(and why traditional learning doesn’t work for every child) Every June, thousands of 9-year-olds sit a short check. 25 questions.6 seconds each. It’s called the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC). It sounds simple. But for many children, it isn’t. What is the MTC really testing? The MTC checks whether children can recall times tables instantly, up…
Backgammon is a brilliant way to strengthen mental arithmetic because every move involves quick counting, combining numbers, and planning ahead. Children naturally practise adding, splitting, and recognising number patterns as they play, all without it feeling like a lesson. It builds speed, confidence, and flexible thinking with numbers….. If your child finds mental arithmetic challenging,…
If you are looking for an easy maths card game for kids and teens, this simple activity is a fantastic way to practise mental maths while having fun together. Many children find traditional maths practice repetitive or stressful. Turning numbers into a quick and enjoyable card game changes the experience completely. Instead of feeling like…
Maths tests are not designed to be cruel. They exist to check whether children truly understand what they have been taught. In reading, teaching has evolved dramatically over the past twenty years. We now understand phonics, structured approaches, memory retention strategies and cognitive development far better than we once did. But in multiplication, many children…
Why You Must Teach Number Bonds First — And Why Our Add-to-13 Game Then Becomes Effortless 👇 Building number fluency shouldn’t feel like hard work — and at Fables World, it isn’t.But before any game becomes truly easy, children need something essential: effortless number bonds. Without strong number bonds in place, children rely on fingers,…
Written by Wednesday My name’s Wednesday — yes, exactly like the Addams Family. I am severely dyslexic (thanks, Dad, for those great genes), which means school has been one long battle. I get lost all the time, I couldn’t tell the time properly (well… until Fables World taught me), and maths was a complete and…
Did you know that weak adult numeracy costs the UK economy around £20 billion per year? That’s the staggering estimate from National Numeracy, highlighting how poor number skills lead to lost productivity, lower wages, and increased public spending. This isn’t just a personal issue — it’s a national crisis. But it’s not just the UK.…
A study from the University of Oxford has found that adolescents who stop studying maths after age 16 have lower levels of a key brain chemical (GABA) in areas linked to reasoning, problem-solving, and learning. This chemical is essential for tackling complex problems — the very skills that will be in high demand in an…
Children Who Are Strong in Maths by Age 10 Go on to Earn Significantly More as Adults — Give Your Child a Strong Maths Foundation Before It’s Too Late! As parents, we all want our children to succeed. It’s easy to think they’re “doing fine” when they pass a test in primary school, but passing…
When I was a child, my mum made me play every card game she could find to help with mental arithmetic. We spent hours around the kitchen table but I still used my fingers to count. She couldn’t understand why it just wouldn’t click. It wasn’t until years later when we developed our own unique…