For Parents

Hit the Button is a free, quick-fire maths game that helps children aged 5–11 practise the number facts they learn at primary school. This page explains what your child gets out of it, how to use it at home, and how to keep practice short and positive.

Why quick recall of number facts matters

When children can recall facts like 7 × 8 or 6 + 4 instantly, they free up working memory for the harder parts of a problem – multi-step word problems, long multiplication, fractions and division. Children who still count on their fingers for basic facts often find later maths slow and tiring. Short, regular practice is the most reliable way to build that automatic recall.

What your child can practise

How to use Hit the Button at home

  1. Keep sessions short. One or two 60-second rounds a day works better than a long session once a week.
  2. Start easy. Pick a single table or number bond your child is learning at school, then move to mixed questions once they are confident.
  3. Track their best score. Beating a personal best is more motivating than comparing with siblings or classmates.
  4. Talk about strategies. If they get stuck on 7 × 6, ask how they could work it out (e.g. 7 × 5 + 7). Understanding helps facts stick.
  5. Celebrate progress. Notice when a tricky table becomes easy.

Which games suit which age?

Year 1–2 (KS1): number bonds to 10 and 20, doubling and halving small numbers, and the 2, 5 and 10 times tables. See our KS1 maths games.

Year 3–4: the 3, 4 and 8 times tables, then all tables up to 12 × 12 – essential preparation for the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check.

Year 5–6 (upper KS2): mixed tables at speed, division facts, square numbers and fractions. See our KS2 maths games.

Is it safe and free?

Yes. The game is free to play in the browser on a computer, tablet or phone, and children do not need an account to play.

Ready to start? Play Hit the Button now or read how to play.