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Maths olympiad preparation for Class 4

For Class 4, aim for 8 to 10 problems most days across numbers, patterns and shapes, and one timed sample paper a week before a contest. Each question has an option built to catch a quick guess, so checking the choice matters. Problems to try are just below.

Try ten Class 4 problems

Stuck? Hints come one step at a time. Nothing is sent anywhere, and there is no sign-in.

Class 4 sampleProblem 1 of 10

Meera turns an arrow by a half turn (180 degrees). The arrow started pointing UP. Where does it point now?

  2. 2 Strategy
  3. 3 Worked step

By , who makes Kiwimath. Dates and rules checked on against the organisers’ own pages (sources at the end).

What an olympiad asks at Class 4

At Class 4, papers mix school maths (place value, the four operations, simple fractions, measurement) with reasoning: number patterns, missing numbers, balance puzzles, simple logic. Questions are short, but each one has an option designed to catch a quick guess.

Class 4 is the second and last year at Math Kangaroo’s Ecolier level, so the paper will feel familiar if your child sat it in Class 3. Multiplication and division of larger numbers, and fractions of a quantity, now carry more of the marks.

Contests open to Class 4 in 2026-27

4 contests take Class 4 students this year. Most schools enter the first; the rest are worth a look if your child enjoyed the problems above.

  • SOF International Mathematics Olympiad

    Science Olympiad Foundation, through schools. Classes 1 to 12.

    Next
    Level 1 on 23 October, 26 November or 10 December 2026; the school picks one date.
    The paper
    For Classes 1-4 the SOF paper has 35 questions in four sections: Logical Reasoning (10), Mathematical Reasoning (10), Everyday Mathematics (10) and the Achievers Section (5, worth 2 marks each), 40 marks in 60 minutes.
    Who sits it
    Entry is through the school. The top 5% of each class at Level 1 sit Level 2.
    (source: Science Olympiad Foundation)

  • Math Kangaroo

    Math Kangaroo India, for the international Kangaroo contest. Classes 1 to 12.

    Next
    The 2027 contest runs 17 to 30 April 2027. Registration closes 31 March 2027.
    The paper
    90 minutes, multiple choice, 24 questions at Class 4. Puzzles more than sums.
    (source: Math Kangaroo India)

  • Unified International Mathematics Olympiad (UIMO)

    Unified Council. Classes 1 to 10.

    Next
    Final test 10 January 2027 (mock test 3 January 2027).
    The paper
    A maths-only paper.
    (source: Unified Council)

  • NSTSE

    Unified Council. Classes 1 to 10.

    Next
    Through schools in November and December 2026; the online test for students who register on their own is on 24 January 2027.
    The paper
    60 minutes. A science and maths paper, so maths is only part of it.
    (source: Unified Council)

New to Math Kangaroo? Its levels, format and how to prepare. To practise in its format, try Ecolier Kangaroo-style papers.

A daily plan: 10 to 15 minutes a day

Class 4 is when timing starts to matter a little: the SOF paper gives under two minutes a question. Little and often still beats one long Sunday. (source: PW Store, Bhanzu)

Monday to Friday8 to 10 problems from one topic, on their own, with hints when stuck.
SaturdayOne timed section of about 20 minutes from an old sample paper, then the misses talked through.
SundayThe week’s wrong answers in a notebook. Redo two of them, and write one line on what went wrong.

In the last three weeks before a contest, swap one weekday for a timed section of that contest’s own sample paper, so the format holds no surprises on the day. More on this in our guide to daily maths practice for kids.

Mistakes children make at this age

  1. Mixing units

    Centimetres and metres, rupees and paise, minutes and hours. The answer is often among the options in the wrong unit.

  2. Spending too long in the Achievers Section

    On the SOF paper the last five questions are the hardest. Children who start there, or get stuck there, run out of time for easier marks.

  3. Forgetting what the remainder means

    30 children go on a trip, 4 to a car. The sum gives 7 remainder 2, but the answer is 8 cars: the question decides what happens to the remainder.

  4. Not estimating first

    23 × 40 comes out as 92 when a zero goes missing. Asking “about how big should this be?” first (20 × 40 is 800) catches the slip before choosing an option.

Where Kiwimath fits

Class 4 starts at Level 2 in Kiwimath. Each topic is a ladder of small skills: a right answer moves your child up a step, a wrong one brings another problem on the same idea when there is one, and a hint is always one tap away. A skill counts as mastered only after it has been solved without hints on two different days.

Level 2 topics: Balance the Scale, Fair Shares, Rule Finders, Brain Benders, Turn & Flip, Measure Masters, Number Families, Big Numbers, Last-Digit Detective.

Questions parents ask

Which olympiad should a Class 4 child start with?

The SOF International Mathematics Olympiad is the one most schools enter, so it is the easiest start. Math Kangaroo, in April, is more puzzle-like and a good second contest.

How many questions are in the SOF maths olympiad for Class 4?

35 questions for 40 marks, in four sections, in 60 minutes.

Does Kiwimath follow the SOF syllabus?

No. Kiwimath is not tied to one contest. Level 2 practises the kind of reasoning these papers share, and adapts to your child: a right answer moves them up a step, a wrong one brings another problem on the same idea when there is one. For a specific contest, add its own past papers in the last weeks.

How much time a day is enough?

10 to 15 minutes, most days. Short and regular works better than a long session once a week.

Class 4 starts at Level 2

Level 2 is for Class 3-4. If the first problems feel too easy or too hard, you can move up or down a level at any time; nothing is locked to a class.

Start at Level 2 Free during early access.

  1. Level 1Class 1-2
  2. Start hereLevel 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

All checked on . Organisers change dates; if one of these differs from what your school tells you, trust the school and the organiser, and write to hello@kiwimaths.com so we can fix this page.

  1. International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO)Science Olympiad Foundation (the organiser)
  2. IMO exam pattern 2026-27Vedantu (a guide; SOF does not print the section split on its page)
  3. Exam datesMath Kangaroo India (the organiser in India)
  4. Contest categories (questions and duration)Math Kangaroo India (the organiser in India)
  5. Exam schedule 2026-27Unified Council (the organiser)
  6. About NSTSEUnified Council (the organiser)
  7. How to prepare for maths olympiad for Class 3PW Store
  8. How to prepare for a math olympiadBhanzu