School examinations - an inevitable part of students' lives. As yearly occurrences, these events see our kids and teens burying their heads in books and looking forward to their year-end activities.

We know that examinations play a major role in at least more than a decade of our students' lives, and the Coding Lab Team stands with you in walking this journey hand in hand with them. We've collated some quick tips on how you can support your child’s physical and mental health to help them achieve their best. :)

1. Time Management Skills

Our mighty students showing their strength!

As the examinations draw closer, it is tempting for many students to pull all-nighters in order to get in that extra bit of info. However at this stage, it is more important than ever for children to prioritise their sleep. We all know that it is recommended for them to get around 8 hours of sleep every night to make sure that they have enough energy for the next day [1]. But how do we go about it?

First Step: Teaching them how to organise their tasks with to-do lists and schedules. In picking up this very useful lifelong skill, they are gaining invaluable knowledge on time allocation and divide-and-conquer strategies, resulting in being more productive on a daily basis while still having leftover time to relax.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
– Maimonides

A glimpse of our printable weekly planner

Get started by downloading our Coding Lab A4 printable weekly planners (Yes, it's FREE!) or click here for some beautiful templates we found online.

2. Watch Quick Bites Online

*A hybrid class in action (Online and Physical) - with students revising their work*

Our students do need their rest, but we know that they'd like to squeeze in as much knowledge as they can each day. The solution - fitting in alternative forms of revision during breaks, especially in the midst of long hours of test papers and assessment books.

With the help of technology, learning and revision have never been easier! There are plenty of YouTube channels and websites that provide bite-sized tips online, regardless of the examinations you are studying for. Informative and colourful graphics allow students to recall concepts better as well. Fit one (or two!) videos in with your eyes closed, or during afternoon tea - some of our students' favourites(hear it from the best) include Kurzgesagt and Khan Academy!

For the younger ones aged 4 to 12, Read: Top 10 shows/cartoons to teach children about STEM

Read: Tech Podcasts & TED Talks to get you psyched about tech

3. Trying a New Workout Together!

The benefits of exercise are diverse - from feeling more energetic to being productive at school or work [2]. Exercise helps release endorphins, chemicals in the brain that help alleviate stress accumulated throughout the day. Despite the COVID-19 situation, there are new home-based workouts available for the family by Get Active TV.

These workouts not only serve as a useful break away from the books but also help you bond with your child (or teen) throughout the session! (Bonus tip: You can even fit point 2 into this!)

4. Don't Forget the Essential Eye Breaks

*Our* *Young Computer Scientists* *taking an eye break on the bean bags at our Parkway Parade Campus*

In the midst of all that studying, it is important for our children to remember to relax their eyes and hydrate regularly. This applies to you too! Here are some quick tips to help them, even when you're away at work [3]:

Set reminders or alarms to take a break from near-work activities every 30-40 minutes and look at the trees outside for 5 minutes
An alternative eye break is to simply close your eyes to rest for a while
Sunlight has been shown to prevent or delay myopia, so spend at least 2 hours a day outdoors

We all play an important role in teaching our children to take better care of themselves throughout the year. Sometimes, even the smallest ways that we show our care towards them can mean a lot to them. Given the current pandemic, it is even more important to ensure that your children are well-prepared mentally and physically with the exams [4] around the corner!

The Coding Lab team would like to wish everyone taking their exams all the best! You've got this :)

(Written by Lakshmi Suresh and Cheryl Tang)