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Hey,
Sorry I can't remember all the nifty ideas; there was a thread about this awhile ago (for how to make it fun). All I can remember is what worked for us which is "Multiplication War"--just like the card game "War," but you each put down two cards at once from your pile and then multiply them; let the kids do it and figure out who won. (also works for division and subtraction, ha) We would also go for family walks and swing DD when she answered a question right, but that works better when you have a higher ratio of adults to kids. Good luck!

We currently backed away from "on purpose" memorization of the multiplication tables since she was so against it. She seems to be happier just to learn "as she goes" meaning when she does something that requires multiplication/division - she can use printout table and after two or three times she will have it in her memory. So we have random 4*6 and 8*9 kind of facts so far down but it will come eventually. It slowes us down a bit but I think we ahead enough not to worry about it anyway :-) Thank you all for suggestions - we will use them this summer if needed!

Free game that is really good for teaching multiplication...TimezAttack (find it by googling it) and down load the free version. TimezAttack is fancy graphics but systematic instruction. (TimezAttack also has an +- in Beta and I think division but we have only been working on x).

Game that costs...Aleks.com...my son is doing the third grade program math class work through Aleks and that includes (separately) +-x and division tables work in a systematic way but also includes little games to play (nothing fancy).

We also have been trying Times Attack by Big Brains. My DS who knew them before, but slowly, has really upped his speed and now does better than me. (I really need to play the game, as I was never a fast calculator, and maybe the only person in my differential equations class who still had to count on her fingers..;( Sad but true.)