--- type: "Article" title: "How to support wellbeing during 11+ prep" description: "Support your child's wellbeing during 11+ prep with enough sleep, regular exercise, downtime and balance. These boost focus and protect performance." resource: https://pip11plus.com/how-to-support-wellbeing-during-11-plus-prep tags: ["11+", "pip"] timestamp: 2026-10-13T19:50:09Z image: https://pip11plus.com/info-hub-cards/wellbeing-calm-pip.jpg --- 💛 Wellbeing # How to support wellbeing during 11+ prep ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) **By the Pip team** Updated June 2026 The best 11+ preparation looks after the whole child, not just the worksheets. Protecting sleep, exercise, downtime and balance is not a distraction from getting ready; it is part of it. Most 10 and 11-year-olds need 9 to 11 hours of sleep, regular activity clears the mind and relieves stress, and a balanced week keeps burnout at bay. A rested, happy child learns faster and performs better than a tired, overloaded one, every single time. **TL;DR** - Wellbeing is part of preparation, not a break from it. - Most 10 to 11-year-olds need 9 to 11 hours of sleep. - Regular exercise boosts energy, clears the mind and relieves stress. - A balanced week with rest and play prevents burnout and lifts performance. ## Why wellbeing supports performance It is easy to see rest and play as time taken away from practice. In reality they are what make practice work, because a fresh mind absorbs and recalls far more than a frazzled one. So wellbeing and results are not in tension. Looking after your child's sleep, mood and energy is one of the most effective ways to help them do well, not a soft alternative to it. _Rest isn't time off, it's part of prep. A rested child learns faster and remembers more than a tired, overloaded one. Sleep and play make practice work._ ## Protect sleep Sleep is the foundation. Most children of this age need around 9 to 11 hours, and consistent bedtimes help their bodies settle into a healthy rhythm. Build in a calm wind-down and keep screens out of the hour before bed. This matters most of all the night before the exam, as our guide to [the morning of the exam](https://pip11plus.com/what-to-do-the-morning-of-the-11-plus-exam) explains, but the habit pays off all year. **Sleep beats late-night revision** An extra hour of practice rarely outweighs an hour of lost sleep. A well-rested child thinks more clearly, remembers more and copes better, so when in doubt, choose bedtime. ## Keep moving Physical activity is a quiet superpower during preparation. Running about, sport or simply playing outside boosts energy, lifts mood and burns off the tension that builds up around an exam. It also sharpens the mind for the practice that follows. A burst of movement before a session often makes that session more focused, not less. _Four pillars of 11+ wellbeing: enough sleep, regular exercise, real downtime, and a balanced routine you can sustain all year._ ## Build balance A child who only ever practises will tire of it, and of the exam. Friends, hobbies and unstructured downtime are not luxuries; they are what keep a child resilient over a long run-up. If the week has tipped too far towards work, our guide on whether your child is [too stressed](https://pip11plus.com/is-my-child-too-stressed-about-the-11-plus) can help you recalibrate. Balance is also what keeps a child [motivated](https://pip11plus.com/how-to-keep-my-child-motivated-for-the-11-plus) rather than worn down. ## A sustainable routine The aim is a rhythm you could keep up for a year without anyone dreading it. Short, regular practice slots in around a full, normal life, rather than swallowing it. Keeping practice to a sensible amount, in line with [how much your child should study](https://pip11plus.com/how-many-hours-a-week-should-my-child-study-for-the-11-plus), leaves room for everything else. A few calm minutes with [Pip](https://pip11plus.com/index#get) covers the practice without crowding out sleep, play or downtime. ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) Written by **The Pip team** The Pip team builds Pip, the 11+ and KS2 practice app for children in years three to six. We write these guides from real exam formats and past papers. ## Keep reading [Is my child too stressed about the 11+?](https://pip11plus.com/is-my-child-too-stressed-about-the-11-plus): Wellbeing The warning signs, and how to ease off. 4 min read · Wellbeing [How to reduce my child's 11+ exam anxiety](https://pip11plus.com/how-to-reduce-my-childs-11-plus-exam-anxiety): Wellbeing Calm, practical ways to settle the nerves. 4 min read · Wellbeing [How to keep my child motivated for the 11+](https://pip11plus.com/how-to-keep-my-child-motivated-for-the-11-plus): Wellbeing Small targets, progress and gentle momentum. 4 min read · Wellbeing ## A healthy child learns best Pip keeps 11+ practice to five calm minutes a day across maths, English and reasoning, leaving plenty of room for sleep, sport and play. [Download Pip on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/pip-11-practice/id6775690698) [Get Pip on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pip11plus.app) [Available at Amazon Appstore](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HKGJ4HTP) [More 11+ guides](https://pip11plus.com/info-hub) Free forever · no sign-up