How to learn your 3 times tables

Author
Mhairi Sim

Published
April 2025

How to learn your 3 times tables

Author
Mhairi Sim

Published
April 2025

How to learn your 3 times tables

Author
Mhairi Sim

Published
April 2025

Key takeaways

Kiddos will begin learning their 3 times tables in Year 3
Products of the 3 times tables follow an alternating even-odd pattern
Practising different styles of 3 times table problems will help build kiddos’ confidence

Table of contents

Once learners are confident with their 2, 5, and 10 times tables, it’s time to step things up! In Year 3, they’ll learn their 3, 4, and 8 times tables and use more advanced maths vocabulary around multiplication.

The first new table they’ll cover is the 3 times table. This is an important one to know, especially when it comes to the trickier 6 and 9 times tables!

On this page, you’ll find everything you need to help your little ones learn their 3 times tables. We’ve included some clever 3 times table tricks and some practice questions with answers too!

3 times table chart

3 Times Table
3 x 0 = 0
3 x 1 = 3
3 x 2 = 6
3 x 3 = 9
3 x 4 = 12
3 x 5 = 15
3 x 6 = 18
3 x 7 = 21
3 x 8 = 24
3 x 9 = 27
3 x 10 = 30
3 x 11 = 33
3 x 12 = 36

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Tips for learning your 3 times tables

The 3 times table is a little harder for learners to get their heads around than the tables they’ve covered previously. Thankfully, we’ve gathered a few tips and tricks to help them out!

Patterns in the products

A great tip for learning any times table is to look for patterns. The 3 times table has a repeating odd and even pattern in its products.

It’s worth mentioning to kiddos that the even-numbered products in the 3 times table are the products of the 6 times table! Pointing out this pattern now always helps my students, especially as they’ll be learning their 6 times tables the following year.

Skip counting

Skip counting is the most common way to learn the 3 times tables. Using this method, learners simply count up from zero adding three each time.

Practising skip counting in threes from 0 to 36 is a fantastic way to help them commit the products of the 3 times table to memory!

Add the digits together

My favourite way to determine if a number is a product of the 3 times table is to add each digit of that number together. If the answer is 3, 6, or 9, then the number features in the 3 times table!

Let’s test this method by checking the numbers 123 and 113 to determine if they are products of the 3 time tables.

My learners could spend hours putting this trick to the test with a hundred different numbers.

It’s worth mentioning that this trick will still work beyond the products we cover in the classroom (0-36), but the numbers may also add up to 12 or 15.

My learners could spend hours putting this trick to the test with a hundred different numbers.

It’s worth mentioning that this trick will still work beyond the products we cover in the classroom (0-36), but the numbers may also add up to 12 or 15.

Make it fun

By practising their multiplication facts 3 times table learners will quickly build up their confidence. Doodle Learning’s amazing maths app is the perfect place for this!

Our app has thousands of fun, curriculum-based games and activities learners love! They’ll receive a personalised programme to practice the times table of 3 and much more.

Practise times table with DoodleMaths!

DoodleMaths is an award-winning app that’s filled with thousands of questions and games exploring multiplication, division and more! Plus, get free access to DoodleTables with any DoodleMaths subscription!

Designed by teachers, it creates each child a unique work programme tailored to their needs, doubling their progression with just 10 minutes of use a day. Try it for free!

Create a free Doodle account

Ready to give it a go?

Put your knowledge to the test with these no-risk practice problems to get you ready for the classroom!

3 times table practice problems

When learning their 3 times table it’s a good idea for students to solve multiplication problems that are presented in many different ways.

Let them have a go at our practice problems and see if there are any types of questions they need to spend some more time revising!

Write the equation for the picture below to multiply the groups of apples.

__ x __ =

3 x 2 =

3 x 0 =

3 x ? = 21

3 x 11 =

Conclusion

When it comes to learning the 3 times tables, it is worth putting in the effort. Remember that a good understanding of the 3 times table will set learners up for success when learning their 6 and 9 times tables!

Even though this is one of the trickier ones to learn, these tips will make learning the 3 times table much easier for kiddos!

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