Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Butterfly Times Tables: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Butterfly Times Tables is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children solve each sum, find the answer in the colour key and colour the matching square. They practise the 2, 5 and 10 times tables, and the finished butterfly shows their work.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children work through a set of times tables sums on a butterfly. For each sum they work out the answer, look for it in the colour key and colour the square to match. The sums use the 2, 5 and 10 times tables. Children need to recall each fact, then colour carefully so the butterfly comes out right. A pencil and some colouring pencils or crayons are all they need.
Why use a butterfly for times tables?
A butterfly is a good shape for colouring by number. Its wings are mirror images of each other, so the finished picture looks balanced and neat. Children like to see a pattern appear as they work. A careful colourer who checks each answer before choosing a colour ends up with a picture that shows their thinking.
Times tables are easier to remember when children notice patterns. Counting in twos gives even numbers. Counting in fives gives numbers that end in 5 or 0. Counting in tens gives numbers that end in 0. Short, playful practice helps these facts become quick to recall, which makes later maths much easier.
Butterfly facts for children
- A butterfly has six legs.
- A butterfly begins life as an egg, then becomes a caterpillar.
- A caterpillar changes into a butterfly inside a chrysalis.
- The wings of a butterfly are covered in tiny scales.
- Butterflies can taste with their feet.
Skills and curriculum link
- Times table recall
- 2, 5 and 10 times tables
- Skip counting
- Colouring accurately
- Checking answers
Number patterns that help
- Counting in twosEvery number in the 2 times table is even. Counting in twos is the same as counting pairs.
- Counting in fivesThe 5 times table always ends in 5 or 0. Children can count on one hand at a time.
- Counting in tensThe 10 times table always ends in 0. Each step is one more ten.
- Equal groupsMultiplying means making equal groups. Three groups of 5 is the same as 5 + 5 + 5.
Key words
- MultiplyTo find the total of equal groups.
- Times tableA list of facts that count up in equal steps, like the 2 times table.
- ProductThe answer you get when you multiply.
- MultipleA number that appears in a times table.
- RecallTo remember a fact quickly without working it out.
- Division factA matching fact that uses the same three numbers as a multiplication fact, but shares into equal groups.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Read the instructions together. Point out the colour key and explain that each answer matches a colour.
- Work out each sum, find the answer in the key and colour the square to match. Do the first one together.
- Check against the notes on page 2. Ask, "How did you know that one?" Talking about it helps memory.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Say the times table out loud first, for example 5, 10, 15, 20. Use fingers, counters or a number line to keep track. Try a few sums at a time and come back to the rest later. Praise the thinking, not only the answer.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to write the matching division fact for three of the sums. Then ask them to explain how the two facts are linked. Confident children can also make up a sum of their own for a friend to solve.
Make it a game
Race a grown up. Each of you takes your own half of the butterfly. Who can finish first? Check each other's work at the end, and talk about any answer that does not match the colour key.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child adds the two numbers instead of multiplying them.
Try thisRemind them that times means equal groups. Draw the groups or count in steps, then compare it with the adding answer.
Watch forA child mixes up the 5 and 10 times tables.
Try thisCount in fives and in tens aloud, one after the other. Notice that every number in the 10 times table ends in 0.
Watch forA child colours the wrong square even though the answer is right.
Try thisSlow down. Point to the answer in the key, say the colour out loud, then find the square before picking up the pencil.
Talk about it
- How did you work that one out?
- Can you count in twos, fives or tens to check it?
- Which times table feels easiest, and why?
- What pattern do you notice in the 10 times table?
- Which sum felt tricky, and what could help next time?
- Can you think of something in real life that comes in twos, fives or tens?
Take it off the page
Mirror butterflies
Fold a sheet of paper in half and paint one side. Press it closed to make a symmetrical butterfly. Count the dots on each wing in twos.
Skip counting hopscotch
Chalk numbers in a line outside. Hop on every second number, then every fifth, then every tenth. Say each number aloud as you land.
Hands and fives
Trace hands on paper. Count the fingers in fives, then in tens, and write the number sentence under each group.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go, then let them lead. Short bursts work better than a long session. If they get stuck, say the times table aloud together and let them try again.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. The skills are listed above for your planning, and page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan. It pairs well with outdoor counting games and everyday talk. Because it is free, you can print it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits in maths
Before this, children count in steps and make equal groups with objects and pictures. They also learn to count in twos, fives and tens, which gives them a strong base for recalling times tables.
After this, children in Year 3 move on to the 3, 4 and 8 times tables. Secure recall of the 2, 5 and 10 times tables makes those harder tables much easier to learn.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Butterfly Times Tables for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Younger children who count in steps may enjoy it with help, and older children can use it for quick revision.
- What will children practise?
Children recall multiplication facts for the 2, 5 and 10 times tables, as set out in the Year 2 National Curriculum. They also practise colouring accurately by matching each answer to the colour key.
- How do I use it?
Work out each sum, find the answer in the colour key and colour the square to match. Work through the first one together, then let your child try the rest. Check against the notes on page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Say the times table out loud first, for example 5, 10, 15, 20. Use fingers or counters to count along. Do a few sums at a time and return to it another day.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision whenever you like.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children add the colour themselves with pencils or crayons, so you only need a basic printer.
- Is it a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper, a pencil and something to colour with. It works well for quiet time after school, rainy days and school holidays, and it gives eyes a rest from screens.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.