Helping Kids with Test Anxiety

Feeling nervous or stressed before a test is normal and it's actually helpful for our success. Pre-test stress is what motivates us to focus and prepare for the test, helping kids excel.

However, for some kids, the stress can be so much that it keeps them from being able to prepare for or perform on the test. Those kids may have test anxiety. Test anxiety can negatively impact the score and grades, causing additional stress and challenges.

Signs of Test Anxiety:

• Physical symptoms: Stomachache, nausea, headaches, heart beating fast, feeling shaky or sweaty
• Trouble focusing or remembering what was studied
• Overthinking or anxious thoughts
• Avoiding taking the test or struggling/procrastinating to study

Test anxiety can happen to anyone, but some kids may be at a higher risk such as those with learning challenges, mental health conditions (such as ADHD and anxiety), and those who have high expectations or struggle with trying to be perfect.

Tools to Help Kids Manage Test Anxiety

Given that tests and assessments are frequently used in schools and other key life skills (e.g., driving), it’s important to teach ALL kids how to deal with test stress. Giving them tools to deal with it can help them establish habits that help build their confidence and allow them to perform their best.

Read through the following tools and discuss which ones they think could help and would like to try:

Before the Test:

Use the handy acronym TEST to help you remember the steps!

• Talk: Talk to kids about their feelings, what they are worried about, or what happened before or during a test that made taking the test hard.
  1. During these conversations, be empathetic and validate that feeling nervous before a test is typical.
  2. Ask open-ended questions to help them process. For example, “How are you feeling about your upcoming test?” “What helps you when you take tests?” or “What things make it hard when you are preparing for a test?”
  3. Provide encouragement along the way. Make sure to highlight the things they are doing well and their efforts. It’s important that kids understand that their hard work and effort are valued and matter, not just the grade they get! Be sure not to add pressure.
• Establish Plans. Help them create a study plan that includes:
  1. How long and when to study
  2. What methods work best (flashcards, reviewing notes, practice tests, being quizzed by someone)
  3. Breaks, sleep and meals

• Strategize. Prepare them to take the test. Talk about the format of the test: Will it be multiple choice? Essays? Fill in the blank? Remind them to read the directions for each question, and, if they have time, look over and review the test before turning it in.

Your child should make a “What if” plan. Help them think about what makes them nervous and discuss possible solutions. For example: “What if I freeze?,” “What if I struggle to focus?” or “What if I don’t know the answer?”

1. Share relaxation and grounding exercises, such as taking a moment to close your eyes and taking deep breaths. Practice how to use these skills at home so they are automatic come test day.
2. Talk about test taking best practices, such as if you don’t know the answer, skip the question and come back to it later. You can also narrow down multiple-choice answers and pick one.

• Thought Challenge: It is common for kids to have negative thoughts when stressed and worried. Teach and practice replacing their negative thoughts with more helpful and encouraging thoughts. This is especially helpful if the child is worried and is thinking the worst will happen.

For example, if the child says, “I’m so dumb, I’m never going to get this,” discuss how that statement is not true. Have them give their own examples. Then, have them come up with an encouraging statement when they have a thought like that. For example, “This might be hard for me now, but I’m doing my best and that is what counts,” or “I have felt nervous before a test before and performed well, or “I know I’m not dumb.”

On Test Day:

Use the download to create the plan and review it before the test.

• Review the plan you made for taking the test.
• Remind them of the strategies to use.
• Encourage them to do their best.
• Make sure they eat and stay hydrated!

Supporting kids through test anxiety isn’t just about better scores; it’s about building confidence and resilience. With the right tools and support, every child can learn to manage stress and succeed.