How to Help Your Child Study for a Test
Helping your child study effectively is not about sitting with them for three hours the night before a test. Research on learning and memory points consistently to strategies that work — and some popular habits that don’t.
What the Research Says About Effective Studying
Decades of cognitive science research has identified study strategies that genuinely improve retention and understanding:
- Spaced practice: Studying in shorter sessions spread over several days is significantly more effective than cramming the same total time into one session. This is sometimes called the “spacing effect.”
- Retrieval practice: Trying to recall information (through flashcards, practice tests, or simply writing from memory) strengthens memory far more than re-reading notes or highlighting.
- Interleaving: Mixing different types of problems or topics in a study session (rather than blocking all of one type, then all of another) improves the ability to distinguish when to use which skill.
By Age Group: What Your Involvement Should Look Like
Elementary (K–5)
Young children benefit from parental involvement in study routines. Help create a consistent, distraction-free study time. Use games, flashcards, and verbal quiz sessions. Reading together and discussing what was read builds comprehension skills across all subjects. Keep sessions short (10–20 minutes) and positive. See the Elementary Testing Guide for what skills matter most at each grade.
Middle School (6–8)
Transition toward coaching rather than doing. Help your child organize their study time on a calendar. Teach them to make their own study guides and test themselves using practice problems or flashcards. Stay engaged enough to know when they need support, but avoid doing the work for them.
High School (9–12)
Effective high school test preparation is largely self-directed. Your role is logistical support (a quiet study space, consistent schedule), encouragement, and making sure they have access to resources. For the SAT and ACT specifically, consistent practice with official materials over several months outperforms any last-minute strategy.
What Doesn’t Work Well
- Re-reading notes without active recall
- Highlighting without processing
- Studying in front of the TV or with constant phone notifications
- All-night or last-night cramming sessions
Practical Study Schedule Template
For a test that is one week away:
- Day 1: Review class notes; identify what was covered
- Day 2: Make flashcards or a condensed summary sheet
- Day 3: Practice recall without notes; note gaps
- Day 4: Focus on the gaps; do practice problems
- Day 5: Mixed practice (retrieval + interleaving)
- Night before: Light review only; prioritize sleep