Encourage your child to study for her test throughout the days, or even weeks, before the test. Students who cram all their studying in the night before a test remember less information and become mentally fatigued, making them more likely to make mistakes on tests. Set aside a bit of time each night for your child to focus on test material.
Give your child a suitable environment in which to study. He will have an easier time learning in a room that is quiet, well-lit and set to a comfortable temperature. Be sure to give your child ample desk space where he can set out his materials and take notes.
Make sure your child eats a healthy breakfast and gets enough sleep on test days. Eating nutritious foods -- such as fruit, yogurt, low-fat milk, eggs and whole-grain cereals -- will increase your child's energy levels and keep her from getting hungry, which will help her perform at her best. Getting the right amount of sleep will also help her to concentrate and think clearly.
Explain basic test-taking strategies to your child. Tell him to read the directions carefully before beginning. Suggest that he look over the test to see what kinds of questions it has, how many questions there are and how much time he has to answer each. Encourage him to answer questions in order but not to spend too long on any single question. Occasionally he may want to skip a question if he doesn't know how to answer it rather than wasting too much time on a hard question.
Teach your child techniques to combat test anxiety. Show her how to relax with deep breathing: Slowly breathe in through the nose, hold the breath for a few seconds and then slowly breathe out through the mouth. Encourage her to repeat positive statements, such as "I feel confident because I studied hard," to reduce her anxiety. If she starts feeling overwhelmed with negative thoughts, have her silently shout "Stop!" and then repeat one of her affirmations or calm herself down with deep breathing.
Review your child's tests with him. Discussing why he got certain answers wrong can help learn material he didn't understand, see where he is making simple errors, such as misunderstanding a question, and feel more confident taking tests in the future.