The 5 times table is second easiest after the 10s — but in a way it's easier for a 7-year-old, because the pattern is immediately visible. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25... each ends in 0 or 5. They can see it without memorising. And despite this the 5s table is often forgotten after a few months. This article shows how to fix memory quickly.
At Kluriko the 5s are in the Learning Games, but at home with the clock and hopping on a number line the real work happens.
The 5s table
5×1 = 5 5×2 = 10 5×3 = 15 5×4 = 20 5×5 = 25 5×6 = 30 5×7 = 35 5×8 = 40 5×9 = 45 5×10 = 50
Pattern: always ends in 0 or 5. Always. No exceptions.
The clock is the 5s' best friend
Clock minute marks are 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60. That's literally the 5s table.
When they read "quarter past 3" (= 15 min), they train 5×3=15. "Half past 3" (= 30 min) trains 5×6=30. "Twenty to 4" (= 40 min) trains 5×8=40.
The clock is free multiplication practice. Ten times a day, every day.
Exercises and tricks
1. Skip-counting
They sing: "5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50." A song. Brains love.
2. Count 5-kronor
Place 10 five-kronor coins on the table. They count: 5, 10, 15... Concrete money link.
3. Hand pattern
Five fingers per hand. They show 3 hands (or 3 people). "How many fingers total?" 5×3=15.
4. Clock hunt
"It's quarter past 7. How many minutes past the hour?" 15. (= 5×3.) They train in context.
5. Fives on the 100-grid
Colour all multiples of 5 on the 100-grid. They see two columns (5 and 10) plus the row ends. Visual pattern.
6. Tables game
Flash cards: 5×1 to 5×10. They say the answer. Quick rounds.
7. Dice game
D10 (ten-sided die). They roll. "What's 5× that?" They answer.
8. Finger counting
They count five fingers at a time. For 5×4 — four fingers raised, each worth 5. Count: 5, 10, 15, 20.
Patterns
The ending
5×1=5, 5×2=10, 5×3=15, 5×4=20. They see: odd multiplier → ends in 5. Even multiplier → ends in 0.
Predictive power. They can check their answers.
Halve it
5×6 = 30. Halve = 15. And 15 = 5×3. Pattern: 5×(even) is twice 5×(half of even).
Tricky for 7-year-olds, exciting for 8-9.
Common problems
They chant but don't use. Like all tables. Solve: questions in mixed order.
They mix 5s with 10s. Same pattern (0/5). Confusion. Solve: one at a time.
They lose 5s after a while. Maintain: 2 minutes daily practice. Not study sessions — quick checks.
How long does it take?
5-7 days for a typical 7-year-old to memorise. 2-3 days for an 8-year-old who already knows the pattern.
Check test
10 questions, mixed order:
- 5×7 = ?
- 5×3 = ?
- 5×9 = ?
- 5×2 = ?
- 5×8 = ?
- 5×1 = ?
- 5×5 = ?
- 5×6 = ?
- 5×10 = ?
- 5×4 = ?
Do they manage all in 30 seconds? Then it sits.
Fives in daily life
- "School starts at 8. They wake 15 minutes before. What time?" 7:45 (= 5×9 minutes = 45).
- "5 people get 6 cookies each. How many total?" 30.
- "A 5-pack chocolate box. 4 boxes. How many chocolates?" 20.
Fives and fractions
The 5s table is also a fractions table. They learn:
- 1/5 of 25 = 5
- 2/5 of 25 = 10
- 3/5 of 25 = 15
They meet this in middle school. But start with a visualisation now.
Fives and decimals
Decimals too:
- 0.5 × 10 = 5
- 0.5 × 20 = 10
They see the same pattern. Foreshadowed algebra.
How the 5s carry their own load
Because the 5s have the clock and money as daily reminders, they're easy to maintain. They don't need to explicitly practise every day — just reading the clock and handling coins is enough.
This is not true for 7s, 8s or 9s — there daily practice via apps or flashcards is needed. The 5s are subsidised by daily life.
How Kluriko helps
Kluriko Learning Games have the 5s table early in the progression. They train with visual patterns, clock, coins and flashcards combined. Ten minutes a day — a week and they know it.