1. Practise at the right level
Work through problems that match your child’s current grade, then gently stretch into the next level once those feel comfortable. Little and often beats long, tiring sessions: fifteen focused minutes a few times a week keeps maths feeling friendly and steadily builds skill. Consistency, not intensity, is what carries a student through a contest like AMO.
2. Build English maths vocabulary
AMO is sat in English, so a student who is perfectly confident in Chinese mathematics may still stumble over unfamiliar words such as remainder, perimeter, consecutive or estimate. Spending a little time on the key terms for each topic removes a hurdle that has nothing to do with mathematical ability — and it pays off well beyond this one contest.
3. Learn from mistakes, not from speed
After each practice set, look together at the questions that went wrong and work out why. Calmly reviewing mistakes is far more valuable than racing the clock, and it matches AMO’s no-penalty spirit: the aim is understanding, not perfection. Over time, those reviewed mistakes become a student’s biggest source of progress.
4. Get familiar with the format
A few relaxed, lightly-timed practice runs help an older student walk in on the day knowing exactly what to expect, so nerves do not get in the way of clear thinking. For younger children, keep it playful — at primary level the goal is curiosity and confidence, not pressure.
5. Keep it positive
Celebrate effort and improvement rather than only the final score. A child who associates maths with encouragement will keep going far longer than one who only hears about results — and that long-term momentum is exactly what turns an interested student into a strong one.
The best AMO preparation looks a lot like simply enjoying maths, consistently, with someone who encourages you.
If you would like grade-by-grade pointers or suggestions for age-appropriate resources, message us on WhatsApp and tell us your child’s grade — we are glad to help you find a sensible, low-pressure path.
This site is the AMO (American Mathematics Olympiad) guide operated by Hanlin Education, an authorized registration partner for AMO. AMO is organized by SIMCC (Singapore) together with Southern Illinois University for grades 2–12, and is not the MAA’s American Mathematics Competitions (AMC). We help China-based families register the official way. Confirmed errors are corrected within 7 working days.