The 2x tables and snowmen

Very often one of the easiest ways to help a child remember multiplication questions, including the 2x tables is by grouping.

Laid awake on Christmas Eve, I wondered if snowmen could be used to help a child recall the 2x tables when needed.

To make them more memorable I thought of the idea of making fingerprint snowmen.

Each snowman would be made up of 2 fingerprints. One positioned on top of the other.

This would form his body and head.

Then decorate it with arms, hat, eyes, carrot nose etc.

1 snowman = 2 fingerprints, so therefore

1×2 =2

Now create a second snow man.

You now have

2 snow men = 4 fingerprints.


2×2 =4

You could add another snowman to illustrate that 3 snowmen = 6 fingerprints

3×2 = 6.

Or you may feel it is easier to create a line with one snow man and write 1 snowman = 2 fingerprints, so therefore

1×2 =2

next to it.

Then create 2 more snowmen on a separate line. Next to these two, write

2 snow men = 4 fingerprints.


2×2 =4.

Repeating this until you reach 12 snowmen = 24 fingerprints, so therefore 12×2= 24.

(Though obviously you may go further if you choose).

Although I’ve done this using just 2 fingerprints per snowman, you could adjust it to 3 and use the same technique to learn the 3x tables.

For more of my favourite tables problems why not try reading these:

Another times tables game

A simple times tables confidence boosting game

5 games to learn the times tables

Or you may prefer looking at some of the games we use in our lessons to play at home:

teach your child their 2x tables


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