Orchard Toys | Times Tables Heroes

March 14, 2020

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This fun multiplication game will help children practise their times tables from 2-12. With two games in one – Hero City board game and Multiplication Bingo – times table practise will be filled with fun!

Although I count myself as very lucky that Tigger’s favourite subject at school is maths, it is still a subject that requires a lot of practice. Especially as he will be completing the new multiplication tables check (MTC), which is compulsory in primary schools for children in Year 4 from June 2020. His school report last week highlighted that he needed to focus on his 8, 9 and 12 times tables. So we have been looking at ways to help him at home, with Orchard Toys coming to the rescue with their Times Tables Heroes game.

Times Tables Heroes

Times Tables Heroes features 2 games in 1 and encourages children to practise times tables up to 12×12. The first game encourages children to use their imaginations as they race around the board to be the first to defeat the evil robot, solving multiplication sums along the way! The second game is Multiplication Bingo – great for children to practise quickly recalling times tables.

A small child sitting on a table

What’s included?

  • 1 jigged double-sided board
  • 21 shield cards
  • 4 character playing pieces
  • 4 character stands
  • 3 spinner boards
  • 3 two-part plastic spinners
  • 1 times tables checker
  • 4 superhero reference cards
  • 1 instruction leaflet

Hero City Game

A birthday cake on a table

In the Hero City board game players take turns to spin the spinners to move around the playing board. Children can practise times tables up to 12 x 12 as they battle it out to defeat the evil robot!

How to set up the Hero City Game

  • Assemble the game board with the city facing upwards
  • Each player choose a superhero card and matching character piece (which will need to be slotted on to a base for the first use)
  • Everyone starts on the yellow star start space
  • Place the shield cards in a pile on the table, face down
  • Place the spinners on the table where everyone is able to access them
  • Place the times table checker on the table within reach of all players
A stack of flyers on a table

How to play Hero City Game

  1. Decide what level of difficulty you would like to play – the green spinner for an easier game practising 2, 5 and 10 times tables. Or the red spinner for a more challenging game practising all the times tables.
    Different players can use different spinners in the same game so perfect for younger and older siblings to play together.
  2. Spin the spinners, the square spinner will give you the first number for your multiplication sum and your coloured spinner the second. For example, 7 and 2 would give you the sum of ‘7 x 2 = ?’
  3. Shout out your answer and then check the times table checker to see if you were correct.
  4. If you were correct then move your superhero character to the next space on the board that corresponds with the vehicle the square spinner is pointing to.
  5. Continue playing in a clockwise direction
  6. If you land on a shield behind a vehicle space, pick up one of the shield cards from the pile. Describe the disaster that appears on the opposite side utilising the key included in the instruction leaflet. Or you could utilise your imagination as to what disaster your superhero is facing. Move forward the number of spaces shown on the card.
  7. The winner is the first player to reach the evil robot.

Multiplication Bingo

A close up of a toy

Turn over the boards for a fast-paced game of bingo! Players can practise 2, 5 and 10 times tables as they race to get three in a row.

How to set up Multiplication Bingo

  • Each player takes a bingo board which are found on the reverse side of the Hero City game board
  • Place the green and red spinners and times tables checker where everyone can reach them
  • Place the shield cards face down in a pile – these are used to cover your numbers
Board game and Font

How to play Multiplication Bingo

  1. The youngest player starts the game by spinning both the red and green spinners
  2. Shout out the numbers the spinners point to, for example, if the spinners landed on 5 and 2 you would shout 5 x 2
  3. Work out the answer and shout it out loud (check the times table checker to see if it is correct)
  4. All the players look to see if they have this number on their multiplication bingo board. If they do, they place a shield card over the number
  5. Continue in a clockwise direction until one player has covered three numbers in a row (down, across or diagonally)
  6. The winner need to shout out ‘three in a row!’

For extra fun whilst playing you can each describe how your would solve the disaster on the shield card.

Additional Multiplication Bingo resources

Orchard Toys have added advanced bingo boards and extra shield cards to download free.

Educational benefits of Times Tables Heroes

  • Promotes Imaginative Play – Children can get creative whilst they learn their times tables in this unique combination of imaginative play and multiplication practise
  • Develops Multiplication Skills – Times Tables Heroes complements what children are taught in school and encourages children to practise multiplication up to 12×12.
  • Develops Observational Skills – There are lots to see in this fun-filled board game, from the quirky superhero characters to the crazy disaster cards.

Our thoughts on the Times Tables Heroes Game

One of the amazing things about Orchard Toys is their ability to make learning fun, with children often not realising that they are completing an educational activity. To them, they are just playing a game and having fun. The Times Tables Heroes game obviously is a little more obvious that it is an educational game, however, this didn’t stop Tigger interacting and playing against Roo as well as myself and What The Dad Said.

The two different games allow you to focus on different difficulty levels of times tables which is great. With Roo attempting to take the easier route with the green spinner but weren’t letting her get away with it. The additional free resources which can be printed from the website are a great bonus to the multiplication bingo game.

A wonderful 2-in-1 game that can be used across the key stage 2 age range. With the times table checker perfect for them checking their answers and gaining swiftness in their responses to sums.

A close up of a device

Where can you buy the Times Tables Heroes Game?

The Times Tables Heroes game is available to buy from Orchard Toys, Amazon and all other good toy retailers.

Win an Orchard Toys Times Tables Heroes game

To help you have fun with times tables we are lucky enough to have an additional Times Tables Heroes to giveaway.

Prize: Orchard Toys Times Tables Heroes game

To enter complete the Gleam widget below, all entries are optional and each one completed will gain you more entries into the random draw.

Orchard Toys Times Tables Heroes Leaderboard

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