Tag: preschool circle time

Mastering the Times Tables Through Play

~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment

If someone wakes you up in the middle of the night and asks, “What’s eight times seven?” or “What’s nine times six?” and you instantly respond with 56 and 54, you’ve likely memorised your multiplication tables well.

In many countries, however, even simpler multiplication facts don’t always come easily to students. In the UK, for example, the national curriculum requires children to know their times tables (including 11s and 12s) by the age of nine. In practice, even 11-year-olds often struggle with multiplication beyond 10 and frequently rely on calculators in high school rather than calculating mentally.

Extensive experience working with preschoolers and young primary students shows that successful mastery of multiplication should start early (around ages 4-5), progress from simple to complex, and use learning materials tailored to each child’s preferred learning style. Most importantly, it should be fun!

Step by Step: From Simple to Complex

To master multiplication, children need to learn the multiplication columns for 1 through 10. Each column contains 10 equations, meaning they need to memorise 100 in total. While traditional rote learning is one way to achieve this, there are many other effective strategies.

Before jumping into memorisation and problem-solving, children should first develop foundational skills. Activities like sorting socks and shoes into pairs, organising buttons by colour and size, or arranging dominoes or coins in rows of 10, 2, or 3 can all help.

You can decorate a child’s room with a calendar featuring repeating patterns. These patterns can include cars, dinosaurs, or butterflies. Choose whatever matches their interests. When drawing together, they leave handprints on paper and count the fingers. Fold and unfold paper, counting the sections it divides into.

Learning Through Senses: Seeing, Hearing, Touching

We absorb information about the world through our senses, but each person has a dominant way of learning. Some children learn best by seeing (visual learners). Others learn best by listening (auditory learners). Some learn through movement and touch (kinaesthetic learners). Understanding a child’s learning style is essential for teaching multiplication effectively.

For example, as an auditory learner, I found it easy to memorise the multiplication table just by repeating it to myself. But my son, a visual learner, preferred looking at a multiplication chart and using flashcards.

  • For visual learners, who absorb information best through images, a multiplication chart should be placed in a visible spot. This helps them in their room. The font should be large and engaging. A great resource is the “100 Chart.” It helps children learn to count confidently by twos, threes, fours, fives, and tens. This practice provides a strong foundation for multiplication. By age six, you can add a full multiplication chart next to it.
  • For auditory learners, who learn best by hearing, multiplication tables should be set to music. There are several excellent resources available, such as I’m the Best at Counting or Musical Mathematics. Singing multiplication facts isn’t just beneficial for auditory learners—it also enhances concentration, stimulates thinking, and boosts emotions.
  • For unaesthetic learners, who learn through movement and manipulation, hands-on activities are key. Use coins, dominoes, buttons, or multiplication flashcards that they can physically move. Encourage them to run to a chart to check their answers. Incorporate body parts into counting—how many eyes, hands, and fingers are there? Count how many fingers are in the whole group when friends or family visit.

Fun Games for Learning Multiplication

Counting Fingers

Ask children to hold up one finger each and count together up to 20—or even 100 if there are many children. Then, have them hold up two fingers, then three. Kids especially love counting in fives (“High five!”), and tens because it’s so easy.

Secret Agent

When my son was 5 years old, we invented this game while cycling to school. The journey was long, so we played “spies.” I was the “enemy,” and he was the “spy.” I would start a sequence like “two, four, six, eight…”. He had to crack the code by identifying the multiplication pattern. If he got it right, we swapped roles. If not, I gave him a new sequence. After months of playing, he never struggled with multiplication again.

Multiplication Bingo

Making a multiplication bingo game is simple. You’ll need cardboard, a marker, and a ruler (or a computer and printer). Create grids for each multiplication table (1x, 2x, 3x, etc.), writing multiplication problems (e.g., 2×1) in each square. On cards of different colours, write the answers and cut them out.

Each player gets a grid, and the caller announces a problem (e.g., “2 times 1”). Players cover the corresponding square with a token if they have that problem on their grid. The first player to fill their grid wins!

For a simplified version, buy ready-made flashcards and write answers on paper for children to match.

SNAP!

This fast-paced card game reinforces multiplication facts. Each card contains either a multiplication problem or an answer. Players take turns drawing cards and placing them face-up. If a multiplication problem and its correct answer appear together (e.g., 2×2 and 4), or if two identical problems or answers match, the first player to shout “SNAP!” wins the pile. The player with the most cards at the end wins.

The Endless Game

This game works like the classic “War” card game but with multiplication. Shuffle multiplication flashcards and deal them evenly. Players, at the same time, reveal a card (e.g., 2×2, 4×2, 7×7). The highest product wins the round. If there’s a tie (e.g., 2×2 and 4×1), players place another card on top to break the tie. The player with the most cards at the end wins.

Finger Multiplication

This game, from Exciting Multiplication, is a hit among young learners. Two players stand facing each other with hands behind their backs. The leader counts “One, two, three—fingers!” and both players show a number of fingers (from 0 to 4). They must quickly calculate the product of the two numbers and shout the answer. The first to answer correctly earns a letter in the word “FINGERS.” The game continues until one player spells out the full word.

A variation from Lynette Long’s book, Vanishing Fingers, adds an extra challenge. If a player gives the wrong answer, they lose a letter.

Who’s Faster?

This game is best played with two people and a deck of playing cards. Remove all face cards and jokers, keeping only number cards. Players take turns flipping over two cards and multiplying them. The first to shout the correct answer wins the round and keeps the cards. The player with the most cards at the end wins.

Post-it Multiplication

Sticky notes make multiplication practice interactive. Take a large board or sheet of cardboard and three sets of different-coloured sticky notes.

  • On one set, write 1x, 2x, 3x, etc.
  • On another set, write 1=, 2=, 3=, etc.
  • Leave the third set blank for children to write answers.

Children create multiplication equations by pairing the first two sets. Then they write the correct answer on the blank sticky notes.

A Playful Approach to Learning

After trying all these methods with preschoolers, I’ve found that no single approach works for everyone. However, children respond best to interactive games that involve movement, counting, and competition. Sorting objects and arranging them in rows should start as early as ages 3-4. Children can also learn to count by twos, fives, and tens at this age. Games like lotto and the spy game make practising multiplication both effective and fun.

How did you learn multiplication table?

Have you got any other games that I missed?

This will help you to support maths learning

~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment

Did you know that large studies across several countries found that mathematics skills, such as knowing numbers, predict later academic success (Pan et al., 2019). Early mathematics scores predicted later mathematical scores and pre-reading, which was surprising.

Zaitsev’s Method for Teaching Mathematics

Nikolai Alexandrovich Zaitsev’s method is a unique approach to teaching children reading, writing, and mathematics. It is most commonly associated with Zaitsev’s cubes, which help children learn to read. He also developed a method for teaching mathematics. I am a certified Zaitsev teacher and have tutored children using this method since 2007.

What is Zaitsev’s Mathematics Teaching Method?

Zaitsev’s method is based on a playful, visual, and intuitive approach. Unlike traditional ways of learning numbers and arithmetic, it helps children grasp mathematics through visual, auditory, and tactile perception. The primary tools include tables, cards, and number games.

Key Principles of the Method

Learning through movement and play

Children do not simply solve problems but actively move, use cards, tables, and even rhythmic exercises.

    A number is not just a symbol. It is a real object.
    For example, a child uses tables to understand addition. Numbers are grouped by place value. This helps instead of just memorising them.

    A table-based approach instead of linear learning
    Instead of learning numbers sequentially, children use number tables (similar to multiplication tables). This helps them see not just individual digits but relationships between numbers.

    Mastering mathematical operations as a whole, not in sequence


    Instead of studying addition first, then subtraction, and later multiplication, children see how these operations are interconnected. For example, they learn multiplication while understanding its link to division.

    Minimal explanations, maximum practice
    Children do not memorize rules but observe patterns and draw their own conclusions through play.

      Main Materials and Tools

      • Zaitsev’s mathematics tables (with numbers, place values, and arithmetic operations).
      • Number cards and cubes with examples.
      • Games and physical exercises to reinforce mathematical concepts.

      Advantages of the Method

      ✅ Learning through play—children stay engaged and remember concepts better.
      ✅ Uses multiple sensory channels—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.
      ✅ Helps children grasp complex mathematical relationships intuitively.
      ✅ Suitable for different learning styles and skill levels.

      This method does not necessarily replace traditional approaches. However, it can be a great addition. This is especially true for children who struggle with abstract numbers and rules.

      When circle time is not a failure…

      ~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment


      When I was a new teacher, I struggled with Circle Time. I had a plan, I had stories, but without storytelling props, the children… well, they had other ideas.


      Every time I sat down for Circle Time, it was chaos. Kids would climb on top of me, roll around, poke each other, or just wander off completely. I’d try raising my voice. I’d try clapping patterns. I’d even try those ‘magic’ phrases teachers use like, ‘If you can hear me, touch your nose!’ But nothing worked.

      Not all children are listening during circle time

      I watched other teachers who seemed to run their Circle Time effortlessly. Their children sat in quiet anticipation, engaged, raising their hands to speak. I felt like a failure. Why wasn’t it working for me?


      One afternoon, exhausted and frustrated, I looked at a set of tiny finger puppets I’d bought but never used. And I had an idea. What if these puppets weren’t just props, but part of the game?


      I sat down for Circle Time, held up the puppets, and said: ‘These are very special. Only the best listeners will get a turn to hold them.’ Suddenly, the room went quiet. Eyes locked on the puppets. The same children who had been tumbling over each other minutes before were now sitting perfectly still, waiting.


      I started handing them out—one by one—to children who were sitting and listening. Instead of trying to control the chaos, I had created a reason for them to WANT to pay attention. The puppets became a part of our routine. They were no longer just toys; they were a reward, a privilege, an interactive tool for storytelling.


      By the end of the session, every child had been fully engaged. No climbing, no rolling around, no chaos—just a room full of focused children, eager to take part. And all it took was a handful of finger puppets.


      Since this day, I’ve never run Circle Time without a storytelling prop. Whether it’s puppets, a mystery object, or even just a funny voice, I always make sure there’s something to spark curiosity before we even begin. Because kids don’t need to be ‘managed’—they just need a reason to be captivated.


      If you’ve ever struggled with keeping young children engaged during Circle Time, consider introducing a simple prop. It doesn’t have to be fancy—finger puppets, a stuffed animal, a small wooden figure, or even an object from nature can work wonders. The key is to make it special, something that gives children a reason to focus and participate.

      Children love storytelling, they are sensory learners and they are active learners. Circle Time isn’t about demanding attention—it’s about inviting it. And sometimes, all it takes is a tiny puppet to make all the difference.

      What tricks have you used to keep Circle Time engaging? Share your experiences in the comments—I’d love to hear them!

      Reflecting on Weapon Play in Early Childhood: A Cycle of Reflection Approach

      ~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment

      As educators, we often see children engaging in weapon play—whether it’s using sticks as swords, building guns out of blocks, or pretending to be superheroes in battle.

      This type of play can be challenging, especially when personal attitudes, societal perspectives, and institutional policies influence our responses. Yet, rather than reacting instinctively, using a structured Cycle of Reflection can help us critically examine our thoughts and actions. This blog post will walk through this process, offering examples and insights to support meaningful reflection.

      Step 1: What?

      The first step is identifying what challenges us. Weapon play might evoke discomfort due to personal beliefs, concerns about safety, or cultural attitudes toward violence (Carlsson-Paige, 2008). Consider the following questions:

      • What specific aspects of weapon play do I find uneasy?
      • Do I feel differently about children using toy guns versus makeshift ones?
      • Am I more tolerant of superhero battles than war reenactments?

      For example,

      An educator notices that children in her preschool room frequently build guns out of Lego blocks and engage in imaginary battles. She feels uneasy because she believes early childhood should focus on peace and cooperation. However, she realises that her discomfort is rooted in personal beliefs rather than the children’s intent.

      Step 2: Why?

      After identifying the challenge, reflect on why it causes you a reaction. Ask yourself:

      • What personal or cultural beliefs shape my views on weapon play?
      • Have past experiences influenced my discomfort?
      • What do I think children learn from this play?

      Example:

      A male educator grew up in a household where playing with toy guns was not encouraged by parents. Now, as a teacher, he instinctively stops children from engaging in weapon play. However, upon reflection, he realises that this play helps children explore power dynamics, negotiation, and social roles (Holland, 2003).

      Step 3: When Do I Intervene?

      Not all weapon play is harmful, but understanding when to step in is crucial.

      Consider:

      • Is this type of play making any child uncomfortable?
      • Are children being excluded or forced into roles?
      • Is the play escalating into aggression?
      • Do you have children from refugee background or children who experienced complex trauma?

      If any of this is true, it may not be an overreaction and you may review gun play with children to be inclusive.

      For example,

      A group of children are playing “police and robbers.” One child keeps insisting another must “go to jail” and refuses to let them out. The educator observes frustration building and intervenes to discuss fairness and role-sharing, helping the children renegotiate their game.

      Step 4: Record

      Documenting reflections can reveal patterns and growth.

      I like writing and recording my voice notes or just talking with a colleague about what happened.

      • Journaling thoughts after challenging interactions
      • Using voice notes to capture immediate reactions
      • Reviewing policies on weapon play

      For example,

      A preschool team keeps a shared reflection journal where educators document how they respond to weapon play. Over time, they notice they intervene less frequently as they grow more comfortable distinguishing between imaginative play and problematic behaviour.

      Step 5: Analyse

      Compare reflections with educational theories and frameworks. The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) encourages play as a tool for social learning (DEEWR, 2009). Similarly, Vygotsky’s (1978) theory highlights how pretend play fosters cognitive and social development.

      For example,

      An educator reflects on superhero play and realises it helps children develop teamwork and moral reasoning. Instead of banning it, she introduces discussions on fairness, responsibility, and consent during group play.

      Step 6: Take Action

      Finally, use insights to inform practice. If weapon play is entirely banned, consider structured alternatives like:

      • Encouraging storytelling about heroes and conflicts
      • Offering role-play scenarios that explore problem-solving
      • Setting clear rules that balance imaginative play with respect for others

      Example:

      After reflecting, an educator decides to introduce a “peacekeepers” role in dramatic play. Children playing as heroes must resolve conflicts with words before using imaginary battles, reinforcing problem-solving skills.

      Weapon play is complex, but engaging in a Cycle of Reflection allows educators to approach it with curiosity rather than immediate restriction. By asking “What?” “Why?” and “When do I intervene?” alongside documenting, analysing, and taking action, we can better support children’s play while aligning with educational values.

      Do you have experiences with weapon play in your classroom? Share your reflections in the comments!

      References

      Carlsson-Paige, N. (2008). Taking back childhood: A proven road map for raising confident, creative, compassionate kids. Plume.

      Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). (2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia. Commonwealth of Australia.

      Holland, P. (2003). We don’t play with guns here: War, weapon and superhero play in the early years. Open University Press.

      Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.

      Hickory Dickory Dock: what children can learn from nursery rhymes?

      ~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment

      Did you know that a simple nursery rhyme can offer significant learning opportunities and extensions? Take Hickory Dickory Dock as an example. Beyond just a catchy tune, this rhyme can support language development, enhance numeracy skills, and even improve fine motor abilities through associated activities.

      Here is an example of using puppets to tell the story to children. They can retell the story later.

      Nursery rhymes like Hickory Dickory Dock offer children multiple learning benefits. They help children develop language and cognitive skills, as well as introduce them to basic mathematical and sequencing concepts.

      For example,

      1. : Nursery rhymes use rhythm and repetition, which are excellent for helping children focus on different sounds in language. This helps develop their phonemic awareness, an essential skill for early reading. Activities like Hickory Dickory Dock with puppets can make this even more engaging.
      2. Repeating rhymes exposes children to new vocabulary. For example, Hickory Dickory Dock introduces words like “clock” and “dock,” expanding their lexicon in a fun context. Interactive activities with rhymes can strengthen word recognition as children associate words with images and actions. I use puppets to tell stories for a reason, especially when doing Hickory Dickory Dock with puppets.
      3. Many nursery rhymes involve numbers, allowing children to practice counting through play. Hickory Dickory Dock, in particular, uses the numbers on a clock, which can help children learn number order and basic time-telling skills. Incorporating puppets can add another layer of interaction.
      4. Activities associated with nursery rhymes, such as gluing pictures in sequence or creating simple crafts, help develop fine motor skills. Doing Hickory Dickory Dock with puppets can enhance this experience.
      5. The repetitive nature of nursery rhymes makes them easy to remember, which strengthens children’s ability to recall sequences and narratives. This can improve their memory skills as they practice reciting the rhyme and remembering the order of events.

      In this video, I talk about a lot of extensions you can do with this story, including Hickory Dickory Dock with puppets.

      Nursery rhymes are more than catchy tunes

      For further insights, check out Storykate’s videos, which explore engaging ways to integrate nursery rhymes into early childhood learning. You might find activities specifically tailored to enhance the learning experience with rhymes like Hickory Dickory Dock.

      Hickory, dickory, dock.
      The mouse ran up the clock.
      The clock struck one,
      The mouse ran down,
      Hickory, dickory, dock.

      Hickory, dickory, dock.
      The mouse ran up the clock.
      The clock struck two,
      The mouse said ooohhh,
      Hickory, dickory, dock.

      Hickory, dickory, dock.
      The mouse ran up the clock.
      The clock struck three
      The mouse said weeee
      Hickory, dickory, dock.

      Consider translating nursery rhyme and learning it in one of your community languages for a child who just moved to English - speaking country. Here is a russian version. 

      RUSSIAN 
      Вышли мыши как-то раз
      Посмотреть который час.
      Раз-два-три-четыре,
      Мыши дёрнули за гири.
      Тут раздался страшный звон —
      Разбежались мыши вон.

      Here is my version of it in both languages👇🏻

      https://storykate.com.au/nursery-rhymes-for-multilingual-learning/

      Get this wonderful set from Zac Home