Let's address the elephant in the room: timed tests have a reputation problem. Many adults still remember the anxiety of racing against the clock in math class. So it's natural to wonder: will timed drills stress out my child?
The honest answer: it depends entirely on how you use them.
Used poorly, timed drills can create anxiety and negative associations with math. Used well, they build confidence, demonstrate progress, and help kids develop automatic recall that serves them for life.
Here's how to get it right.
The Mindset Shift: Practice vs. Test
The first key is framing. When timed drills feel like a test, stress follows. When they feel like practice, a tool for improvement, the experience changes completely.
Athletes time their sprints. Musicians practice with metronomes. Timing isn't about judgment; it's about measurement and improvement. Help your child see it this way.
Do Say
- "Let's see how many you can do today"
- "You're competing against yourself, not anyone else"
- "Let's beat yesterday's score"
Don't Say
- "You need to get 100% or else..."
- "Your sister finished faster"
- "This should be easy"
Start Without the Timer
If your child is still learning their facts, don't time them yet. Timing practice before knowledge is solid just creates frustration.
First, make sure they can answer the problems correctly (even if slowly). Use flashcards, games, or untimed worksheets. Once accuracy is consistent, then add timing to build speed.
Rule of thumb: If your child is getting less than 80% correct, focus on learning the facts first. Save timing for when accuracy is solid.
Make It a Personal Challenge
The magic happens when kids compete against themselves, not others. Track their scores over time and celebrate improvement:
- "Last week you got 67 correct. Today you got 74! That's 7 more!"
- "You finished 30 seconds faster than Monday!"
- "Look at your progress chart. You've improved every week!"
Our workbooks include progress tracking pages specifically for this purpose. Seeing their own improvement graphed out is incredibly motivating for kids.
Keep It Short
Five minutes is plenty. Really. Longer sessions lead to fatigue, frustration, and diminishing returns. A focused 5-minute session beats a dragging 20-minute one every time.
If your child finishes before time is up, that's great! If they don't finish all 100 problems, that's fine too. Count how many they completed correctly and track that number.
Respond to Stress Signals
Watch for signs that timed practice is causing anxiety:
- Tears or meltdowns before or during practice
- Physical complaints (stomachache, headache) when it's time to practice
- Refusing to try or shutting down
- Excessive negative self-talk
If you see these signs, take a step back. Remove the timer for a while. Focus on building confidence with untimed practice. You can always reintroduce timing later when they're ready.
Celebrate Effort, Not Just Results
Praise the work, not just the score:
- "I noticed you didn't give up on the hard ones."
- "You stayed focused the whole time. That's not easy!"
- "I can see you're really trying. That's what matters most."
When kids feel safe to make mistakes and valued for their effort, timed practice becomes a positive experience.
The Bottom Line
Timed drills are a tool. Like any tool, their value depends on how they're used. With the right approach (focus on personal progress, appropriate difficulty level, short sessions, and emphasis on effort) timed practice builds both math skills and confidence.
The goal isn't to create stress. It's to create automaticity: the ability to recall math facts instantly, freeing up mental energy for more complex problem-solving. When done right, that's exactly what timed practice delivers.
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