Fact family videos, songs and books

Videos, songs and books can help children remember fact families, especially when they are used alongside hands-on practice. This page explains what to look for, how to use them, and gives you an original fact family chant you can use right away.

What makes a good fact family video

• It shows three numbers together. The best videos always keep the same three numbers on screen while they say all four facts.
• It uses pictures or objects. Counters, arrays and fact triangles help children see why the facts connect.
• It is short. Two to four minutes is plenty for young children, followed by practice.
• It is correct. Check that subtraction facts start with the whole and that no fact uses a different number.

How to use a fact family video or song

1. Watch once to see the idea.
2. Pause on each fact and ask children to say the next one before it appears.
3. Follow up with a triangle activity or a short worksheet the same day.

A fact family chant

Here is a short chant we wrote for 2, 3 and 5. Clap the beat and swap in your own numbers.

Choosing books about fact families

Look for books that tell a story about addition or multiplication and then show the related subtraction or division facts. Ask your school or local librarian for picture books on number bonds, fact families and times tables, or check the lessons your teacher recommends. Whatever you choose, read it together and stop after each page to say the facts aloud.

Make your own

• Ask children to make a one minute video explaining one fact family with objects.
• Write new verses of the chant for 4, 6 and 10, or for a multiplication family.
• Draw a comic strip about a fact family “moving house” from addition to subtraction.

Related pages

Learn the idea behind the songs on the fact family page, or play a round on the fact family games page.