How to Help Your Child Prepare for Exams

Last Updated: November 30, 2022 References

Taking an exam for the first time can be a nerve-racking experience for a young student, but they do not have to feel anxious or upset about the exam. To help your child prepare, you should educate yourself about the test. While you can't take your child's exam for them, you can help them study and provide a supportive environment. Reassure your child about the exam so that they do not become anxious. On the day of the exam, make sure that they are well-rested and well-prepared.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Learning About the Exam

1
Read over the exam procedures.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.} It is good to know what material will be on the exam and how the exam will be structured. Knowing what your child will have to do will help you prepare them. You can consult the testing website, their class notes, or the school for more information regarding the exam. Some questions you may want to answer include:
- When is the exam?
- What is being tested?
- Is it multiple choice? Are there essays? Will the child have to show their work?
- How long is the exam?
- What supplies will they need (pencils, calculators, etc.)?
- Does the test accommodate certain learning differences?
2
Contact their teacher. Your child’s teacher will be able to provide the most up-to-date information regarding the exam. They will also be able to help you identify your child’s weak points so that you can help them study more effectively. Email the teacher to set up a conference. You might ask:
- How has my child been doing on their practice exams in class?
- How can I, as a parent, help my child?
- How long should my child be studying for this exam?
- What happens if my child does not pass?
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3
Find a practice exam.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.} If your child is taking a standardized test, you should be able to easily locate practice exams. These exams are often tests that were given in previous years. They can help your child learn not just what type of questions are on the exam but how the exam is structured and formatted. You can find these exams online on the examination’s website or through your child’s teacher.
- If your child is not taking a standardized test, a practice exam may not be available. Instead, consult their notes and textbooks to see what type of information might be on the exam. You can test them from this material.
- Some teachers provide a review guide before exams. You can use this to help your child study.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Sean Alexander, MS
  Academic Tutor
  Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.}
4
Consider hiring a tutor. If you are concerned about your ability to help your child study, you can hire a tutor. There are many tutors who specialize in different types of exam. You may also ask an older student who has already taken these exams. You can find a tutor by searching a childcare website or by contacting a local tutoring center.^{[4]
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Reading Rockets
Online resource supported by PBS providing research-based strategies for assisting children to become confident readers
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Studying With Your Child

1
Schedule study times. At least two weeks before the exam, you should start scheduling regular periods in the evening to study. You may decide to have your child study for an hour every weekday and give them the weekend off, or they could devote an hour every other day.^{[5]
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- Organize a timetable for the period running up to exams. Mark when your child will study on each day. By encouraging a consistent schedule, they will form a healthy studying habit.
- If you are having difficulty filling an hour with studying, you might organize your sessions by task. For example, you might ask them to finish twenty math problems or write one essay. These tasks may take different lengths of time, but they will still help your child prepare.
2
Find a quiet place to study. Your child will need a quiet place where they can study undisturbed for their examination. There should be no distractions, such as TV, in the room. You should make it clear to other family members, such as younger siblings, that the child is not to be disturbed while they are studying. This will help your child’s concentration as they prepare.
- Good places to study include the child's bedroom or the kitchen.
- While the child is studying, minimize noise in your home. Keep the television volume low, and do not hold loud conversations.
- If you do not have a quiet place for your child to study, you might take them to a public library where they can do their work in peace.
3
Create study aids. It is important for your child to both memorize information and recall it on demand. To improve their memory, you can encourage certain studying practices. Using these aids on a daily basis will help them learn more efficiently than cramming the information from a book.
- Create a sheet of math formulas that they need to know. Have them memorize the formulas. Encourage them to write these formulas down in the margins of the test as soon as they receive it.
- Teach your child to go through reading passages and circle important details, such as the main character, purpose, and tone.
- Flash cards work well for learning vocabulary, science facts, and historical dates.^{[6]
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4
Practice answering questions. Ask your child questions that they might find on the exam. Develop questions based on their notes, flashcards, or textbooks. You can say these out loud or give them a written practice test. Note which problems your child is having the most difficulty with, and focus on those in your next study session.
- If you have a practice exam, give it to them a few days before the examination. Time them for the same length of time that they will be given on the test. If they are given breaks between sessions, give them the same type of break.
5
Take time out for regular breaks. Concentration weakens after a certain amount of time. A short break is a good idea every 30 to 60 minutes. During a ten to fifteen minute rest, your child can stretch, have a snack, or take a walk. These brief breaks can reduce stress, improve memory, and increase concentration.^{[7]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Tackling Test Anxiety

1
Ask your child how they are feeling about the exam. Your child might be nervous, anxious, or scared about the exam. It is important to identify these feelings early so that you can support your child before the exam. Ask them, “How are you feeling about the upcoming exam?”
- If your child answers that they are worried about the exam, do not dismiss their feelings. Instead, ask them more questions, such as “What part of the exam are you most worried about?” or “Is there any particular reason why you’re so worried?”
- Reassure your child that the result does not matter as long as they tried their hardest. You can say, "It is natural to feel worried or anxious. What matters about the test is that you tried your best. If you don't pass, everything will still be ok."
- Your child might express some physical feelings of discomfort, such as nausea, butterflies in the stomach, sweating, or insomnia. During these episodes, support the child until they have calmed down. You might want to give them a break to let them think about something other than their exam.
2
Remind them that this exam does not define their self-worth. Your child may be worried that if they fail this exam they will have to repeat their grade or that they will be considered stupid. You should let your child know that one exam does not define who they are.
- You can say, “While it’s true the exam is important, it’s not the most important thing. No matter how you do on it, you’re still a wonderful, talented person. Remember that it does not define how smart you are or what a good person you are.”
3
Let the child pursue other activities. While you may want to encourage your child to do their best, you should not overwhelm the child. Do not focus exclusively on the exam in the weeks leading up to it. Instead, allow your child plenty of breaks to focus on their friends, hobbies, and other activities. You may only want to focus on the exam during their scheduled study time.
- When you do talk about the exam, be positive. Instead of warning your child about failing or what might happen if they don’t pass, assure them that they can pass. For example, instead of saying, “If you don’t study hard, you’ll fail this test and repeat the grade,” say, “It’s good to study so that you can do your best on the exam. You will feel so much better about taking the exam if you’re prepared.”
4
Teach your child relaxation techniques. Some children develop test anxiety. It is good to show your child how they can handle these periods of panic, especially if they happen in middle of exam. These practices can help calm your child down so that they can focus on the exam itself. You can show them how to:
- Take deep breaths. They may even want to count five deep inhalations and exhalations.
- Squeeze a stress ball. If they are allowed, send the ball into the exam with them.^{[8]
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  Child Mind Institute
  Nonprofit organization providing evidence-based care for children with mental health and learning disorders and their families
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- Smile. Smiling can help relax the body even when you aren’t feeling happy.^{[9]
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  Association for Psychological Science
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- Think positive thoughts. Give them a mantra, such as “You can do this” or “You’re awesome. You will ace this test,” that they can think as they take the test.
- Stretch during breaks.^{[10]
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  HelpGuide
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Supporting Your Child on The Day of the Exam

1
Go to bed early the night before. Your child needs plenty of sleep before they take their exam. Make sure they get to bed on time the night before. They should have at least eight hours of sleep so that they are alert when taking their exam.
2
Give them a good breakfast. A breakfast with complex carbs and proteins will give your child the energy they need to concentrate on their exam. Make sure that they eat their breakfast the morning of the exam. Avoid sugary foods as these can cause the child to crash. Instead, you can feed them:
- Eggs
- Whole grain cereals or oatmeal
- Chia or flaxseed
- Smoked salmon lox^{[11]
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3
Double-check their supplies. Before they go out the door, look through their backpack. Make sure they have all of the necessary supplies for the examination. You may want to look for:
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Calculator
- Ruler
- Comfortable sweater
4
Ensure they arrive on time. Exams typically begin promptly at their scheduled time. Some examinations will not admit late arrivals while others will not let the child make up the missed time. Make sure your child arrives on time to school or the examination center. You may want to aim to arrive fifteen minutes early.

Expert Q&A

Question

What's the best way to prepare for a math exam?

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Sean Alexander is an Academic Tutor specializing in teaching mathematics and physics. Sean is the Owner of Alexander Tutoring, an academic tutoring business that provides personalized studying sessions focused on mathematics and physics. With over 15 years of experience, Sean has worked as a physics and math instructor and tutor for Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and Stanbridge Academy. He holds a BS in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MS in Theoretical Physics from San Francisco State University.

Sean Alexander, MS

Academic Tutor

Expert Answer

If your child's teacher provided a review guide, help them study with that. If not, look in the textbook for problems they can practice with.
Question

How do you study effectively for exams?

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Sean Alexander is an Academic Tutor specializing in teaching mathematics and physics. Sean is the Owner of Alexander Tutoring, an academic tutoring business that provides personalized studying sessions focused on mathematics and physics. With over 15 years of experience, Sean has worked as a physics and math instructor and tutor for Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and Stanbridge Academy. He holds a BS in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MS in Theoretical Physics from San Francisco State University.

Sean Alexander, MS

Academic Tutor

Expert Answer

Ask your teacher for a practice exam or review sheet. You could also look for one online. This will help you decide what to study and test your knowledge.
Question

My child is smart and knows the answers, but he is very slow. How I can prepare him?

Community Answer

Perhaps you could give him some mock exam papers to help gauge how fast he should answer the exam paper.

Warnings

Remember that cheating can land your child in serious trouble. They may fail the exam, be automatically disqualified, or be expelled from school. Do not encourage your child to cheat.

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You can encourage your child to study, but you cannot do the work for them. Supervise their studying session. If they are not able to focus, reconsider your tactics. Perhaps there are more effective ways for them to study.

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