The Prep Guide
Parenting a maths Olympiad kid is hard. We take the guesswork out.
Deep dives, quick tips and honest comparisons for Class 2–5 parents. Written by IIT & ISB alumni, based on real data from past olympiads.
vs UIMO vs ITO vs CREST
Which Maths Olympiad Should My Child Take? A Decision Guide For Parents
Five exams, and they are not interchangeable. An honest look at how SOF, SilverZone, UIMO, ITO and CREST differ on difficulty, format, fees and rewards, so you can pick the right Olympiad for your child.
Start here
Olympiad Exams And School Exams: What Each Score Is Telling You
Two results come home the same month: a school test out of a hundred, and an Olympiad rank among a few lakh children. They look comparable and are not. Here is what each one measures, where each is strong and weak, and how to read them together without over-weighing either.
Why Self-Paced Learning Matters In A Country Full Of Tutors
In India the answer to every wobble in maths is another tutor. For building real mathematical thinking, more tutoring often does the opposite of what parents hope. Here is why self-paced learning does the job tutoring skips, and how to start this week.
Understanding Comes First: The Idea Behind Quanta Kids
Good Olympiad prep starts with real understanding, not drilling. That conviction shaped every screen of Quanta Kids. Here is the thinking behind it.
Deep dives
13Are Maths Olympiads Worth It For Young Kids? The Honest Case For And Against
Your child's school is pushing the Olympiad form and a relative calls it a racket. Both have a point. Here is the honest case for and against Maths Olympiads for young children, so you can decide for your own child rather than for the brochure.
Why Indian Maths Textbooks Do Not Build Deep Thinking
Your child tops maths in school and then freezes on an unfamiliar problem. The textbook is not the villain, but it was never built to grow the top layer of thinking. Here is what it leaves out, and what a richer diet looks like.
SOF IMO Class 3: What To Expect In The Paper
A look at what really turns up on the SOF IMO Class 3 Level 1 paper: where the marks live, the five problem types that repeat every year, and where to focus first.
SOF IMO Class 4: What To Expect In The Paper
We looked at every question across 10 SOF IMO Class 4 Level 1 papers. Here's where the marks live, and the five patterns that show up in almost every paper.
Unified UIMO: What To Expect In The Paper
UIMO stays closest to the school textbook, which makes it a gentle first Olympiad. But its Class 5 paper hides a trap that catches families off guard.
CREST CMO: What To Expect In The Paper
CREST is the one Olympiad your child takes from home. A flexible window, a fast digital report, and no school needed. Here is how the paper works.
How-to & Quick Tips
12How To Choose The Right Olympiad Study Material
The word Olympiad is on more workbooks and apps than ever, and most are the same thing in a new cover: a pile of questions with an answer key at the back. For a young child, the wrong pick can cost more than money. Here is how to tell material that builds real thinking from material that only keeps them busy, and a ten-minute way to test any of it before you pay.
Cryptarithms, Made Simple
The letter-for-digit puzzle looks impossible and is really a logic ladder. Here is the one habit that cracks almost every one.
Five Mental-Maths Tricks For Time Questions
Time questions turn up in every paper, and children lose marks on them while knowing the maths. Five small habits stop the leak.
Teaching Fractions With Cake, Coins And Dinner Plates
Fractions on paper are abstract. Fractions on the dinner table are obvious. Three household objects do the teaching for you.
A Class 4 Parent's Guide To Starting Olympiad Prep
Olympiads can feel intimidating. A calm roadmap for the first month that builds real confidence, not answer-memorisation.
Five Mistakes Class 4 Students Make In Every Mock Test
The slips that repeat across mock tests, and how to fix each one in a week.
- 01Which Maths Olympiad Should My Child Take? A Decision Guide For ParentsComparison10 min read
- 02Why Indian Maths Textbooks Do Not Build Deep ThinkingDeep dive7 min read
- 03SilverZone iOM Class 5: What To Expect In The PaperDeep dive8 min read
- 04SOF IMO vs SilverZone iOM: which is harder for Class 4?Comparison8 min read
- 05Understanding Comes First: The Idea Behind Quanta KidsDeep dive7 min read
Understanding first. Confidence next.
We teach every topic until it makes sense, then build the practice around it. All free to start.