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Easter Times Tables: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 3

  • ForYear 3
  • StageKey Stage 2
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
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Easter Times Tables is a free printable worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children practise the 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 times tables with a bunny hop skip counting theme. It takes about 10 minutes, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.

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

Page 1 is a set of numbered times table questions, each with a space to write the answer. Children see a multiplication such as 3 x 4 and fill in the missing number. The questions mix the 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 times tables, so children move between tables and cannot rely on one pattern. They can count in steps on their fingers or on a number line, then check their work with a grown up.

  • 3 x 4 = ___
  • 2 x 6 = ___
  • 5 x 7 = ___
  • 8 x 3 = ___
  • 4 x 9 = ___
  • 10 x 5 = ___
  • 3 x 9 = ___
  • 8 x 6 = ___

A worked example

4 x 11 = ___

This question is different from the ones on the sheet. It shows two ways to work out a times table fact.

Method 1: double and double again
  1. 4 is double 2, so double the 11 twice.
  2. Double 11 is 22.
  3. Double 22 is 44.
Method 2: use the 10 times table
  1. Think of 4 x 11 as 4 groups of 10 and 4 groups of 1.
  2. 4 x 10 = 40 and 4 x 1 = 4.
  3. Add them: 40 + 4 = 44.
4 x 11 = 44

Why Easter and times tables go together

Easter falls in spring, and for many families in England it means chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and pictures of rabbits. A hopping bunny is a good picture for skip counting. Each hop is the same size, just like counting in steps of 2, 3 or 5. Children can imagine the bunny landing on each number as they say it aloud.

Multiplication means equal groups. 3 x 4 is 3 groups of 4, which is the same as adding 4 three times. Year 3 children build on the 2, 5 and 10 times tables from earlier years and meet the 3, 4 and 8 tables. Knowing these facts quickly helps later with division, fractions and written methods.

Easter and bunny facts

  • Easter Sunday is on a different date each year, but it always falls in spring.
  • Many families in the UK eat hot cross buns around Easter.
  • Chocolate eggs are a popular Easter treat in the UK.
  • Rabbits have strong back legs, which they use to hop.
  • A rabbit's front teeth never stop growing, so rabbits need to chew.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Times tables
  • Skip counting
  • Multiplying
  • Spotting patterns
  • Recall of number facts

What children will be able to do

  • I can say the 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 times tables.
  • I can solve times table questions.
  • I can spot patterns in the answers.

Helpful ideas for the grown up

  • Count in stepsSay a table aloud as a chant, one step at a time. Use fingers or a number line to keep track of each hop.
  • Equal groupsShow a multiplication with objects such as counters or buttons. Set them out in equal groups and count them all.
  • Swap the orderMultiplication works in either order. Drawing rows and columns of dots shows why.
  • Little and oftenFive minutes of chanting a table works better than one long session. Pick one table at a time.

Key words

  • MultiplyTo find the total of equal groups. 3 x 4 means 3 groups of 4.
  • Times tableA list of multiplication facts for one number, such as the 5 times table.
  • Skip countingCounting forwards in steps of the same size, such as 3, 6, 9.
  • ProductThe answer to a multiplication.
  • MultipleA number you land on when you count in steps of a table, so the multiples of 5 are in the 5 times table.
  • Number lineA line of numbers in order. Children draw hops along it to count in steps.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
  2. Work through the first question together. Ask your child which table it belongs to and how they could count it.
  3. Let them choose a method: fingers, a number line, or drawing hops. There is no one right way. It should take about 10 minutes.
  4. Check together using the answers on page 2. Ask, "How did you work that out?" The thinking matters as much as the answer.
  5. Come back another day and try again, or beat your own time. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Draw hops on a number line and count in steps. For a question like 3 x 4, make four hops of three and say each landing number aloud. Start with the 2, 5 and 10 tables, then add the others as confidence grows.

To stretch confident children

Swap each sum round, for example 3 x 4 and 4 x 3, and see that the answers match. Then write the sum the other way round for every question and say why the order does not change the answer.

Make it a game

Race a friend, or beat your own time and try again. Another idea is to roll two dice, choose one table and say the multiplication together. The first player to give five correct answers in a row wins.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child counts the starting number as the first hop, so the answer is out by one step.

Try thisPut a finger down for each hop, not for the starting point. Say the table steps aloud and stop after the right number of hops.

Watch forA child adds instead of multiplies, writing 14 for 3 x 11.

Try thisSay it as groups: 3 groups of 11. Draw three rows of 11 dots or use counters, then count them all.

Watch forA child loses their place when counting in steps and gives a wrong answer.

Try thisWrite the first few steps of the table on a strip of paper. Count again slowly and tick each step as you go.

Talk about it

  • Which times table do you find easiest, and why?
  • Can you hear or see a pattern when you count in 2s, 5s or 10s?
  • How could a number line help you with a tricky question?
  • If you forget a fact, what could you do to work it out?
  • Which table do you want to practise next?
  • Can you make up a bunny hop story that uses one of your times tables?

Take it off the page

Chalk bunny hops

Draw a long number line outside with chalk. Hop along it in steps of 2, 3, 4 or 5 and say each number as you land.

Paper egg hunt

Cut out paper eggs and hide them in groups. Find each group and count the eggs in steps to work out the total.

Table chant

Pick a table and chant it with a clap or a stamp on every step. Try it faster, slower, then backwards.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit with your child for the first question, then let them lead. Short bursts of ten to fifteen minutes work best. If they get stuck, ask them to draw hops on a number line.

Teachers

Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or homework. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 has help and stretch ideas, so it suits mixed ability groups.

Home educators

Print it as part of a wider maths plan. It pairs well with outdoor play and everyday counting. You can print it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.

Where this fits in your child's maths

Before this sheet, children count in steps of 2, 5 and 10 and think of multiplication as equal groups. They may have used arrays, which are rows of objects, to see how groups fit together.

After this sheet, children meet the rest of the times tables, learn the matching division facts and use their number facts in written methods. Fluent recall now makes these later steps much easier.

Check it worked

Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.

  1. What is 4 times 8?
  2. Which table do you find trickiest, and why?
  3. How can the 4 times table help with the 8 times table?

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Easter Times Tables for?

It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. It also works as revision for older children who need to strengthen their times table recall.

What will children practise?

They practise the 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 10 times tables through multiplication questions. They also use skip counting and look for patterns in the answers.

How long does it take?

It takes about 10 minutes. Some children will be quicker and others will want more time. Page 2 has ideas to make it easier or to stretch confident children.

What if it feels too hard?

Draw hops on a number line and count in steps. Start with the 2, 5 and 10 tables, then move on to the others. Work through the first question together, then let your child try alone.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it as many times as you like, for example for brothers, sisters or revision.

Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 gives support, stretch and answers.

Do I need to print in colour or use a screen?

No to both. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, and children only need a pencil. It is a screen free activity that suits quiet time and school holidays.

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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.

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