Free Online CCAT Kindergarten Test Preparation: Practice CCAT Level 5/6 Sample Questions & Tips – 2025
What Is the CCAT Kindergarten Test?
The CCAT Kindergarten Test is a test used for the purpose of admitting kindergarteners into a Canadian gifted and talented program. CCAT stands for the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test, which is also referred to as CCAT-7 and is extremely similar to the United State’s Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). The CCAT’s main purpose is to determine each student’s academic abilities through an assessment of verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative questions. This test does not test children on the material they have learned in school. Instead, the CCAT Kindergarten Test results will show each kindergartener’s aptitude for learning.
The test is administered to children in a group setting and usually takes 90 minutes to complete. The CCAT Kindergarten Test is also referred to as the CCAT Level 5/6. The reason for this is because children between the ages of 5 and 6 are expected to be in kindergarten, and will therefore be taking the CCAT Kindergarten Test. The overall score of the CCAT Kindergarten Test will be used to determine your child’s potential consideration for joining a gifted and talented program.
What Are the CCAT Kindergarten Test Sections?
The CCAT Kindergarten Test is comprised of 118 questions split across three batteries, including a verbal battery, a nonverbal battery, and a quantitative battery. These three sections will either be administered altogether or separately, depending on your school’s requirements. Within each battery, there will also be three subsections that test specific knowledge in that category.
Verbal Battery (completion time of 43 minutes)
- Picture Analogies: Kindergarteners will be provided with two pictures that connect in some way. The kindergarteners will need to figure out the connection and identify a picture from the answer choices that would fit with the first two pictures.
- Sentence Completion: Kindergarteners will be provided with a device that will read a set of instructions to the students. The students will press “play” on the device and then will need to follow the guidance in order to answer the questions correctly.
- Picture Classification: Kindergarteners will see three pictures that are categorized in the same group. Only one of the three answer choices will also belong in the same picture category. Students will need to choose a picture that fits with the first three pictures.
Nonverbal Battery (completion time of 31 minutes)
- Figure Matrices: Kindergarteners will be provided with a matrix that is filled with shapes. However, one of the matrix boxes will be empty. Students will need to find a shape in the answer options that would fill in the empty box and finish the matrix.
- Figure Classification: Kindergarteners may notice that the Figure Classification subtest is similar to the Picture Classification subtest. However, the pictures will be replaced with shapes that will be categorized into the same group. Students will choose a shape from the answer options that match the same category as the original shapes.
- Paper Folding: Kindergarteners will see how a piece of paper is folded and will need to choose an answer that depicts how the paper would look if it followed the folding steps.
Quantitative Battery (completion time of 38 minutes)
- Number Analogies: Kindergarteners may notice that the Number Analogies subtest is similar to the Picture Analogies subtest. Both tests include identifying relationships between pictures. However, in this section, the pictures will have a mathematical relationship that will need to be solved.
- Number Series: Kindergarteners will see several strings of beads connected to an abacus toy. The beads will follow a predetermined rule that decides how the beads are arranged. The kindergarteners will figure out the rule and then decide how many beads should be strung on the last abacus toy rod.
- Number Puzzles: Kindergarteners will see two trains that should be carrying the same number of figures. Students will look at the amount of figures on the first train, and then decide how many figures should be added onto the second train for both trains to be carrying the same amount of figures.
How to Read CCAT Kindergarten’s Score Report?
The kindergarten CCAT score report will include three composite scores that indicate each student’s general cognitive ability. Each composite score is calculated by combining the results from the verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative batteries. Each score report will include an Age Percentile Rank (APR) score that compares all students within a certain age group, a Grade Percentile Rank (GPR) that ranks students based on their scores compared to other children in their grade, and a Stanine (S) score. A Stanine score is a number between 1 and 9 that shows each child’s learning ability, with 1 being very low and 9 being very high.
CCAT Kindergarten Tips
- Prepare at least a month in advance. Allowing your child an ample amount of time to study and learn the material will guarantee them the best chances at passing this exam. Try to practice every day or every other day for only a few hours. This will allow your child to gradually learn the information without being overwhelmed or stressed. Do not wait until a few days before the exam to start studying. Your child will likely find it difficult to retain any information and may develop test anxiety.
- Use a timer to practice. Each battery will receive a set amount of time that all answers need to be completed within. Make sure your child knows that they cannot spend too much time on each question. If your child is a slow test taker, practicing timed tests is especially important. Your child needs to become familiar with how much time they have to answer questions so that they are prepared when it comes time to take the real CCAT.
- Completely read through every single question explanation. Even if your child answers a question right, make sure they read the attached explanation. Explanations are a great tool that provides insight into the test questions and answers. They will explain to you how to answer those types of questions correctly, or can also provide helpful hints about what the test makers are thinking when creating the questions. It is also important to ensure that your child is not taking any lucky guesses. Sometimes, it is helpful to ask your child to provide a justification for why they chose an answer for a question before reading the explanation. This will help you make sure that your child completely understands the questions.
How to Prepare for the CCAT Kindergarten Test?
The CCAT Kindergarten Test is extremely similar to the CogAT Kindergarten test. Both tests include a verbal battery, a nonverbal battery, and a quantitative battery. Similarly, both tests are the first step your child must take if they wish to enroll in a gifted and talented program. The CCAT Kindergarten Test can be fairly difficult for students who have not prepared with online practice exams. Especially for kindergarteners, who are still becoming used to the concept of school, an aptitude test is likely outside of their comfort zone. Help familiarize your child with the material they will see on the test by introducing them to sample questions and answers with explanations. Every explanation will include useful information about the questions and relevant answer clarifications. Children that wish to score well on the CCAT Kindergarten Test and join a gifted and talented program will need to be familiar with the test content. Assist your child during the preparation process by utilizing practice exams and creating a studying schedule.
CCAT Kindergarten Test Example Questions:
Pattern Completion Sample Question 1:
Look at the pattern in the orange triangle. A piece of it has been removed. To complete the pattern, choose the piece below the pattern that goes where the question mark is. Which of the following answer options completes the design?
Explanation: The triangle is monotone orange, therefore the part which has been removed must be the same color as the triangle. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice D. It is helpful to use colors to see that they stay consistent throughout the entire picture and missing section. You can also use process of elimination to remove answer choices that are incorrect.
Pattern Completion Sample Question 2:
Look at the pattern in the green-purple circle. A piece of it has been removed. To complete the pattern, choose the piece below the pattern that goes where the question mark is. Which of the following answer options completes the design?
Explanation: The circle has been diagonally divided into equal parts; half green, half purple. Therefore, the part which has been removed must be half green and half purple too and halved diagonally. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice B. It is helpful to use colors to see that they stay consistent throughout the entire picture and missing section. You can also use process of elimination to remove answer choices that are incorrect.
Reasoning by Analogy Sample Question 1:
Look at the figures below. They are related in some way. Choose a figure from the answer row that corresponds to the figure on the bottom in the same way as the figures on top correspond to each other.
Explanation: Look at the top row. You can see there are two small red triangles each halved by a thin black line, which goes from the tip of the triangle all the way to the bottom. Now, look at the bottom row. There is one blue triangle also halved by a line. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice D. The triangle in option D is also blue and has a black line from the tip to the bottom, hence this choice will complete the analogy of 2 red and 2 blue triangles.
Reasoning by Analogy Sample Question 2:
Look at the figures below. They are related in some way. Choose a figure from the answer row that corresponds to the figure on the bottom in the same way as the figures on top correspond to each other.
Explanation: Look at the top row. You can see there are two yellow boxes. One of them has a large, blue rectangle inside and the other one has a small, blue rectangle inside. Now, look at the bottom row. There is one big, blue circle inside a yellow box, therefore, following the analogy on the top row, the fourth box should have a small blue circle inside a yellow box. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice A.