If you look in books and very often on the net you will find scores of maths tricks that say they help children learn tables.

I encourage things that make tables easier and fun, but sometimes these tricks can be a block for a child to learn tables well.

I'm going to show you a maths trick to learn tables that is fun and also a problem.

The subject of the trick is the nine times tables and its tools are the fingers which children look at to reply to a times tables question.

First hold your hands out in front of you and look at the backs of your hands.

Let's say you were doing two times nine. Two nines are eighteen.

From your left little finger count in two, one is the little finger. Fold this second finger down.

How many fingers are you left with?

On the left of the finger you folded down there is one finger, that is the little finger, and to the right of the finger you put down you will see eight fingers.

What number is a one and an eight together, yes, eighteen (18), the answer to the question. Here is another example.

What is 4 times nine. The answer is 36.So to the trick;

Count in four fingers from the left and put this finger down.

What numbers of fingers are still standing to the left of the finger you put down. The answer is three.

And what have you got to the right? Yes, there are six.

What number do three and six make when put together? Thirty six.

What is the answer to three times nine? Thirty six.Easy?

You can do the same thing for other nine times tables, however, there is a hitch with it, rather two hitches.

1. It's focus is the nine times tables and this is all it can be used for.

2. Your children have to do the trick to know the answers rather than knowing them without having to think.

My friend's son loves this trick and didn't want to learn any other way for these tables.

Obviously it is not good when children get into a habit that prevents them from doing something in a better way.

So, what can you do if your children would rather do the nine times tables trick than learn tables properly? There is something.

One day my granddaughter said to me, lets play catch and call out the times tables.

It turned out that this game was brilliant for emphasizing to children that they had to learn tables properly.

If your children want to be good at the game, play catch,and say the answers then they must know the answers in an instant.

You can't play catch and use the Nine Times Tables Trick, can you? So, if your children want to play the game they need to remember the nine times tables rather then working them out when playing.

The big point is that all children need to learn tables, all times tables, so that they know the answers instantly.

For more information on , goto www.timestablesmaths.com.