How to Help Kids with Multiplication and Division: The Power of Equal Groups

When kids begin learning multiplication and division, many adults worry about fact memorization and long division. But before we even begin to think about facts and procedures, children need something more foundational: the ability to see and think in equal groups. This skill builds true understanding and helps children be successful with multiplication and division.

What Does It Mean to See and Think in Equal Groups?

Seeing equal groups means recognizing sets that have the same number of items and describing them that way. For example, your child might notice:

• “There are three plates with two brownies on each plate”

• “There are four chairs at every table.”

Thinking in groups goes further. It’s reasoning with those equal sets:

• “There are 3 groups of 2, so that makes 6 apples.”

• “If there are 12 chairs and 4 at each table, then that’s 3 tables.”

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This shift, from counting everything one by one to organizing numbers in groups, is what sets kids up for success with multiplication and division.

Why Equal Groups Support Multiplication and Division

Multiplication and division are really just different ways of working with equal groups:

• Multiplication asks: How many in all when there are ___ groups of ___?

• Division asks: How many groups can I make? or How many in each group?

  
  

Understanding equal groups helps kids make sense of multiplication and division problems, rather than trying to memorize lots of isolated facts. This also helps with fact fluency. For example, if your child forgets what 24 divided by 6 is, they can attempt to figure it out by picturing how many equal groups of 6 they can find inside of 24.

Being able to see and think in equal groups is a critical step in mathematical development (Carpenter et al, 1999; Fosnot & Dolk, 2001). The more opportunities we give children to think in this way, the more likely they are to be successful when it comes to multiplying and dividing numbers.

Everyday Activities to Help Kids with Multiplication and Division

You don’t need worksheets or flashcards to build your child’s ability to see and think in equal groups—just everyday conversations, some simple games, and play. Here are some simple ways to encourage equal groups thinking:

Conversational Moments

• Snack time grouping

  • “We have 15 crackers. If we put 3 crackers on each plate, how many plates will we need?”

  • “If each cup gets 4 blueberries, how many blueberries do we need for 3 cups?””

    
    

• Walking outside

  • “There are 3 houses, and each has 2 windows on the front. How many windows is that?”

  • “There are 4 bikes, and each has 2 wheels. How many wheels in all?”

    
    

• Simple conversation starters

  • How many groups do you see?

  • How many are in each group?

  • How many in all?

  • What happens if we add another group?

  • What happens if we split the groups differently?

    
    

These small, natural moments help kids connect multiplication and division to real life while building confidence and understanding.

We also love game play for building equal groups thinking (and helping kids with understanding and knowing their multiplication and division facts). We have a set of 5 games for building this thinking right here.

Starting Early: Building Equal Groups Thinking Before Grade 3

You don’t have to wait until your child starts formal multiplication and division in grade 3 to support this skill. Even preschool and early elementary kids can begin seeing and thinking in groups through everyday activities.

These early experiences help children notice patterns, organize quantities, and reason about numbers which lays the foundation for multiplication and division later on. By the time grade 3 arrives, this kind of thinking will make formal instruction feel more natural and meaningful, rather than abstract or memorization-heavy.

We encourage you to focus on conversation and play rather than right or wrong answers. The goal is to build reasoning, flexibility, and confidence with numbers, not to pressure kids with formal calculations too early.

Final Thoughts

If you’re wondering how to help kids with multiplication and division, the answer is not more flash cards or worksheets, it’s building a real understanding of what the operations mean. When we help children see and reason about groups in everyday life, and have fun with game play, we’re helping them build a strong foundation for success with multiplication and division.

References

• Carpenter, T. P., Fennema, E., Franke, M. L., Levi, L., & Empson, S. B. (1999). Children’s Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction. Heinemann.

• Fosnot, C. T., & Dolk, M. (2001). Young Mathematicians at Work: Constructing Multiplication and Division.Heinemann.