Helping Your Child Learn a Lot of Work Before Exams: Tips and Tricks for Parents

As exam time approaches, many parents wonder how to help their children revise a large amount of work without becoming overwhelmed. Whether it’s content-heavy subjects like Natural Sciences or History, or skill-based ones like Maths and English, it’s all about working smarter—not harder.

Here are some tried-and-tested tips to help your child tackle their revision effectively and with confidence.

1. Break it Down into Manageable Chunks

Trying to learn everything at once can feel impossible. Help your child divide their work into small, manageable sections. Use a study timetable to plan what to revise each day. Focus on one topic at a time rather than trying to do everything in one sitting.

2. Make Use of Visuals

Children often remember things better when they can see the information. Encourage them to use:

  • Mind maps
  • Diagrams
  • Colour-coded notes
  • Flashcards

These tools not only make studying more fun, but also help learners make connections between ideas and recall them more easily in exams.

3. Repetition is Key

Revisiting information multiple times helps move it from short-term to long-term memory. Encourage regular review of previously studied topics instead of cramming the night before.

4. Talk It Out

Some children learn best by talking things through. Encourage your child to explain what they’ve learned to you, a sibling, or even a pet! If they can teach it clearly, they probably understand it well.

 5. Keep it Active

Sitting still for hours can make anyone lose focus. Try these methods to keep your child actively engaged in their learning:

  • Use post-its on the wall
  • Match definitions to terms
  • Create songs, rhymes or silly acronyms to help remember facts
  • Try a “brain break” game every 20–30 minutes

6. Balance Work and Rest

More work doesn’t always mean better results. A tired or stressed child won’t retain information easily. Make sure your child gets:

  • Enough sleep
  • Regular snacks and meals
  • Time for fun and physical activity
  • Quiet time to relax

A well-rested brain is a ready-to-learn brain.

7. Use Reliable Resources

Having access to quality, age-appropriate resources can make all the difference. Twinkl offers everything you need for exam revision in one place:

  • “How to” pages that simplify tricky topics
  • Study notes to reinforce classwork
  • Twinkl Exam papers to practise answering exam-style questions

These resources help your child feel prepared, organised, and supported as they work through large sections of content. You can find all Twinkl’s practice assessments, tests and exams here: https://www.twinkl.co.za/l/p0upw

You don’t have to be a teacher to help your child succeed—you just need to be present, patient, and encouraging. Praise the effort, guide the process, and remind them that it’s okay to take breaks and ask for help. With good preparation and your support, they’ll go into their exams feeling confident and capable.

Twinkl

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