Olympiad Preparation: 10 Practical Tips for Classes 1–10
Olympiad exams test how well a child understands and applies ideas, not how much they have memorised. These ten habits help at every class level.
The ten tips
- Finish the school syllabus for the subject first; Olympiad questions are built on it.
- Understand why a method works. Olympiad questions change the situation, so memorised steps don’t transfer.
- Practise reasoning every day: series, analogies, patterns, mirror images and grids.
- Draw a quick figure for any geometry or word problem; it often shows the answer.
- Try higher-order questions twice a week, even if only a few get solved.
- Take timed tests to learn pacing: the paper is short and the questions are many.
- Keep an error notebook and revise it every weekend.
- Read every option before choosing; Olympiads often include a “nearly right” option.
- For younger children (Classes 1–3), use read-aloud and short sessions so reading speed doesn’t hide what they know.
- Take a final full mock test 3–4 days before the exam, then revise lightly.
How much time is enough?
For most students, 30–45 minutes a day for 8–12 weeks before the exam is enough, on top of regular schoolwork. Consistency matters more than long weekend sessions.
Try one
A clock shows 3:00. What is the angle between the hour hand and the minute hand?
Show answer
Answer: C. 90°
Each hour mark on a clock is 360 ÷ 12 = 30° apart. At 3:00 the hands are 3 marks apart: 3 × 30 = 90°.
Practise with timed mock tests
Every test shows the correct answers with simple explanations and tracks progress topic by topic.
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