Discover the Magic of Multiplication with Mr. Times and the Gnomes!
In a faraway kingdom, nestled between rolling hills and shimmering lakes, stood a grand palace. Inside the palace were two enormous rooms—the treasure room and the storeroom. Both were overflowing with riches and supplies: bags of glittering jewels, mountains of gold coins, and piles of food and vegetables.
The King, who ruled this vast kingdom, scratched his head in confusion one day.
“I have no idea how much I own,” he said, pacing back and forth. “How will I know if I have enough for the winter or enough to share with my people?”
The little gnomes—faithful helpers of the King—tried to organize the mess. They carried bags, stacked boxes, and grouped items. But soon, they were overwhelmed. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t keep track of everything.
“Your Majesty,” said one exhausted gnome, “we need help! There’s just too much to count!”
The King thought for a moment and called for his old friend, Mr. Times, a wise and cheerful wizard who always found clever ways to solve problems.
Enter Mr. Times
With a swirl of sparkles, Mr. Times appeared in the treasure room.
He has a warm, friendly face with sparkling eyes that show his excitement for teaching. Wearing a bright yellow tunic with a bold red “X” on it
“Fear not, Your Majesty,” said Mr. Times with a grin. “I’ll teach the gnomes a simple way to bring order to this chaos.”
Turning to the gnomes, Mr. Times said,
“I am Mr. Times.
I make everything more.
I group things together
To make counting a chore no more!”
The gnomes clapped their hands in delight. “Please show us how!”
Learning to Group
Mr. Times pointed to a pile of shiny red apples in the storeroom.
“First, we’ll group these apples into boxes. Let’s count how many apples fit into one box.”
The gnomes carefully placed 4 apples into each box. Then they counted how many boxes they had—5 boxes.
“Now,” said Mr. Times, “let’s find the total number of apples. We can do this by adding the apples in each box:
4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 20.”
The gnomes nodded, but one scratched his head. “That’s a lot of adding. Isn’t there a faster way?”
“Yes!” exclaimed Mr. Times. “That’s where multiplication comes in. Instead of adding repeatedly, we multiply:
Number of groups x Items in each group = Total items.
So, 4 x 5 = 20!”
Real-Life Practice
The gnomes were thrilled. They practiced grouping and multiplying with everything in the storeroom and treasure room—grains, jewels, coins, and even vegetables.
One little gnome, however, wanted to test his new skills outside the palace.
The Gnome’s Journey
As he walked through the kingdom, the gnome found real-world opportunities to multiply:
1. Cows in the Field
He saw 5 cows grazing. Each cow had 4 legs.
“How many legs do the cows have altogether?” he wondered.
He quickly calculated:
5 x 4 = 20 legs.
2. Birds on a Wire
Further along, he spotted 6 birds perched on a wire.
“How many wings do 6 birds have?”
He thought, “Each bird has 2 wings. So, 6 x 2 = 12 wings.”
3. Doughnuts on Plates
When he reached home, his mother had placed 3 doughnuts on each plate for him and his 3 siblings.
“How many doughnuts are there in total?”
He calculated: 4 plates x 3 doughnuts = 12 doughnuts.
Rows and Columns: A New Challenge
The next day, back at the palace, Mr. Times taught the gnomes about rows and columns.
“Rows are horizontal, like a person rowing a boat. Columns are vertical, like standing poles. Let’s use them to organize jewels!”
The gnomes arranged 4 rows of 3 diamonds each.
“Now count the total number of diamonds,” said Mr. Times.
They multiplied: 4 rows x 3 diamonds = 12 diamonds.
A Happy Ending
By the end of his journey, the little gnome had mastered multiplication. He could group, add, and multiply with confidence. Back at the palace, he proudly showed the King the organized storeroom and treasure room.
The King was delighted. “Thank you, Mr. Times, for helping my gnomes and teaching us this powerful skill!”
And so, the gnomes, with the help of Mr. Times, brought order to the kingdom and learned a skill they’d use for a lifetime.
This story-based approach makes learning multiplication a magical adventure. With relatable examples and fun challenges, kids won’t just memorize math—they’ll understand it!
Want Even More Practice?
Here’s where the magic continues: I’ve created an interactive Google Slides game that pairs perfectly with this story. Your students will practice grouping, multiplying, and exploring rows and columns—all in a fun, engaging way!
While the story is free to use (because learning should always be magical!), the Google Slides game and additional practice worksheets are available in my store. It’s perfect for reinforcing these lessons in class or at home.
Let’s Multiply the Fun!
Feel free to use this story in your lessons and share it with your kids. If you’re ready to take their learning to the next level, grab the interactive game to make multiplication unforgettable.
Have questions or feedback? I’d love to hear from you! Together, let’s make math a magical adventure. 😊
Ready to explore the magical world of multiplication? Click below to check out the interactive game and start your adventure!
