This free printable multiplication game turns times table practice into a quest for 9 golden apples. Do your kids like treasure hunts, secret codes, coloring, and games? They’ll get a little of each in this apple-themed math activity.
Instead of completing another page of multiplication problems and calling it done, kids use their answers to play a “Who Am I?” math game. Each page has a secret golden apple to find, and all 9 golden apples reveal the combination needed to complete the quest.
It’s a fun way to give kids extra multiplication practice while also working on number sense and problem-solving skills.
These printable math worksheets combine multiplication practice, coloring, logic clues, and a treasure hunt into one activity.
They also make a fun apple themed printable fall activity.
Multiplication Game Difficulty Level
These apple multiplication worksheets are best for 3rd and 4th graders who are learning or reviewing their multiplication facts.
Third graders can work through the facts up to 10, while 4th graders can continue with the 11 and 12 times tables.
Besides multiplication, kids will use number sense skills to solve the Who Am I clues. Depending on the puzzle, they’ll need to think about:
- odd and even numbers
- multiples
- prime numbers
- place value
- digital sums
- 2-digit numbers
- logical elimination
The extra clues add a bit of a challenge beyond simply solving the multiplication facts.
Multiplication Worksheets
There are 9 pages of apple themed multiplication worksheets. Each page has 25 multiplication questions and works on 2 times tables at once, starting with the easier ones and progressively getting harder.
The 9 pages cover these times tables in this order:
- 2 and 3
- 5 and 10
- 3 and 4
- 4 and 5
- 5 and 6
- 6 and 7
- 7 and 8
- 8 and 9
- 11 and 12
Each question is written on the leaf of its apple, and the child can write the answer on the apple.
I originally created this multiplication game when my daughter was learning her multiplication tables. I wanted to give her the practice she needed while making the worksheet something she would actually look forward to doing.
How the Multiplication Game Works
Once a page is complete, the child gets to play a “Who Am I?” game and solve math clues to find a secret number.
The secret number is one of the multiplication answers on that page. Kids use the clues to eliminate apples until only the golden apple remains.
Here are a few examples of clues they might encounter:
- I am not a multiple of 4.
- I am not a prime number.
- The number in the tens place is greater than 3.
As kids eliminate possible answers, they can color those apples red or green. When they’ve found the secret number, they color that apple golden yellow and record its number.
They repeat the process for all 9 worksheets to collect the complete 9-number secret combination.
The Golden Apple Treasure Hunt
There’s a reason kids are searching for those 9 numbers.
A farmer discovered that many years ago, his great-grandfather hid a treasure at the family apple orchard.
The great-grandfather inherited a large sum of gold, which he melted down and turned into 9 golden apples.
He hid the golden apples in a secret compartment in an old desk and created a treasure map to help find them. The compartment can only be opened by entering 9 secret numbers into a combination style lock.
The great grandfather hid the secret numbers in a series of Who Am I games.
Help the farmer get the treasure map so he can find the golden apples.
Kids will need to correctly solve the multiplication problems and the Who Am I puzzles to discover all 9 numbers and complete their quest.
How to Use These Multiplication Worksheets
The worksheets are arranged in a progression, beginning with easier multiplication facts and gradually working up to the more difficult times tables.
Before giving your child a worksheet, have them spend some time learning the new times table first. They can practice with multiplication flashcards, a multiplication chart, or other times table activities. Then use the worksheet to see how many of the facts they can remember.
Start with the 2 and 3 times tables. Once your child has practiced those facts, they can complete the first worksheet.
Next, work on the 5 and 10 times tables, which are generally easier facts to learn.
From there, your child only needs to focus on one new times table at a time:
- learn the 4 times table, then complete the 3 & 4 worksheet
- the 4 & 5 worksheet gives them another chance to review facts they’ve already learned
- learn the 6 times table, then complete the 5 & 6 worksheet
- learn the 7 times table, then complete the 6 & 7 worksheet
- learn the 8 times table, then complete the 7 & 8 worksheet
- learn the 9 times table, then complete the 8 & 9 worksheet
Third graders can stop after the 8 & 9 worksheet. By that point, they’ve practiced the 2 through 10 times tables included in this printable.
Fourth graders can continue by learning the 11 and 12 times tables and completing the final 11 & 12 worksheet.
This way, kids aren’t being asked to solve a page full of multiplication facts they haven’t learned yet. Each worksheet becomes a chance to practice new facts while continuing to review ones they’ve already worked on.
Download and Print
You can get the free printable Apple Multiplication Game by filling out one of the forms below. The PDF will be emailed to you.
The printable has 11 pages:
- 1 page with the treasure quest and Who Am I clues
- 9 apple multiplication worksheets
- 1 answer key
Print the clue page and any multiplication pages your child is ready to work on. Keep the answer key for yourself.
The worksheets are black and white, so kids can color the apples as they narrow down the possibilities and find each golden apple.
More Multiplication Activities
For some more fun multiplication practice, check out these:
- apple themed skip counting worksheets
- printable multiplication flash cards
- a printable multiplication chart 1-12
- multiplication color by number activity where kids combine math with geography
- weather multiplication riddles that combine multiplication practice with silly weather jokes
You can find more free printable multiplication activities for kids here.
Answer Key
An answer key is included as the last page of the PDF.
It has the answers to all 225 multiplication problems, along with the secret combination, so it’s easy to check your child’s work and see if they successfully completed the golden apple quest.