Test Readiness

How do I prepare my child for a timed times tables test?

A timed multiplication test isn't a math test in the usual sense: it's a memory test with a bit of time pressure. Preparing for it means building the right kind of memory, not just knowing the answers.

What the research says

Timed multiplication fact checks usually give just a few seconds per question: enough to remember and write an answer, but not to calculate it. That’s on purpose: a short window makes the test measure whether a fact is memorized and whether your child can recall it without effort, rather than whether they can work it out.

Research on how the brain stores times tables shows they work like verbal memories, processed in the language areas rather than the math ones (Dehaene & Cohen, 1997; Dehaene et al., 1999). That’s why recalling the answer, out loud or in your head, is better practice than calculating it or just reading it again.

For mixed-question practice, a study comparing interleaved and blocked practice found that students who practiced all the tables in random order scored much higher a month later than those who drilled one table at a time. Most timed checks are already mixed, with no predictable order, which makes interleaved practice the most natural way to prepare.

What this means in practice

Preparing for a timed test is less about “knowing” the times tables and more about making them instant. A child who doesn’t remember 7×8 instantly will struggle, even if they can work it out. The goal is very fast recall, which only comes from practicing memory, not from practicing calculation.

Try this

Practice in test format: a random mix of questions, in no particular order, timed.
At first, use spoken answers instead of written ones: that way writing speed doesn’t count, and you measure only how fast your child remembers. Then move on to written practice.
Give extra attention to the facts your child hesitates on, not the ones they already know quickly.

→ TabTabTab combines voice practice, interleaving and a timed mode: everything research points to as effective preparation.

Sources

Ophuis-Cox (2023) — peer-reviewed study

Last reviewed: 2026-08-01