Preparing for a test isn’t the most fun of activities and this becomes all the more apparent when you are a child who is preparing for a test. As parents we can only encourage our children to do their very best. We can search for the best maths teacher near me and hire the best. However, when the task at hand is boring or causing them stress, then they are much less likely to focus on what they need to do.
If you know that your child needs to properly knuckle down and try their best for this particular test, then you may want to understand more about how you can encourage them. One of the simplest things that you can do is to try and make their preparation for their test as fun as possible. James Goldsmith at 11plustutorsinessex.co.uk offers us these tips:
Turn it into a game
No child can resist the idea of playing a game and therefore, if you want to make learning and preparation for a test all the easier, then a game is definitely going to be a huge helping hand. The type of game that you and your child plays will really depend on their own interests as well as the subject that you are preparing for. However, the main aim should always be making sure that your child wants to be involved with their own learning rather than avoid it.
Treat them to some nice stationery
Every single child loves having a treat, so why not encourage them to study using some brand new stationery? Not only will they want to use it, but they can also use items such as different coloured pens or planner stickers, in order to help them revise and prep for their test.
Study somewhere different
In the most part, the majority of studying is done inside the home, often in the kitchen or dining room. But who says that this has to be the case? Studying and exam prep is portable, which means that if your child is showing signs of flagging, then perhaps you could take them outside. Not only will they get some fresh air, but it also breaks up the routine that you might otherwise find yourself in.
Do something creative in between
Studying for long periods of time can be hard going for even the most studious of students. Our brains are going to need a break and so do the brains of our children too. Unleashing your creative side is one of the best ways to do this. Not only does it create a break in the studying and test prep, but it also allows them to let their hair down and have a little fun too.
Act it out
The vast majority of children will react much better when they see something rather than just listening or reading. This is possibly the hardest tip on the list, however it is one that is incredibly effective. By acting out the people or situations you are bringing them to life and this when you combine this with a giggle or two, it is definitely something that will help them to relax and hopefully absorb some of the knowledge that they need.
So, whilst it may not be easy to ensure that your children prepare fully for exams, it is possible, you just need to consider some of the things that could make the entire process that little bit easier to manage.
This is a collaborative post.
Comments
These sound like some great ideas, I always (and still do) hate tests. So making it feel easier on a child is such a great idea.
Me too. I feel for all the little children, but they are important too.
Great advice! It’s so hard not to put too much pressure onto our kids so making it into a game or changing up the scenery is always a good idea!
I’m so glad that you are finding them useful 🙂
My son has weekly spelling tests and we try and make them fun and give little incentives to keep it fun. These are some good tips for when he gets a bit older x
Thank you, glad you found it useful!
Great tips, these! I also found the Khan Academy a great online resource to explain things that the kids might be struggling with.
I’ve never heard about that, but will check it out! Thanks for the tip.
Tests throughout school years can be so stressy, and it is really important to support your child and give them reassurance. These are great tips to allow that, and things that any parent or carer can follow.
I thought the same! Very good advice.
I always find that turning something into a game helps, it even helps me to do something I don’t want to do! x
That’s so true! It works for every child.
Little man has weekly maths tests at his school and we have turned into a game to make it fun, He loves it now! 🙂
Weekly maths tests? My nightmare as a child! Well done you!
These are great tips, our kids are still young at the moment but it won’t be long before they start taking their tests, so its great that I have read this.
This fantastic advice! Never thought about acting out to help remember! Going to refer back to this when we start going through tests x
when i was a supply teacher I would turn revision into a game – makes it more interactive and makes the information stick I found!