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A little nervous energy can sometimes sharpen focus and improve performance. But what happens when that nervousness turns into full-blown anxiety—especially during high-stakes tests like state exams or the SATs? This time of year is often filled with pressure, and the weight placed on these “life-changing” tests can feel overwhelming for both students and parents.
Here’s how you can help your child navigate this stressful season with confidence.
Understanding Test Anxiety in Children
In the U.S., estimates suggest that between 25% and 40% of students experience test anxiety, with those facing standardized assessments often feeling it most acutely. This anxiety often stems from pressure to perform, fear of disappointing others, or time constraints.
Test anxiety in children manifests through physical and psychological symptoms, affecting their academic performance and self-esteem. Common signs include:
- Elevated heartbeat
- Sweaty palms
- Stomach discomfort
Cognitively, children may struggle to recall studied material or comprehend questions.
Educators might notice children appearing jittery or unusually quiet during exams. These outward symptoms can mask deeper worries about failing or meeting expectations.
Addressing test anxiety involves teaching healthy coping mechanisms. Time management skills, such as breaking down study material into manageable chunks, can help children feel more in control. Positive reinforcement, focusing on effort rather than results, can shift the emphasis from stress over outcomes to pride in learning.
Mindfulness and relaxation techniques provide practical ways for children to manage anxiety. Activities like deep breathing or simple stretching exercises can help keep nerves in check before and during tests.
Open communication between parents, educators, and children is crucial. Discussing potential accommodations, such as additional time or stress-relief tools, can help tailor the test-taking environment to each child’s needs.
Strategies to Help Children Manage Test Anxiety
Parents, let’s cut to the chase– you want to do everything you can to help your child beat test anxiety. To assist children in managing test anxiety, a multifaceted approach combining study techniques, coping strategies, and realistic expectations is beneficial.
Space Studies Out Over Time
“Don’t cram!” is advice students hear all the time—but it’s rarely explained why that matters.
Think of it like this: have you ever tried to learn a new instrument? If you picked it up for the first time, practiced for hours in one night, and expected to perform perfectly the next morning, you’d probably be pretty disappointed.
Why does this happen?
When you study, your brain builds connections between your neurons (your brain’s messenger cells). But those connections need time to grow stronger. That happens best when you sleep! If you try to push everything into your brain all at once, it doesn’t have time to build those strong connections, making it harder to remember what you studied.
By studying in shorter chunks over several days, you’re helping your brain rewire itself. That makes the information easier to recall later—especially when you’re sitting down for a test.
By studying in smaller chunks over time, your brain gets a chance to process and store information more effectively. It’s one of the best ways to beat test anxiety and feel truly prepared.
Rewrite Notes
A common method educators advise is taking handwritten notes. However, in the age of technology, this method is most of the time considered inconvenient by students when they have their faster, brighter, laptops sitting next to them. That’s where rewriting notes comes in.
Encourage your student to review and rewrite their notes the same day they take them. Most students write notes to never look at them again, or just as bad, they look at them weeks later.
Rewriting notes helps the brain process and organize the information more deeply. Add in little tricks—like using colors, symbols, doodles, or memory cues—to make the material more personal and easier to remember. Rewriting is rethinking!
Recognize Perfectionism as an Unreachable Goal
Help your child understand that nobody is perfect, and trying to be can create unnecessary pressure.
When kids set goals that are too high right away, it’s easy to feel disappointed if they don’t hit them. That disappointment can lead to stress, self-doubt, and even giving up altogether.
Instead, set realistic and reachable goals. Celebrating small wins along the way. Doing so builds confidence and maintains motivation.
Structured Study Habits
- Break study material into small, manageable sections
- Establish a consistent routine
- Avoid last-minute cramming
- Familiarize children with test formats using practice tests and quizzes
Test-Taking Strategies
- Read instructions carefully
- Prioritize easier questions
- Use simple coping strategies like deep breathing
- Briefly close eyes to regain focus if overwhelmed
Setting realistic expectations is important. Emphasize effort and learning rather than solely focusing on scores. Celebrate small achievements to foster a growth mindset.
Introduce mindfulness practices such as guided imagery or breathing exercises as daily routines. These techniques can help children remain calm and focused during stressful situations.
Parental support is crucial. Encourage open communication about emotions and model calm behavior. Parents and educators should consider possible accommodations if necessary, such as extended time during tests or access to stress-management tools.
Parental and Educational Support
Effective management of test anxiety relies on open communication between parents, teachers, and children. Parents and educators should work together to create a supportive environment that balances structure with flexibility.
Parents can create a home environment that encourages consistent study habits while accommodating individual needs. It’s important to reassure children that parental love and pride are not contingent on academic performance.
Maintaining dialogue with teachers provides valuable insights into a child’s classroom behavior and performance. Collaboration between home and school can lead to tailored strategies for each student.
In educational settings, accommodations can help level the playing field for children with test anxiety. These may include:
- Additional time
- Quiet testing areas
- Allowing stress-management tools
Managing expectations is crucial. Encourage a mindset that values effort and learning over performance alone. This approach helps children view tests as opportunities for growth rather than intimidating obstacles.
Parents and teachers can promote resilience by modeling coping strategies and discussing past academic challenges. This approach normalizes the experience of test anxiety and prepares students to face future stressors with greater confidence.
Helping children manage test anxiety involves creating a supportive environment and equipping them with practical strategies. This approach can empower them to face academic challenges with confidence and resilience.
Why Choose Kids On The Yard for Tutoring?
At Kids on the Yard, we help students master math skills at their own pace and fill in any learning gaps to get back on track and build confidence and self-esteem. These efforts translate to more significant success in the classroom, during homework time, and in life. 🙂
What causes test anxiety in children?
Test anxiety often stems from fear of failure, pressure to perform, time constraints, or perfectionism. It can be triggered by high-stakes exams like state tests or the SATs.
What are common symptoms of test anxiety in kids?
Children may experience physical symptoms like a racing heartbeat, sweaty palms, stomach aches, or feeling shaky. Mentally, they may blank out, forget studied material, or feel overwhelmed.
How can I tell if my child is struggling with test anxiety?
Look for signs like avoiding studying, frequent complaints of not feeling well on test days, irritability, or becoming unusually quiet before exams. Teachers may notice the child appearing nervous or disengaged in class.
Does cramming help or hurt?
Cramming may help short-term memorization, but it weakens long-term retention. Spaced-out study sessions give the brain time to build strong memory connections and reduce anxiety.
Why is rewriting notes an effective study tool?
Rewriting notes helps reinforce learning by encouraging kids to process information in their own words. Adding color, symbols, or doodles can also improve memory and understanding.
How can I help my perfectionist child during test season?
Encourage your child to aim for progress, not perfection. Help them set realistic goals, celebrate small victories, and remind them that mistakes are part of learning.
What study habits help reduce test stress?
Create a consistent routine, break material into smaller sections, avoid cramming, and use practice tests to build familiarity and confidence.
Are there relaxation techniques kids can use during a test?
Yes! Simple strategies like deep breathing, closing their eyes briefly, stretching, or using positive self-talk can help children regain focus during stressful moments.
Should I talk to my child’s teacher about their test anxiety?
Absolutely. Teachers can offer insights, suggest classroom accommodations (like extra time or a quiet testing area), and work with you to support your child’s needs.
How does Kids On The Yard support students with test anxiety?
Kids On The Yard tutors meet students where they are. We build strong foundational skills, fill in learning gaps, and boost self-esteem through personalized instruction—creating confident learners who are ready to tackle tests and challenges head-on.
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- OECD. PISA 2015 Results (Volume III): Students’ Well-Being. Paris: OECD Publishing; 2017.
- Zeidner M. Test Anxiety: The State of the Art. New York: Plenum Press; 1998.
- Von der Embse N, Jester D, Roy D, Post J. Test anxiety effects, predictors, and correlates: A 30-year meta-analytic review. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018;227:483-493.
