Our Top 8 Motivational Phrases for 11 Plus Kids

May 6
At Club 11 Plus, we know that preparing for the 11 Plus test isn’t just about getting your head around tricky maths questions or challenging comprehension passages - it’s also about mindset.

Some days your child will be zooming through quizzes, oozing focus and confidence, whilst other days it’s like watching someone trying to climb Everest in slippers!

That’s why we believe in support, humour, and the occasional giggle along the way. So here are 8 quirky, fun, and surprisingly effective motivational phrases we've seen work wonders with clever, creative 10-year-olds who just need a boost.
🫧 1. “Mistakes are just brain burps. Everyone has them.”

It takes the fear out of getting things wrong. We’ve even heard kids say it back to themselves after a tough quiz!


🕵️ 2. “Be a detective, not a guesser.”

This encourages slower, smarter thinking - especially useful in verbal reasoning and tricky comprehensions. Solving a mystery is way cooler (and much more effective!) than wild guessing.


🧽 3. “Your brain’s a sponge - soak it all up.”

Children love the image. It reminds them that they’re absorbing knowledge all the time, even when they don’t realise it.


🥣 4. “Eat tricky questions for breakfast.”

Silly? Yes. Powerful? Also yes. This phrase helps kids feel brave, even when they’re up against a weird-shaped non-verbal reasoning puzzle.


🎯 5. “You don’t need to be perfect - you just need to be improving.”

A calm reminder for children (and parents!) that steady progress wins the race.


🧙‍♂️ 6. “You’ve got boffins in your pocket!”

Our personal favourite. It reminds children that when they’re using the Club 11 Plus app, they’ve got a team of friendly 11 Plus-loving geeks guiding them, every step of the way.


🧠 7. “Every question is a brain gym workout.”

A fun way to reframe practice as strength training for the mind.


🐢 8. “Harness your inner tortoise.”

A wise nod to the fable of the hare and the tortoise. In the race to 11 Plus test success, slow and steady often wins the day. It’s not about speed - it’s about persistence, patience, and progress.

💡 How to Use These at Home:

• Say them aloud during revision breaks.
• Stick a new one on the fridge each week.
• Let your child create their own!

We build this kind of encouragement into all our Club 11 Plus online lessons and quizzes, because we know that a motivated child is a powerful learner.

Good luck with it at home!