P1–P2 Seminar Recap: How Should Lower Primary Students Begin Their Math Olympiad Journey?

Many parents of lower primary students often have similar questions when it comes to Math Olympiad learning:

• Why should my child learn Math Olympiad?

• When is the right time to start?

• Is it necessary to prepare from lower primary?

• And how should parents plan their child’s learning journey?

On 1 May 2026, Teacher Smith, Head of P1–P2 at Kangaroo Study, conducted an online parent seminar via Zoom titled “Stages of Math Olympiad Learning”. The seminar was specially designed for parents of lower primary students, helping them better understand the real purpose of Math Olympiad learning, the suitable starting stage, and the key abilities children should build in the early years.

At the beginning of the seminar, Teacher Smith explained what Math Olympiad truly means. Math Olympiad is not just about solving difficult questions, memorising tricks, or joining competitions. More importantly, it helps children develop deeper mathematical thinking. Through examples such as the chicken-and-rabbit problem, shortest path questions, staircase arrangements and geometry problems, Teacher Smith showed parents how these questions are connected to key areas of mathematics, including algebra, combinatorics, number theory and geometry.

One key takeaway from the seminar is that children should not only learn “methods”. They need to understand where a method comes from, why it works, and how to apply it flexibly in different types of questions. This helps children move beyond simply applying formulas, and instead build stronger problem-solving and analytical thinking skills.

Teacher Smith also shared the true purpose of learning Math Olympiad. Besides giving children more exposure through competitions such as SASMO, SMKC, SCMO, NMOS, APMOPS and RMO, Math Olympiad learning can also strengthen their mathematical foundation, reduce learning gaps, and help develop good learning habits, logical expression, confidence and resilience.

For P1–P2 students, the goal is not to rush into advanced learning blindly. Teacher Smith reminded parents to observe their child’s interest, understanding and learning attitude before deciding whether they are ready to start. A healthy Math Olympiad journey should focus on long-term growth, regular revision, deep understanding and steady progress, rather than short-term results or competition outcomes.

As a bonus, seminar participants will receive complimentary Math learning booklets:

• Mastering Number Sense in 14 Days

• Little Olympian

Participants can self-collect the booklets at our Tai Seng centre.

Collection Locations:
Tai Seng Centre: #02-12, Grantral Mall, 601 MacPherson Road, Singapore 368242

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday: 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturday to Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

In addition, participants are also invited to attend one complimentary Math lesson. There are two available sessions, and parents may choose either one:

Parents who would like to receive more P1–P2 Math learning resources and updates on future activities are welcome to scan the QR code below and join our P1–P2 parent community.