Memorizing multiplication facts

If you haven't seen Times Tales, you should check it out.  It is the quickest way I know to get those multiplication facts to stick in the brains of kids who are having trouble with memorization.

But if you can't buy one more piece of curriculum, here's the system in a nutshell:  turn each digit into a picture, and then combine them in scenarios that help you remember the products.  If you buy Times Tales, the work is already done for you, and there are illustrations and flash cards and other helps.  You can do the same thing yourself, though, with a little imagination.

For example:  Draw a 5 and doodle it into a duck.  Draw a 9 and turn it into a balloon with a string.  Then make up a scenario, such as, "The duck had a balloon that blew away in the wind, and he chased it for 45 minutes."   5 x 9 = 45

Draw an 8 and turn it into an owl:  "The owl saw the balloon stuck in a tree.  He hopped across 7 branches and pecked it 2 times before it popped."  8 x 9 = 72.

Draw a 6 and make it into a mouse with a long tail.  "The owl tried to catch the mouse but those 4 tiny feet ran 8 yards to his hole and he was safe,"  6 x 8 = 48

Draw 7 and make it a flag.  "The duck saluted the flag from 3pm to 5pm." 5 x 7 = 35

Anyway, you get the idea.  You don't have to make up a story for all of them, just the ones your child finds hard to remember.  If you can get your child to make up the scenarios, all the better!