Test anxiety can affect sleep, mood, and academic performance, but parents can play a powerful role in helping their children manage stress in healthy ways. In this blog, you’ll learn what test anxiety is, how to spot the signs, and practical ways to support your child before, during, and after testing.

What is test anxiety?

While mild nerves can help kids stay alert and focused, test anxiety can make it difficult for a child to think clearly or demonstrate what they know. They may worry excessively about making mistakes, disappointing others, or failing. It can stem from pressure to perform well, perfectionism, fear of failure, or even a past negative testing experience. 

It’s also more common than many parents realize. Test anxiety can affect students of all ages and academic levels. High achievers, struggling learners, and everyone in between can experience it.

How to spot testing anxiety in your child

Recognizing the signs of test anxiety early can help you step in with support before exam day.

Physical signs

• Frequent stomachaches or headaches before test days
• Trouble sleeping or nightmares
• Fatigue or low energy during testing week

Emotional signs

• Excessive worry about upcoming tests
• Irritability or mood swings
• Crying or frustration

Behavioral signs

• Avoiding homework or test prep
• Procrastinating more than usual
• Acting out or resisting going to school

Tips on how to help your child

Supporting your kids during testing season doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Small, steady actions can make a big difference.

Before the test

Encourage them to write about their worries.

Writing down fears can help clear mental space and reduce anxious thoughts. You might ask:

• How am I feeling about the test?
• What am I most excited about?
• What concerns me the most?

Get the body moving

Light movement helps reduce stress and release tension.

• Practice simple breathing techniques
• Stretch or do gentle movement
• Go for a walk or bike ride

Create a calm routine

Consistency helps kids feel secure. Keep homework time, mealtime, and bedtime steady in the weeks leading up to testing.

Prioritize sleep and nutrition.

Well-rested children manage stress better and think more clearly.

Practice positive self-talk

Help your child reframe thoughts like “I’m going to fail” into “I will try my best and use what I know.”

During test week

• Keep mornings low stress. Avoid last-minute cramming and focus on getting ready calmly and leaving on time.
• Offer simple encouragement such as, “I’m proud of how hard you’ve worked,” or “Take your time and do your best.”
• Try to avoid major schedule changes during the week so home continues to feel predictable and steady.

After the test

• Celebrate effort, not just results. Ask questions like, “What part felt easiest?” or “What strategies helped you?”
• Instead of immediately asking, “How did you do?” try, “How are you feeling now that it’s over?” This keeps the focus on emotional well-being rather than performance.

Confidence starts at home

Test anxiety in kids is real, but it is manageable with the right support. During state testing season, your child needs you the most as a steady, reassuring presence. By focusing on healthy routines, realistic expectations, and emotional encouragement, you can help your child build confidence and resilience that extends far beyond a single test.

Looking for ways to help your child relax and reset? Explore printable worksheets and offline games in the Education.com Learning Library to support focus and confidence all year long.

Katelan Frye

Middle School Social Studies and ELA

End-of-the-year tip #1: Don’t ditch the routine just yet

Katelan’s tried and true end-of-year strategy? Keeping things consistent.

Routine is key! Maintaining a predictable classroom routine helps students transition smoothly between end-of-year activities. It also mitigates test anxiety; since class time is a known entity, the lack of unpleasant surprises leads to much calmer students!

End-of-the-year tip #2: Incorporate student choice

Her next piece of advice is all about putting the power of choice in students’ hands.

The end-of-the-year is a great time to incorporate student choice into class activities. Project-based learning was always my favorite way to continue meaningful learning up until the last day of school. Creative and research-based projects encourage students to apply the skills they’ve learned throughout the year to topics they are naturally curious about.

Katelan’s favorite Education.com end-of-the-year resource

For an end-of-the-year activity, I recommend the “Research a Historical Figure” graphic organizer. It’s a manageable task with meaningful content, especially if you give students the freedom to choose whom they research. The research can take a day or two, depending on the required depth. Then, it’s easy to extend into a public-speaking activity by having students share their findings with a small group or the whole class.

Hallie Rockwell

Middle School ELA

End-of-the-year tip: Get moving

Hallie knows that keeping middle schoolers engaged sometimes means getting them out of their seats.

Middle schoolers need to get the wiggles out, too! Find ways to incorporate movement and student interaction into the classroom through jigsaws, gallery walks, or outdoor activities. My students loved the opportunity to do independent reading outside.

Hallie’s favorite Education.com end-of-the-year resource

The “Playlist of My Year” worksheet is a meaningful way to incorporate student reflection and low-stakes writing practice. Print it off and use it in the last week of school, and make good use of the inevitable one-off shortened class period.

Lacey Hollowell

3rd and 4th grade

End-of-the-year tip #1: Inject fun into stressful activities

Lacey’s tip is a great reminder that even required activities can be transformed into something students actually look forward to.

The end of the year can be stressful for everyone, especially for elementary schoolers going through their first year of standardized test prep. Find ways to inject fun and humor into required activities. One year, I made a test-prep unit for my third graders with a playful luchador theme to help them practice test-taking strategies in a silly and engaging way.

End-of-the-year tip #2: Lean into what you love

Beyond keeping things fun, Lacey believes the end of the year is the perfect time to revisit the moments and activities that remind you why you love teaching.

Do more of what sparks joy for you and your students! That might mean taking a math lesson outside to enjoy nicer weather, squeezing in an engaging STEM activity, or creating a good-natured competition between classes. Read-aloud time was always magical with my kids, so I made sure we had a great novel to finish out the year.

Lacey’s favorite Education.com end-of-the-year resource

I love Edcom’s novel and book studies because they’re a great way to create shared reading experiences with the whole class, allowing scaffolded practice of reading comprehension and analysis skills with authentic, engaging texts.

A big thank you to Katelan, Hallie, and Lacey for sharing their wisdom and favorite resources with us! We hope their tips help you and your students finish the school year feeling accomplished, energized, and ready for whatever comes next.

Looking for more resources? Check out our entire Learning Library of over 40,000 worksheets, hands-on activities, games, and more!

Writing prompts for K-3rd grade

A Special Memory

Help your child put their gratitude into words with this apple-shaped writing worksheet, where they will think back on a special memory with their teacher while practicing key foundational skills like spelling, sentence writing, and expressing their thoughts.

Learning Something New

This creative writing printable gives learners a unique way to honor their teacher by reflecting on a moment when they learned something new, describing it inside a colorful paint palette shape that doubles as a one-of-a-kind Teacher Appreciation Week keepsake.

A Meaningful Activity

From science experiments to art projects, every class has that one unforgettable activity. This book-shaped writing worksheet gives kids the chance to describe their favorite classroom memory in their own words.

Writing prompts for 4th-8th grade

Describing My Teacher

Celebrate your child’s teacher with this cut-out writing worksheet, where they’ll dig deeper than just “nice” or “funny” and put into words exactly what makes their teacher so special.

My Stand-Out Teacher

Every great teacher leaves a lasting impression. This activity gives students the space to identify and describe exactly what that looks like, using real classroom examples to back up their thinking.

Making an Impact

The best teachers don’t just teach subjects, they shape who their students become. This writing resource gives kids the space to reflect on exactly how their teacher has helped them grow academically and as a person.

New Ways of Thinking

This thoughtful writing worksheet asks learners to revisit an assignment that sparked a new way of thinking, giving them a meaningful opportunity to express gratitude while sharpening their reflection and narrative writing skills.

Printable gift tags to personalize any gift

Sometimes the sweetest gifts come with the perfect finishing touch. These six printable gift tags feature cute illustrations and heartfelt thank-you messages that kids can mix and match with any gift they choose, from a cozy latte to a classroom essential. Simply cut them out, thread a bit of ribbon or string through the hole at the top, and let your child’s teacher know just how appreciated they are.

• Thank You a Latte
• Thank You for Bee-ing a Wonderful Teacher
• You’re a Teacher for the Books
• Out of This World Teacher
• #1 Teacher
• For a Wonderful Teacher

Looking for more resources? Check out our entire Learning Library of over 40,000 worksheets, hands-on activities, games, and more!