As the school year progresses and classrooms buzz with activity, another familiar season arrives in schools nationwide: testing season.
This time of year brings unique challenges for our youngest learners who may be experiencing assessments for the first time or still developing emotional regulation skills to combat academic pressure.
Understanding Test Anxiety In Young Children
Elementary students experience test anxiety differently than older students. Young children might not verbalize their stress but instead show it through:
- Stomach aches or headaches on test days
- Trouble sleeping the night before
- Increased irritability or emotional outbursts
- Negative self-talk (“I’m not smart” or “I can’t do this”)
- Reluctance to come to school
- Regression to younger behaviors
By recognizing these signs early, educators and support staff can intervene before anxiety escalates. To help students feel prepared and supported, here are some practical tips and tools to ease test-related stress and build confidence.
Looking for an easy way to explain test jitters? Watch this read aloud video The Big Test by Julie Danneberg
Creating a Supportive Environment
Before Testing
- Normalize testing as just one way we learn: Acknowledge students’ stress and anxiety by letting them know it’s normal to feel nervous, while also reminding them that a test does not define their intelligence or worth.
- Teach simple calming techniques: Introduce deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and positive visualization that children can use independently.
- Maintain routines: Keep morning routines, classroom transitions, and lesson structures as consistent as possible to avoid making test days feel dramatically different. Maintain classroom norms and expectations (such as morning greetings, classroom jobs, or check-ins) so students feel a sense of normalcy. Learn more about the benefits of creating rituals and routines here.
- Provide low-stakes practice: While reviewing is helpful, avoid last-minute cram sessions that disrupt the regular learning flow, which can make students feel even more pressured. Use fun, low-pressure review games (like Kahoot! or Jeopardy-style quizzes) to help students engage with material in a way that feels less intimidating.
During Testing Week
- Start with movement: Begin testing days with stretching, light exercise, or dancing to release nervous energy.
- Create comfort zones: Allow comfort items like stress balls or special erasers at desks during tests.
- Offer brain breaks: Schedule short breaks for physical movement between testing sections.
- Use encouraging language: Replace “Don’t worry” with specific encouragement like “I’ve seen how hard you’ve worked on fractions.” Find more positive self-talk examples here.
Reset & Relax: One of the Skill Builders we use in our programs to help with self-regulation is called Reset & Relax. This helpful tool can allow students to pause, find out what is really bothering them and then employ relaxation techniques to help calm their bodies and mind.
After Testing Reflection and Recovery
Once testing concludes, help students process their experience:
- Hold a class reflection: Discuss what strategies helped them feel calm and what they might try next time.
- Celebrate effort: Acknowledge the hard work and persistence shown during testing week.
- Get back to joyful learning: Plan engaging, creative activities for the days following testing to remind students that learning extends beyond assessments.
Final Thoughts
While we can’t eliminate testing from our educational landscape, we can transform how our youngest learners experience assessment seasons. By prioritizing emotional well-being alongside academic preparation, we can help kids develop resilience that extends far beyond test scores. And, the greatest gift we can give students during testing season is the understanding that their worth is never measured by a test score alone.
