What can parents put in an exam survival kit?
Boost your teen’s mood and motivation
Quick summary
- An exam survival kit is a small care pack with helpful items to support your teen during exam season
- You can personalise it with notes or self-care extras for if they’re on their period – even a luna subscription
- It doesn’t need to cost the earth – it’s just a nice way to show your teen you see them, and that you care
In a recent poll, 40% of teens told us that school pressures negatively affect their mental health every single day.
Another third said it happens a few times a week.
So it’s no surprise therefore that questions about how to cope during exam season with exam stress have been pouring into “Ask luna”, our teen Q&A feature.
With that in mind, we want to share simple ways to support your teen through one of the most intense times of their school life.
And one of the easiest ways is creating an exam survival kit.
What is an exam survival kit?
An exam survival pack is a small care package filled with helpful, comforting, or motivating items to support your teen through revision and exam days.
Think of it as a mix of practical essentials and thoughtful extras.
It’s not just about pens and snacks, it’s about showing them you see how hard they’re working, and that you’ve got their back.
You can tailor it to suit their personality, timetable, or even their stress levels.
Whether it’s something you give at the start of revision or on the morning of a big exam, it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference.
Exam survival kit ideas
Here’s a list of go-to essentials – plus a few more personal extras:
The basics:
- Water bottle
- Healthy snacks (nuts, fruit bars, dark chocolate)
- Highlighters and sticky notes
- Blue and black pens
- A clear pencil case
- A mini notepad or flashcards
- Tissues
- A calming tea bag (like chamomile or peppermint)
Outside-the-box exam survival kit ideas:
- A positive note from you
- A small stress toy or fidget tool
- A reminder card with exam techniques (e.g. breathing exercises or time tips)
- A “you’ve got this” keyring, friendship bracelet, or badge
- A cute soft toy to use as a mascot
- Their favourite lip balm or mini hand cream
- A luna subscription – which offers loads of exam and wellbeing tips (you could write their premium activation code on a little card and pop it in with the rest)
If you’re building more than one, you could even theme each exam survival pack for different subjects – like a maths-themed joke or a little science quote.
What to put in a period exam survival kit
Exams are hard enough without the added stress of pad changes, tiredness, cramps or mood swings.
But it’s the way of things that some teens will end up taking some exams on their period.
So if your teen is likely to be on their period during exam season, here’s what you might want to include in their period kit to help them feel better:
- Pads, tampons, or period underwear
- A mini heat patch or stick-on warmer (bit more practical than an hot water bottle)
- Pain relief (paracetamol or ibuprofen – if suitable)
- A snack like a cereal bar or dried apricots
- A note reminding them that self-care is just as important as grades
- A luna subscription – which they can use to track their periods and get specific advice about being on their period during exams (you could write their premium activation code on a little card and pop it in with the rest)
Even just showing that you’ve thought about their period needs can be a huge relief to a stressed-out teen.
It doesn’t need to cost the earth
A survival kit for exams doesn’t need to be expensive or elaborate. It’s the thought behind it that counts.
It’s a chance to say, “I see you. I believe in you. And I’m here for you.”
Even if it’s just a couple of items or a quick note in their bag or left on their desk for when they get home from school, your support will mean more than you think.
How we created this article:
luna's team of experts comprises GPs, Dermatologists, Safeguarding Leads and Junior Doctors as well as Medical Students with specialised interests in paediatric care, mental health and gynaecology. All articles are created by experts, and reviewed by a member of luna's senior review team.
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