On comparing addition/subtraction with multiplication we can easily conclude that learning to add and subtract is easier than multiplication. This is because both of these Mathematical operations can be learned and taught through the use of fingers
but when we talk about getting the product after multiplying two numbers, no fingers will work out and you just need to find the correct and a logical way of teaching it to your child.
Simply, learning the tables is not a solution to this one. You need to facilitate your kids with the logic that is responsible for the occurence of multiplication sums. Since, multiplication is nothing but, ‘repeated addition’, ask your children to add some numbers repeatedly and then see the answer. You need to turn this into a fun way so your kids take keen interest in grabbing the concept rather than getting bored and doing this out of interest.
In order to make your kids get engrossed in the multiplication concept, you yourself have to be interested in that. Just be as much creative and innovative as you can and aim to make your child learn multiplication anyhow. What do you think you can do to make this serious calculation a funnier one? Well, kids love colours. Colourful things attract them the most, so why not make use of the colours in your ‘make them understand multiplication’ mission? Apart from this, children love experimenting more rather than just seeing and learning. Allow them to experiment on those activities that will teach multiplication to them.
Squishing and Colouring:
In case of colours, you can play a small game. Take a dough or a clay. If it is a clay then they must be of varied colours and if it is a dough then the kids have to colour the small pieces of dough after squishing them in small pieces. After the squishing and colouring is done, you can now arrange the pieces as according to your will. Ask your children to examine the pairing of those objects and add all the balls of dough. Tell them, multiplication is nothing but repeated addition.
Twist the games:
You can play the common games but with a twist and the addition of some varied Mathematical operations and numerical values in them. How about Stone! Paper! Scissor? The procedure of playing this game remains the same but here the twist is that instead of Stone, Paper and Scissor, here you will be saying numbers. Whatever numbers you both will say, they have to multiplied and the one who gives the correct answer will be the winner. In this way, your child will be able to learn the multiplication concept and also in a very interactive manner.
Make use of dices:
Ask your child to roll two dices. Tell them that they have to multiply the numbers which will turn out on both the dices, whosoever gets the bigger number’s product will be the winner. This will facilitate the reinforcement of muliplication in these dices’ usage games.
You should also know that multiplication includes many cool tricks that your child must definitely know. These will lessen up the burden of Multiplication from you and also your kid. Some of these tricks are listed below, have a look:
Any number multiplied by 0, gives you the product as 0. For ex:
2 x 0= 0
488 x 0= 0
Any number multiplied by 1, gives you the product same as that number. For ex:
21 x 1= 21
89 x 1= 89
If you add any number twice, same is the product when you multiply it by 2. For ex:
8 + 8= 16 and also, 8 x 2= 16
10 + 10= 20 and also, 10 x 2= 20
On multiplication of 3, you need to double the same no. and add it once more. For ex:
6 x 3= 6 x 2 + 6= 18
4 x 3= 4 x 2 + 4= 12
Multiplying by 4 needs double the question and then double the result. For ex:
5 x 4= 5 x 2 = 10 x 2= 20
8 x 4= 8 x 2= 16 x 2= 32
In case of the 5’s multiplication, you just have to try the skipping of numbers by 5. For ex, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 etc.
Multiplication of number 10 is the easiest. You just need to add a zero to every consecutive number. For ex:
10, 20, 30, 40, 50 etc.
