6 Times Table Game

The 6 times table game on this page practices 6 × 1 to 6 × 12 with four free games: Balloon Pop, Memory Match, Answer Race and True or False. Questions come in random order, so children learn the 6 times tables as facts they can recall and not as a chant. This is a table with a handy last-digit trick for even numbers. The whole table is 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66 and 72. There is no sign-up, scores stay on your device, and it works on phones, tablets and computers.

6 times table game: see how it plays

Each of the four modes asks only 6 times table questions, from 6 × 1 up to 6 × 12. The pictures show Balloon Pop, Memory Match and Answer Race on this page, and the printable chart puts all twelve facts, skip counting and a trick on one sheet.

How the 6 times table game works

• Balloon Pop: answers float up on balloons, and you pop the right one before it drifts off the top. The wrong balloons sit within 6 of the right answer, so you have to know the fact and not just spot the odd one out. The game speeds up as your score climbs, and three misses ends the round.
• Memory Match: twelve face-down cards hide six 6 times table questions and their six answers. Flip two at a time and match each question to its answer in as few moves as you can.
• Answer Race: every right answer moves your car forward, and you race three computer cars to the finish flag. The first to 15 wins, and wrong taps cost time, not places.
• True or False: sixty seconds on the clock. Decide whether each 6 times table sentence, such as 6 × 2 = 12, is right or wrong. A streak of five or more scores double.

The 6 times tables at a glance

Here is every fact in the 6 times tables with a quick way to build it from facts you already know:

Skip counting by 6: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72. Say the numbers aloud while you walk or jump, because rhythm helps memory. Our guide to skip counting for kids has more ideas.

Multiplication by 6: patterns and tricks

Here is a pattern that is special to the 6 times table: when you multiply 6 by an even number, the answer ends in the same digit as that number. 6 × 2 = 12, 6 × 4 = 24, 6 × 6 = 36, 6 × 8 = 48, 6 × 10 = 60 and 6 × 12 = 72. For odd numbers, the answer is the previous even answer plus 6.

You can also build any 6 fact from the 5 times table, because 6 × b is 5 × b + b. For 6 × 7, start with 5 × 7 = 35 and add one more 7 to reach 42. The facts 6 × 7 = 42 and 6 × 8 = 48 are the ones children most often mix up, so look out for them in the game.

Splitting a fact like this uses the distributive property, one of the main rules of arithmetic.

Only 7 new facts to learn in the 6 times tables

Every fact where the other number is smaller than 6 is a fact you have already met, because 6 × 3 is the same as 3 × 6. If you know the 2 to 5 times tables, only 7 facts are new: 6 × 6 = 36, 6 × 7 = 42, 6 × 8 = 48, 6 × 9 = 54, 6 × 10 = 60, 6 × 11 = 66, 6 × 12 = 72.

Six times table practice: the hardest facts

The facts that children most often miss in six times table practice are 6 × 7 = 42, 6 × 8 = 48 and 6 × 9 = 54. The 6 × 7 = 42 and 6 × 8 = 48 pair is the one most often swapped, so say the sentences aloud. The game keeps the questions random, so these facts come up again and again until they feel automatic.

The 6 times table in real life

• Eggs: half a dozen is 6, so 4 half-dozen boxes hold 6 × 4 = 24 eggs.
• Insects: every insect has 6 legs, so 7 insects have 6 × 7 = 42 legs.
• Dice: a die has 6 faces, so 8 dice have 6 × 8 = 48 faces.

6 times table word problems

Try these on paper or say them aloud, then check the answers:

1. A carton holds 6 eggs. How many eggs are in 7 cartons? Answer: 42.
2. Tom reads 6 pages every night. How many pages does he read in 9 nights? Answer: 54.
3. There are 12 six-packs of juice in the store room. How many cans of juice is that? Answer: 72.

Where the 6 times table fits at school

In the United States, the Common Core standards (3.OA.C.7) expect children to know all products of two one-digit numbers from memory by the end of grade 3, so the 6 times table is a grade 3 skill. In England, pupils are expected to know the tables up to 12 × 12 by the end of Year 4, and the national multiplication tables check is taken in June of that year. Short, frequent practice with a 6 times table game works better than one long session, because it spaces out the facts.

Tips for parents and teachers

• Start with the easy facts: 6 × 1 = 6, 6 × 2 = 12, 6 × 5 = 30 and 6 × 10 = 60. Then add 6 × 3 = 18, 6 × 4 = 24, 6 × 11 = 66 and 6 × 12 = 72.
• Play Memory Match first for accuracy, then move to Balloon Pop or Answer Race for speed.
• A few minutes a day beats one long session. Try to beat yesterday’s best score, and plan on about two weeks for the new facts.
• Ask “how did you know?” after a round. Hearing “I doubled it” or “I used the 10s” tells you the strategy is there.

Prefer paper? Print the 6 times table worksheets with answer keys, or use the multiplication chart to see all the tables together. The guide to times tables tricks covers every table in one place.

6 times table game: frequently asked questions

What is 6 × 12?

6 × 12 = 72, the last fact in the table.

What are the multiples of 6?

The first twelve multiples of 6 are 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66 and 72.

What is 6 × 6?

6 × 6 = 36.

What are the hardest facts in the 6 times tables?

Most children find 6 × 7 = 42, 6 × 8 = 48 and 6 × 9 = 54 the hardest.

How long does it take to learn the 6 times table?

It varies, but with five minutes of practice a day most children can learn the 7 new facts in about two weeks.

What age is the 6 times table game for?

It suits children from about 7 to 10, in grade 2 to grade 4 or Year 3 to Year 5, and it is also a useful quick refresher for older learners.

Is the 6 times table game free, and do kids need an account?

Yes, it is free, and no account is needed. Best scores are saved only in the browser on this device.

Does the 6 times table game work on phones and tablets?

Yes. Every game is built for touch first and also works with a mouse on a computer.

More times tables games

• Previous table: 5 times table game
• Next table: 7 times table game
• Mixed times tables game to practice every table together
• Division facts game for the matching division facts
• All learning games