How does Connect Four actually teach times tables?

Your child picks a column to drop their counter into, just like the real game. Before the piece drops, a times tables question from their chosen table appears in Champion's chat. They type the answer — get it right and the piece drops in. Get it wrong and Champion says "not quite, have another go" with no penalty. They can try again or tap Show me how for a step-by-step walkthrough.

What happens if my child drops a counter in the wrong column?

Nothing bad happens. In Connect Four the strategy is about which column you choose — but in our version, the maths is the gate. Your child picks any column they want, and the only question is whether they can answer the times tables question to make the piece drop. If they get it wrong, the piece simply doesn't drop yet — they try again or get help. No turn is stolen, no counter is lost.

Can my child play Connect Four against a sibling on a different device?

Yes. Siblings on the same family account are automatically in each other's squad. One child taps New Game, picks Connect Four, picks their sibling, and the invite lands instantly. They play from separate devices, taking turns to answer questions and drop counters. First to four in a row wins.

Can my child chat with friends during a game?

Yes — children can chat freely during friend games, and parents can read every single message in their parent dashboard. You can see who your child talks to the most, what they say, and what kind of person they are in chat. Parents can also turn chat off entirely with one toggle.

What times tables can my child practise in Connect Four?

Before each game, your child chooses which times table they want to work on (2–12). They can focus on one they're learning, revisit one they want to consolidate, or mix several together. Parents and teachers can also assign specific tables.

Does my child need to be good at maths to enjoy Connect Four?

No — and that's the point. Because Connect Four is a game they already know, the maths feels like part of the game rather than a test. Children who are anxious about maths engage much more willingly with a familiar game than with a worksheet. And if they get stuck, the Show me how button walks them through it step by step.

Can my child play Connect Four without a friend being online?

Yes — they can play against Champion, our friendly AI opponent, any time. Champion is always ready to play, talks through every move in the chat, and plays at a level that's challenging but always beatable. No waiting for a friend to be free.

Does my child earn coins playing Connect Four?

Yes. Every correct answer banks 3 coins, and winning a game earns 15 coins. Coins can be spent in the reward shop on avatars, themes and accessories — or redeemed for real-world rewards you set up as a parent.

XTables Champions

Part of the ESSTA Kids family

🔵

Connect Four — with times tables

The game every child already knows. We've woven times tables practice right into it — answer a multiplication question to drop your piece. Play against Champion, a friend, or the whole class.

How times tables are woven in

Everyone knows how to play Connect Four. The difference is before your child can drop a piece, they have to answer a times tables question. Get it right and the piece drops in. Get it wrong and Champion gently encourages them to try again or shows them how — no penalties, no stolen turns, no pressure.

Champion

Great choice. Answer this to place your counter:7 × 8 = ?

Your answer

Show me how

Check Answer

I dropped my yellow counter in column 2. Your turn now.

Pick a column

Your child taps the column where they want to drop their purple counter — just like the real game.

Answer the question

A multiplication question from their chosen times table appears in Champion's chat. They type the answer.

Piece drops in

Correct answer → the piece drops into that column. Wrong answer → Champion says "not quite, have another go" and they can try again or tap Show me how.

Every correct answer banks coins

3 coins per correct answer, 15 coins per win. Coins are spent in the reward shop on avatars, themes and accessories — or redeemed for real-world rewards you set up as a parent.

"Show me how" — our most powerful feature

When your child doesn't know an answer, they don't get stuck and they don't get told off. They tap "Show me how" in Champion's chat and Champion walks them through the multiplication step by step — breaking it into smaller, manageable pieces. Try it yourself below.

7 × 8 = ?

Champion

First, let's remember the question we want to answer!

7 × 8 = ?

7 × 8 means 7 groups of 8.

We can split 7 into 5 + 2.

Two ways to play

Your child can play against Champion any time, or challenge a friend or sibling. Both are always available.

Play against Champion

Always ready to play, never impatient, always beatable. Champion talks through every move and shows your child how when they're stuck.

Play with friends

Challenge siblings, schoolmates and friends. Every chat message is visible to parents in the wellbeing report.

How we track progress

Every game is logged. We record correct answers, total questions, time spent, and which specific multiplication facts your child got wrong — all visible in your parent dashboard.

📊

Every game recorded

Each session logs correct answers, total questions, time spent, and hints used.

🎯

Fact-level insight

We track exactly which facts your child gets wrong, so you can see where to focus.

🪙

Coins banked

3 coins per correct answer, 15 per win — spent in the reward shop or redeemed for real-world rewards.

Adaptive engine

How adaptive learning works in Connect Four

The engine does not sit behind a separate dashboard. It runs inside Connect Four, shaping what happens next based on what your child needs.

Connect Four knows your gaps

When a child plays Connect Four, the questions they face are not random. The game pulls from the facts the engine knows they need to rehearse. A child shaky on the 7s will see more 7s questions, not the 3s they already know cold.

The result: Every game session is also a targeted practice session, without the child ever feeling like they are doing revision.

Double Your Points

At the end of every game, children get the chance to double their points by answering the facts they just struggled with one more time. It is the moment their memory is freshest, so it locks in what they just learned.

Why it works: Revisiting a fact within minutes of first encountering it is the single most effective moment to move it into long-term memory.

See the full adaptive engine

The best way for your school to teach times tables

🪜

Not ready yet?

If your child isn't confident with their times tables yet, they might find Connect Four frustrating. We recommend working through our 12 learning levels first — each one builds understanding step by step.

Great for these learning types

Connect Four works particularly well for children with these learning needs.

Explore how we support every learner →

Connect Four — questions answered

Real questions about how Connect Four works, safety, and what happens when your child plays.