DIY Multiplication Flash Cards: 7 Powerful Tricks To Help Kids Learn Faster (Plus a Smarter Alternative)

DIY Multiplication Flash Cards Don’t Have To Be Boring

If you’re making DIY multiplication flash cards, you’re already doing something right. Multiplication is one of those skills kids have to master, but the usual “drill and kill” gets old fast.

Here’s the thing most people miss:

It’s not just about making flashcards, it’s about using them the right way — with active recall, spacing, and a bit of fun.

You can absolutely do this with paper cards…

But if you want to save time and keep your kid actually interested, an app like Flashrecall makes life way easier:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Flashrecall lets you:

• Turn images, text, PDFs, even YouTube videos into flashcards in seconds
• Use built-in spaced repetition and active recall automatically
• Get study reminders so practice actually happens
• Chat with the flashcard if your kid is stuck and needs more explanation
• Use it on iPhone and iPad, even offline

You can still do DIY — just a smarter, less painful version.

Let’s walk through both: how to make great DIY multiplication flash cards and how to upgrade the whole system with Flashrecall.

Step 1: Decide What Multiplication Facts You Actually Need

Before you start cutting paper like a craft machine, decide what set you’re making:

• Beginner set: 1×1 to 5×5
• Standard set: 1×1 to 10×10
• Full set: 1×1 to 12×12 (what most schools use)

If you’re making physical cards, that’s:

• 100 cards for 1–10
• 144 cards for 1–12

That’s… a lot of writing.

With Flashrecall, you can literally type or paste a list like:

• `3 x 4 = ?`
• `7 x 8 = ?`
• `9 x 6 = ?`

And it will generate cards for you in minutes instead of hours. Or you can snap a photo of a worksheet and turn it into cards automatically.

But if you want proper DIY paper cards, here’s how to make them solid.

Step 2: How To Make Simple, Effective DIY Multiplication Flash Cards

Materials

You don’t need anything fancy:

• Index cards (or cut-up card stock)
• Pen/marker (two colors is nice: one for question, one for answer)
• Rubber band or small box to store them

Basic Format

On the front:

> `7 × 8 = ?`

On the back:

> `56`

Keep it super clean. No clutter. The brain should see one clear question.

Color-Coding Ideas

To make them easier to use:

• Use one color for the question side, another color for answers
• Or color-code sets:
• Blue = 2s
• Green = 3s
• Red = 4s
• etc.

This helps kids feel like they’re “collecting” and conquering each color set.

With Flashrecall, you can do the same idea using different decks:

• “2s and 3s”
• “4s and 5s”
• “Tricky facts only”

So your kid only sees what they need to work on.

Step 3: Make DIY Multiplication Cards More Fun (So Kids Actually Use Them)

Plain cards work, but kids get bored fast. A few easy upgrades:

1. Story or Picture Cards

For the really tricky facts (like 7×8, 6×7, 8×9), add a tiny drawing or story on the back.

Example for 7 × 8 = 56:

• Draw 7 spiders with 8 legs and write:

“7 spiders × 8 legs = 56 legs”

Or use a rhyme:

• “5, 6, 7, 8 → 7 × 8 = 56”

You can put the story in small text under the answer.

In Flashrecall, you can:

• Add a picture or audio explanation to the answer side
• Or paste in a YouTube link that explains the trick and let Flashrecall turn it into cards

So instead of just “56”, your kid gets 56 plus a helpful hint.

2. “Tricky Only” Deck

Don’t waste time drilling facts your kid already knows.

Make:

• One deck: All facts
• One deck: Only the hard ones (the ones they keep missing)

You can mark tricky ones with a star and move them into a separate pile.

In Flashrecall, this is automatic:

• When your kid gets a card wrong, it shows up more often
• When they know it well, it shows up less often

That’s spaced repetition doing the heavy lifting for you.

3. Speed Rounds and Games

Use your DIY cards in fun ways:

• 30-second challenge

Flip as many cards as possible in 30 seconds. Keep score. Try to beat yesterday’s score.

• Race the parent

You and your kid both get a stack. Take turns flipping. First to finish with 100% wins.

• Keep or Toss

If they get it right instantly, they “keep” the card. If they hesitate or miss, it goes back in the pile. Goal: win all the cards.

With Flashrecall, you can do the same “speed” feel:

• The app shows one card at a time
• Your kid taps “Got it” or “Not yet”
• The app adapts automatically and keeps the pace up

Step 4: Use Active Recall (The Secret Sauce Behind Flashcards)

The biggest mistake with flashcards?

Kids stare at the card and peek at the answer.

You want active recall: forcing the brain to pull the answer out from memory.

For DIY cards:

1. Show the question: `8 × 6 = ?`

2. Your kid says the answer out loud (or writes it)

3. Then flip and check

No silent guessing in their head and then shrugging. Make it explicit.

• It always shows you the question first, answer hidden
• You try to remember
• Then you reveal and tell the app how easy or hard it was

It’s the same principle — just less manual tracking for you.

Step 5: Add Spaced Repetition (Without Losing Your Mind)

Spaced repetition = review things right before you’re about to forget them.

With DIY cards, you can do a basic version:

• Every day: go through the stack
• Cards they know well → move to an “every few days” pile
• Cards they miss → keep in the “every day” pile
• Once a week: review the “every few days” pile

It works, but it’s a lot to manage.

• You review a card
• You rate how hard it was
• The app schedules the next review for you
• You get study reminders so you don’t forget to practice

So instead of “Did we practice 7s today?”

You just open the app and it shows exactly what to review.

Step 6: Turn Your DIY Cards Into Digital Cards (The Hybrid Hack)

If you already made a ton of DIY multiplication cards and don’t want to redo everything, you can still upgrade them.

With Flashrecall, you can:

• Snap photos of your paper cards and turn them into digital flashcards
• Or write them out once in a note or doc, then paste the whole thing in and let Flashrecall generate cards
• Or use a PDF worksheet and let the app extract the questions and answers

This way:

• You keep the hands-on, crafty feel and
• You get reminders, spaced repetition, and progress tracking without extra work

Link again for easy access:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Step 7: Example Multiplication Flashcard Sets (You Can Copy These)

Here are some ready-made ideas you can use for either paper cards or in Flashrecall.

Starter Deck: 2s, 5s, 10s

These are usually easiest and build confidence.

Examples:

• `2 × 3 = ?` → `6`
• `2 × 7 = ?` → `14`
• `5 × 4 = ?` → `20`
• `5 × 9 = ?` → `45`
• `10 × 6 = ?` → `60`
• `10 × 9 = ?` → `90`

You can make a “Beginner Multiplication” deck in Flashrecall and just add these first.

Next Level: 3s and 4s

Examples:

• `3 × 4 = ?` → `12`
• `3 × 6 = ?` → `18`
• `4 × 4 = ?` → `16`
• `4 × 7 = ?` → `28`
• `3 × 9 = ?` → `27`

Add hints on the back like:

• “3 × 4 = 12 → think 3, 6, 9, 12 (counting by 3s)”

In Flashrecall, put the hint in the answer field so it appears under the answer.

Tricky Facts Deck

Only include the ones that are not sticking:

Common troublemakers:

• `6 × 7 = 42`
• `7 × 8 = 56`
• `8 × 9 = 72`
• `6 × 8 = 48`
• `7 × 9 = 63`

Add a memory trick:

• 6 × 8 = 48 → “6, 7, 8 → 4, 8” (kind of a pattern)
• 7 × 8 = 56 → “5, 6, 7, 8”

In Flashrecall, you can even record a quick audio explanation for each one so your kid hears the trick every time they see the card.

Why Flashrecall Beats Pure DIY (Especially Long-Term)

DIY multiplication flash cards are great to start with.

But over time, three problems pop up:

1. It’s hard to keep organized

Piles everywhere, lost cards, no idea what they actually know.

2. No automatic spacing

You either over-drill easy facts or forget to review old ones.

3. Kids get bored

Same stack, same routine, no variety.

• Digital decks stay organized forever
• Built-in spaced repetition schedules reviews for you
• You can mix in:
• Images
• Audio
• YouTube explanations
• Chat with the flashcard when they’re confused

And it’s not just for multiplication:

• Great for languages, exams, school subjects, university, medicine, business — basically anything that needs memorizing.

It’s fast, modern, easy to use, works offline, and is free to start on iPhone and iPad:

👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Quick Recap

• DIY multiplication flash cards absolutely work — especially with games, colors, and memory tricks
• The real magic comes from active recall and spaced repetition, not just flipping random cards
• You can do it all by hand… or let Flashrecall handle the boring parts:
• Auto scheduling
• Reminders
• Card creation from images/text/PDFs/YouTube
• Extra explanations via chat

So go ahead and make a few DIY cards to get started — then level up the whole system by turning them into a smart deck in Flashrecall.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the fastest way to create flashcards?

Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.

Is there a free flashcard app?

Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.

What is active recall and how does it work?

Active recall is the process of actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Flashrecall forces proper active recall by making you think before revealing answers, then uses spaced repetition to optimize your review schedule.

Related Articles

• Mudpuppy Flash Cards: Are Cute Decks Enough, Or Is There A Smarter Way To Help Kids Learn Faster?
• Musical Flash Cards: The Ultimate Way To Learn Music Theory Faster (That Most Students Ignore) – Turn boring drills into quick, powerful practice sessions you can actually stick to.
• Chineasy Flashcards: The Best Way To Learn Chinese Faster (And A Smarter Alternative Most Learners Miss) – Discover how to get the visuals you love from Chineasy, but with way more flexibility, speed, and long-term memory power.