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Do flashcards work for times tables?
Flashcards seem old-fashioned, but the research behind them is surprisingly strong. What makes them work isn't the card itself, but what it forces you to do: remember.
What the research says
Ophuis-Cox, Catrysse and Camp (2023) ran perhaps the most useful study on this: a comparison in real classrooms between flashcards and chanting, with 48 Year 2 pupils and teachers following the protocol. The flashcard group did better than the chanting group both straight after practice and in a test weeks later. The effects (η²=0.29–0.34) were large by the standards of education research.
A broader meta-analysis on using tests as practice confirms the pattern: trying to remember works better than re-reading or repeating passively, across many situations and at every age.
What this means in practice
Flashcards work because they make children remember, instead of showing them the answer right away. Every attempt to remember, even a wrong one, strengthens memory more than re-reading.
Try this
- Show the question and let your child answer before turning the card. The attempt counts even when it’s wrong.
- Split the cards into two piles, “fast” and “slow.” Go back to the slow ones more often.
- Don’t take out the cards your child always gets right: keep a few easy ones to keep up confidence and speed.
TabTabTab trains recall, not understanding. Building the concept of multiplication is classroom work, and it comes first.
Sources
- Ophuis-Cox et al. (2023) — peer-reviewed study
Last reviewed: 2026-08-01