In Singapore, year 6 students are preparing for the final primary school exams that will determine the options for their future schooling. The pressure on very many of them is scaled up to max.

TBWA\Singapore and CARE Singapore, have stepped in to tame the angst of these 12-year-olds with Rest Papers, a pro-bono initiative that turns exam practice papers into playful breaks from revision. In the months leading up to the exam, practice papers filled with mock questions and exam-style exercises become a familiar part of life in many Singaporean households.

Behind the initiative are reports from psychiatrists of an annual increase of up to 20% in cases involving exam-related stress since 2021, with more students seeking professional support to cope with academic pressure. It also responds to a tension faced by many families. Both students and parents often worry that pausing during revision means falling behind.

Rest Papers hacks the familiar exam format, replacing conventional questions with playful activities that encourage children to pause – making mental wellbeing breaks part of exam preparation. Instead of solving sums or completing comprehension passages, children are invited to crush, cut and draw on the pages, take them outdoors and try low-pressure creative activities. There are no grades, no wrong answers and no pressure to perform.

“In Singapore’s achievement-driven education culture, practice papers are such a recognisable part of growing up, so we wanted to use that familiarity in an unexpected way,” stated Loo Yong Ping, executive creative director at TBWA\Singapore. “By turning the paper itself into permission to pause, we hope Rest Papers can help normalise taking breaks – making them feel like part of revision rather than time away from it.”

“PSLE stress today is increasingly self-driven. With peer comparison, social media, and the ‘hothousing’ of tuition, many Primary 6 students internalise pressure and that can lead to emotional distress. Rest Papers was created to break that cycle. It is intentionally not another test. By inviting students to pause for drawing, mini-games, and fun activities, we help them step out of perfectionism and reset their minds. This draws on research showing that short breaks and play reduce anxiety and improve focus. Rest Papers gives students permission to rest — because managing wellbeing is just as important as preparing for exams,” added Lena Teo, clinical director at CARE Singapore.

“No 12-year-old should feel that every moment away from the desk is wasted, or that one examination determines their worth. Rest Papers will not solve every source of exam pressure. But it is a practical reminder that rest is not the opposite of preparation. When children have space to pause, reset and return to their work with a clearer mind, that is part of preparing well,” commented Anthony Chng, senior director at CARE Singapore.

Rest Papers are available free of charge at two popular test-paper retailers in Singapore, with additional school partnerships in development, and a number of primary schools showing interest in introducing Rest Papers as an exam-season wellbeing resource for more students. Parents, teachers and children can also download Rest Papers for free at care.sg/rest-papers.