The two times table is usually the first table that is learned by children and we start off here with the table just up to 5 times 2. Learning the two times table should follow on from a lot of work on doubling small numbers: see the urbrainy doubling pages for more about this. Many children think that all they have to do is learn the pattern of numbers 2  4  6  8 ...and so on. However, this is not really very helpful if a child is asked what 5 times 2 is: counting up in twos and holding fingers up will take far too long! The whole idea of tables is that they are learned ‘off by heart’. To do this it is essential to say them out loud as follows: One times two is two Two times two is four Three times two is six Four times two is eight Five times two is ten. This can be shortened to: Once two is two Two twos are four Three twos are six Four twos are eight Five twos are ten Beginning to learn the 2x table