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Pre-Ecolier: Kangaroo-style practice for Class 1 and 2

Pre-Ecolier is the Kangaroo level for Class 1 and 2. A Kiwimath Pre-Ecolier paper has 24 questions in three sections worth 3, 4 and 5 points, with five options each, drawn from our Level 1 questions.

It is Kangaroo-style practice, not an official paper. Try four questions here, then sit a full paper free.

Sit a Pre-Ecolier paper No sign-in needed to start.

Try four Pre-Ecolier questions

They cover all three sections. Hints come one step at a time, and nothing you pick is sent anywhere.

Pre-Ecolier sampleQuestion 1 of 4, worth 3 points

A square piece of paper is folded in half. Then it is folded in half again. How many layers of paper are there now?

  2. 2 Strategy
  3. 3 Worked step

By , who makes Kiwimath. Contest facts checked on against the organisers’ own pages (sources at the end).

What is a Pre-Ecolier paper like for a six- or seven-year-old?

In India, Class 1 and Class 2 sit the same Pre-Ecolier paper: 24 questions in 90 minutes, which is close to four minutes for each one. For most children of this age the sums are not the hard part. Reading a question, holding it in mind and staying at the table for an hour and a half is.1

Our Pre-Ecolier pool has 177 checked questions. In 89% of them no number is bigger than 20, so a child who counts confidently to 20 has the arithmetic for most of the paper. The 5-point questions are harder because of the thinking, such as two clues used together, not because of bigger numbers.

32 of the 177 questions come with a picture: shapes to name, blocks to count, a path to follow. The typical question is 15 words long, about two short sentences, so reading it aloud together at home is part of the practice.

Which topics carry the points in Pre-Ecolier?

Our Pre-Ecolier pool has 177 checked questions in 7 topics. This is how they spread across the three sections. A paper draws from every row, so a topic with few questions can still appear.

Topic3 points4 points5 pointsAll
Mystery Numbers13131238
Numbers All Around11131135
Shape Spotters128828
Picture Puzzles79824
Pattern Play1111022
Number Hops86317
Think and Count301013
All topics656052177

What should a Pre-Ecolier child be able to do?

Counting, shapes, left and right, simple patterns and short logic stories. Topic by topic, this is what our Pre-Ecolier questions ask for.

Mystery Numbers
A missing number or sign: what goes in the gap so that the sum is true. The 5-point ones hide two numbers behind one clue, like a sum and a difference.
Numbers All Around
Counting, grouping and sharing with small numbers: rows of plants, beads put into equal bundles, and which digit sits in the tens or hundreds place.
Shape Spotters
Naming flat and solid shapes, counting sides and corners, and folding paper in the head: how many layers after two folds?
Picture Puzzles
Turning left and right, walking north and south on a map, and counting blocks in a stack, including the ones hidden behind.
Pattern Play
What comes next in a number or shape pattern. Finding the jump between neighbours is the whole trick at this level.
Number Hops
Odd and even, pairs and skip counting: can 7 sweets be shared fairly between 2 friends?
Think and Count
Short logic stories with names and ages. Most of these sit in the 5-point section, because the clues must be used in the right order.

How do you solve a Pre-Ecolier question? One worked through

This is one of the Pre-Ecolier samples above, a 5‑point question from our Mystery Numbers topic. Try it first if you like; the working is folded away below.

I think of two numbers. Their sum is 16 and their difference is 4. What is the smaller number?

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7
  5. 10

What to notice first

There are two numbers we do not know, and only one of them is asked for. The clue “difference is 4” means the bigger number is the smaller one plus 4 extra.

See it worked through
  1. Picture the two numbers as two towers of blocks. The bigger tower is the smaller one with 4 extra blocks on top.
  2. Take those 4 extra blocks away from the total: 16 − 4 = 12. Now the two towers are the same height.
  3. Share 12 equally between the two towers: 6 each. That is the smaller number.
  4. Put the 4 blocks back to check the bigger number: 6 + 4 = 10. And 10 + 6 = 16, 10 − 6 = 4. Both clues work.

The answer is C, 6.

The tempting wrong answer

A tempting choice is 4, because it is printed in the question. It is the difference between the numbers, not one of them: 4 and 12 do add to 16, but they are 8 apart.

Ask: “If the difference were 6 instead, what would the smaller number be?” (It is 5.)

Which mistakes cost marks in Pre-Ecolier?

Each one comes from a wrong option in our Pre-Ecolier samples and the note we wrote on why it tempts.

  • Picking a number from the question. Young children often choose an option they can see in the question. Before choosing, ask your child to say what the question wants in their own words.
  • Stopping one step early. In the folding sample, 2 layers is the answer after the first fold, and 2 is one of the options. The second step is where the marks are.
  • Mixing up youngest and oldest. In order and age stories, one word flips the answer. Pointing at the word that matters is a good habit before any choice.

How is a Pre-Ecolier paper marked?

A Pre-Ecolier paper has 24 questions in three sections of 8. Every question has five options, A to E, and exactly one is right. The sections get harder as you go, and so they are worth more.

A right answer3 points in the first section, 4 in the second, 5 in the third.
A wrong answerLoses a quarter of that question’s points: ¾, 1 or 1¼.
A blankNothing gained, nothing lost.
Starting pointsYou start with 24, one for each question, so no score can fall below zero. The top score is 120.

Kiwimath marks its practice papers this way. Math Kangaroo India, the organiser in India, takes 1 mark off for each wrong answer and gives no starting points, so its Pre-Ecolier top score is 96. Why a blind guess is worth nothing on average, and when guessing starts to pay, is on the Kangaroo-style practice page.

How should my child prepare for Pre-Ecolier?

At this age, short and often beats long and rare. This plan takes six weeks with three or four sessions a week.

  1. Weeks 1 and 2Sessions of about 15 minutes. A Kiwimath session at Level 1 is five problems, which is the right size. Read each question aloud together and let your child point to the answer.
  2. Weeks 3 and 4Spend more time on the picture topics, Shape Spotters and Picture Puzzles. Keep paper for folding, a few blocks and a toy for turning left and right on the table.
  3. Week 5Sit the first two sections of a paper, the 3- and 4-point questions, with a break in the middle. Stop while it is still going well.
  4. Week 6Sit one full Pre-Ecolier paper in two sittings. Afterwards look only at the questions your child asks about. Rest the day before the contest.

For the real contest, check the dates, the rules and the time allowed with Math Kangaroo India or the organiser in your country. Our Math Kangaroo guide covers the official marking and where the past papers are.

All six levels

  1. Pre-EcolierClass 1 and 2Kiwimath Level 124 questions
  2. EcolierClass 3 and 4Kiwimath Level 224 questions
  3. BenjaminClass 5 and 6Kiwimath Level 330 questions
  4. CadetClass 7 and 8Kiwimath Level 430 questions
  5. JuniorClass 9 and 10Kiwimath Level 530 questions
  6. StudentClass 11 and 12Kiwimath Levels 6 and 730 questions

Questions parents ask about Pre-Ecolier

Can a Class 1 child sit Pre-Ecolier?

Yes. Pre-Ecolier is written for Class 1 and Class 2 together, so a Class 1 child sits the same paper as older children. In practice papers, a lower score than a Class 2 friend is normal and not a reason to wait a year.

My child is still learning to read. Is Pre-Ecolier too early?

Not for practice. At home you can read every question aloud, and in a Kiwimath Kangaroo-style paper every answer is a tap on one of five options, so writing is never needed. For the contest itself, ask your organiser what help is allowed with reading.

How long should a Pre-Ecolier practice session be?

About 15 minutes, or five questions. Stop while your child still wants one more. A full 90-minute paper is worth trying only once or twice, close to the contest, and in two sittings.

Are these real Pre-Ecolier papers?

No. They are Kangaroo-style practice made from Kiwimath’s own Level 1 questions, in the same format. The official past papers come from the organiser in your country. Where to find official past papers.

Pre-Ecolier matches Kiwimath Level 1

Everyday Kiwimath practice at Level 1 builds the skills a Pre-Ecolier paper tests, one question at a time, with hints and a solution after each answer.

Sit a Pre-Ecolier paper Free during early access.

  1. Pre-EcolierLevel 1Class 1-2
  2. Level 2Class 3-4
  3. Level 3Class 5-6
  4. Level 4Class 7-8
  5. Level 5IOQM
  6. Level 6RMO
  7. Level 7INMO
  8. Level 8IMO: the summit

Sources

Kiwimath is not connected with Math Kangaroo, Math Kangaroo India or Kangourou sans Frontières. Our papers are Kangaroo-style practice made from Kiwimath’s own questions; no question is taken from a real Kangaroo paper. Contest facts were checked on against these pages. If something here differs from what the organiser says, trust the organiser, and write to hello@kiwimaths.com so we can fix it.

  1. Contest categoriesMath Kangaroo India, the organiser in India
  2. Scoring systemMath Kangaroo India, the organiser in India
  3. Exam datesMath Kangaroo India, the organiser in India
  4. Kangourou sans FrontièresThe international association behind the contest
  5. Free sample questions and answer keysMath Kangaroo USA, the organiser in the United States