8 Fun and Effective Beginning Multiplication Activities
Hey there, friend! If you teach elementary school you know that a big goal (and one of the content standards) is that students need to understand how multiplication works, and not just memorize facts (remember practicing your times table?). Repeated addition (like 3+3+3) and arrays are powerful strategies to make beginning multiplication accessible and engaging for all students.
If you need an explanation of arrays, you can find a good one for teachers at this link.
Use Checkerboards/Chess Boards
We can always track down checkerboards in a school! Use standard-sized boards and checkers or other manipulatives to create arrays. You can also use giant checkerboard rugs/blankets so the entire class can see or join in the lesson. This was really fun in the my second grade class.
Make Arrays Life-Size
Create a life-size grid on the floor using painter’s tape. Give your class repeated addition questions/ multiplication, and have kids hop into the grid squares and sit down. For example, 2 rows of 5 kids = 10 kids, and the repeated addition equation is 5 + 5 = 10.
Use Real Life Objects
Ask students to find something at home that shows an array (don’t forget to include this in your weekly email to families or newsletter). They might bring in items like:
- Egg cartons
- Muffin trays
- Bubble wrap
- Hershey bars
- Twister game boards
- Connect 4 games
Keep reading for more tips!
Videos
There are many kid-friendly videos available that explain arrays and repeated addition. Always watch the entire video before showing it to your class to ensure it’s appropriate. These are just two examples!
Use Lego Bricks
For teaching repeated addition, try using Lego bricks! What a great way to visualize the rows and columns!
Create Arrays with Classroom Objects or Objects from Nature
Grab some items from your classroom, or head outside (bring your class) to find some objects to create arrays! Just a few suggestions:
- magnets
- unifix cubes
- pennies
- game pieces
- pebbles
- acorns
Pop Its / Fidget Poppers
Pop Its (aka fidget poppers) are super helpful for visualizing arrays. You can cut them into smaller arrays, like 5×2, and use them to teach making 10, which is great for differentiation. They are affordable and available on Amazon or Walmart. Sometimes, I use giant fidget poppers too!
Ready-to-Go Resources
There are many resources on Teachers Pay Teachers that incorporate Pop Its to help teach beginning multiplication. I created a resource for my second graders called Pop it Math Arrays and Repeated Addition. They are fun and engaging. Check out some sneak peeks here:
You can also find a bargain bundle of all the Pop it Math resources together on Teachers Pay Teachers. Click here or on the image below to learn more about the awesome hands-on math resources included! Getting the bundle saves 27% compared to getting each resource separately.
Using these strategies, you can make learning multiplication fun, engaging, and accessible for all students.
Five Star Reviews
One of the happy teachers who grabbed it says, “My students absolutely LOVED this activity! Totally worth the investment of the pop its. It was a wonderful hands on way for them to practice arrays..”
Another says, “Anytime I bring out the pop-its, it’s instant engagement! Love this resource and will definitely use it again this year”
Where to get them?
Amazon of course – the best price I have seen is 85 cents each here for only $9.99. Target and Walmart have them and you can check local gift shops, of course!
If you want to pin this post about how fidget poppers can help students master beginning multiplication so you can read it again later, click below!
You might also be interested in these blog posts:
- More Ways to use Pop Its in the Classroom
- 8 Ways to Use Pop Its to Engage Learners
- Reading Intervention all in One Place
- Effective Ways to Help Support Struggling Readers
