IQ Test for Kids: What Parents Should Know

Can a child take an online IQ test?

A child can click through an online quiz, but the result will mean very little. Children's reasoning changes fast from year to year, so a fair score has to compare a child with others of almost exactly the same age. A quick online quiz has no data to do that.

Our test has a single scale for everyone. A seven year old who gets a few questions right would get a low estimate that says nothing about how well that child thinks. We would rather you did not use it that way.

How real IQ tests for children work

Children's IQ tests are given one on one by a licensed psychologist. The child works through a set of varied tasks, such as puzzles, word questions and memory tasks, while the psychologist observes. Scores are compared with a large sample of children of the same age in months.

Well known examples include the Wechsler scales for children and the Stanford-Binet. Sessions usually take one to two hours. The psychologist writes a report that covers strengths and weaknesses, not just one number.

When does testing a child make sense?

Testing is worth the time and cost when there is a clear question to answer. These are common reasons:

• A school suggests an assessment because of learning difficulties or attention.
• A child may qualify for a gifted program that asks for a test score.
• A family wants to understand a pattern, such as a child who is strong in some areas and struggles in others.

Testing out of curiosity is rarely helpful. A number can stick to a child and shape how adults and the child see them. If you do test, ask the psychologist how the results will be used and who will see them.

What parents can do at home

• Play with patterns. Card games, board games, jigsaws, building blocks and logic puzzles all give practice at the skills IQ tests touch.
• Read together and talk about what happens next and why.
• Praise effort and method rather than being "smart". Children who hear that effort matters tend to keep trying on hard puzzles.
• Protect sleep. Tired children think worse, and so do adults.

What about teenagers?

Older teenagers can try our quiz for fun, as long as they know it is not a diagnosis and not a reliable score. For anything that matters, such as school placement, talk to a school psychologist. You can also read how IQ tests work together.

One more thing

A child's IQ score is not a forecast of who they will become. Interests, health, support at home and good teachers all matter at least as much. If a number worries you, talk to the professional who gave it. You can also write to us and we will point you to the right kind of help, within what we know.