X Tables
Times Tables Real Life

Six-Packs Of Drinks 6 times table adventure

A story-led page turning six-packs of drinks into a junior adventure for practising the 6 times table.

Quick answer

When you have six-packs of drinks, you can use them to learn your 6 times table by counting how many drinks are in each pack and how many packs you have.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will know your 6 times table and be able to use it to solve real-life problems with drinks, like how many cans you need for a party or how many drinks you can share equally. Success signs:
  • You can count in 6s from 0 to 72.
  • You can solve simple multiplication problems with 6.
  • You can use 6 times table facts to share drinks fairly.
  • You can see how 6s help in everyday life, like when you buy drinks in packs.

Why this matters

Knowing your 6 times table helps you in many ways. When you go to a party, you might need to know how many drinks to buy if each person wants 6 cans. When you share drinks with friends, you can quickly work out how many each person gets. In games, sports, and even cooking, the number 6 comes up often. Learning 6s helps you think faster and solve problems more easily.

How it works

Think of a six-pack of drinks as a group of 6 things. If you have 1 six-pack, that’s 6 drinks. If you have 2 six-packs, that’s 6 + 6 = 12 drinks. If you have 3 six-packs, that’s 6 + 6 + 6 = 18 drinks. This is the same as 3 × 6 = 18. We can keep going like this to learn all the 6 times table.

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you are at a party and you have six-packs of drinks. Each six-pack has 6 cans. Here are some real-life examples:
  • 1 six-pack = 6 drinks
  • 2 six-packs = 6 + 6 = 12 drinks
  • 3 six-packs = 6 + 6 + 6 = 18 drinks
  • 4 six-packs = 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 24 drinks
  • 5 six-packs = 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 30 drinks
  • 6 six-packs = 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 36 drinks
You can also use a table to show how this works: How many drinks in each number of six-packs?
Six-packs Drinks
0 0
1 6
2 12
3 18
4 24
5 30
6 36
7 42
8 48
9 54
10 60
11 66
12 72

Try it as a mini adventure

Imagine you are planning a fun day with your friends. You have a big box of six-packs of drinks to share. You want to know how many drinks you have in total, and how many each friend can get if you have 6 friends. Adventure steps: 1st time: You count 1 six-pack. How many drinks? 1 × 6 = 6 drinks. 2nd time: You count 2 six-packs. How many drinks? 2 × 6 = 12 drinks. 3rd time: You count 3 six-packs. How many drinks? 3 × 6 = 18 drinks. 4th time: You count 4 six-packs. How many drinks? 4 × 6 = 24 drinks. 5th time: You count 5 six-packs. How many drinks? 5 × 6 = 30 drinks. 6th time: You count 6 six-packs. How many drinks? 6 × 6 = 36 drinks. 7th time: You have 6 friends. You want to share 36 drinks equally. How many drinks each? 36 ÷ 6 = 6 drinks each.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Thinking 6 × 6 = 36, but confusing it with 6 + 6 = 12.
    Why it happens: Mixing up multiplication and addition.
    Fix: Remember that 6 × 6 means 6 groups of 6, which is 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 36.
  • Mistake: Forgetting that 0 × 6 = 0.
    Why it happens: Thinking that 0 means nothing, so there are no drinks.
    Fix: If you have 0 six-packs, you have 0 drinks. 0 × 6 = 0.
  • Mistake: Counting 6s in the wrong order.
    Why it happens: Not knowing the sequence of 6s.
    Fix: Practice counting in 6s: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72.

Parent and carer guide

Parents and carers can help by:
  • Using real six-packs or toy drinks to count and multiply.
  • Playing a game where you count 6s together, like clapping or hopping.
  • Practising the 6 times table while shopping for drinks or snacks.
  • Using the table shown to check answers or help with problems.
  • Encouraging your child to explain how they solved a problem.
Remember: It’s okay to make mistakes. Learning times tables is about practice and patience. Celebrate small wins!

Practice questions

  1. How many drinks are in 4 six-packs?
  2. If you have 6 six-packs, how many drinks is that?
  3. How many drinks are in 10 six-packs?
  4. If you have 54 drinks, how many six-packs is that?
  5. How many drinks are in 12 six-packs?
Answers:
  1. 4 × 6 = 24 drinks
  2. 6 × 6 = 36 drinks
  3. 10 × 6 = 60 drinks
  4. 54 ÷ 6 = 9 six-packs
  5. 12 × 6 = 72 drinks

FAQ

What is the 6 times table?

The 6 times table shows the results of multiplying 6 by numbers from 0 to 12. For example, 6 × 1 = 6, 6 × 2 = 12, and so on.

Why is learning the 6 times table useful?

It helps you quickly work out how many items you have when they come in groups of 6. This is useful for sharing, shopping, and solving problems.

How can I practice the 6 times table?

You can practice by counting in 6s, using real six-packs, playing games, or writing out the table. Try to say the table out loud or write it down several times.

What if I forget a 6 times table fact?

You can count by 6s, use a number line, or think of it as repeated addition. For example, 6 × 4 is the same as 6 + 6 + 6 + 6.

Can I use the 6 times table in games?

Yes! If you play a game where you collect 6 items each round, or if you have 6 friends and want to share 6 points, the 6 times table helps you work it out quickly.