Ah, times tables. I remember as a kid sitting at the kitchen table with my mom going over and over my multiplication flash cards because I just could
not remember the upper facts!
I was searching for some way to help the upper times tables stick for my son. We worked diligently with flash cards, but it just was NOT getting the job done! We tried some
online games, but the timed games made my boy panic & it still wasn’t getting us there.

After doing some online research, I came across a program called
Times Tales & it looked promising. Their slogan, “Life is too short to cry over math!” really hit home!
Times Tales creates characters for each number so your child has a
visual representation of each digit.

Then, two numbers interact in a simple story giving the solution.
There are various
versions of Times Tales…does your child work best in a workbook? Watching a DVD and participating? Times Tales has both covered! We chose the DVD version because I liked the way the voice over work sounded on the DVD sample online.
We downloaded the
free sample of the program & worked through the few stories given and I was surprised that my son easily recalled the facts after just watching the videos, talking about the stories together, & reviewing!
Look at that smile reflected in the monitor! It was genuinely fun for my son to learn the stories & remember the facts.

Built into the program are also various review methods. Audio & visual review on the DVD, a little game you can make by printing & folding your own dice with the character pictures, and my son’s favorite review…crossword puzzles!
As an adult, I must admit, the stories seem a little strange. But I didn’t question the method behind the program…we just went with it. After completing the series, I think the author created very silly stories so they would be easy for kids to remember!
I am thrilled we used the Times Tales program. It is a
fun method for all kids to learn tricky multiplication problems, & I would definitely recommend giving this a shot if your child is struggling. Especially since you can download a
free trial of the program that your child can use & you will see if it clicks for your student! The free trial is what sold me on Times Tales after I saw what it helped my son do.
Times Tales is produced by a company called Trigger Memory Systems, who also have a great line of
chore helpers for kids called Zone Cleaning. If you’re looking for a fun, motivating way to get kids helping with chores, check out their reuseable charts.
*I was given a free copy of the Times Tales DVD & Zone Cleaning charts as compensation for writing this review. However, I had the DVD in my shopping cart to purchase the program and feel that it would have been worth every penny! I have since recommended it to many friends who have been pleased as well. I would never recommend a product I didn’t try myself and truly enjoy!
For more fun math games, check out what these other Quirky Mommas have used:
0