
• Time yourself once a week and write down your score.
• Fill in only the facts you know, then circle the gaps.
• Start at a random row to stop yourself from just skip counting.
• Swap with a friend and mark each other's work.

A plan for four weeks

In week one, fill in the 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s. In week two, add the 3s and 4s. Week three is for the 6s and 9s. Save the 7s, 8s and 12s for week four. Each day, take about five minutes and stop while it still feels fine. It is better to end on a good note than to push on until there are tears.

Handy shortcuts

Remember that 3 times 4 and 4 times 3 are the same. When you fill in one, you can fill in its partner. Your chart will have a mirror line running from the top left to the bottom right. Spot that, and the page is really only about half as long as it looks.

The 9s have a neat trick too. The tens digit goes up by one each time, while the ones digit goes down by one.

For teachers and parents

Use this sheet as a quick check before a test, or as a bell ringer when students walk in. Mark the gaps, not the speed. A child who fills in 100 squares correctly and takes their time is doing great. Timed tests can make some kids anxious, so use the clock only if your child enjoys it.

Check your work

Press Colored idea on this page to see the full chart with every answer. You can also print our multiplication chart and keep it nearby for checking.

What to do with the gaps

Most children find a few facts that simply will not stick. For many, those are 6 times 7, 7 times 8 and 8 times 6. Circle these on your blank multiplication chart, then make one small flash card for each. Keep the cards on the fridge or by a bed, and test them twice a day for a week.

A silly rhyme can help as well. Five, six, seven, eight reminds you that 56 is 7 times 8. Stories work too. Ask your child to draw a tiny picture for a hard fact, or to make up a joke about it. The sillier the image, the easier it is to remember.

Keep your old sheets in a folder. After a month, lay the first one next to the latest one. The change is often a big surprise, and it gives a tired child real proof that the hard work is paying off. Date each page so that you can see the progress.

More math and puzzles

Need a break from numbers? Try the school word search or a dot to dot. You will find plenty more in our free printables for kids.

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