When your child says “I don't like to read”, they are really saying “I haven't found the joy behind the letters yet”. Or the right book. With a little imagination and a few tricks validated by experts, reading can become the most anticipated part of the day.
In Romania, only 8% of teenagers read daily, and almost one in five does not read at all, according to the World Vision, 2025 research. At 15 years old, about 42% are below the minimum reading proficiency level (PISA 2022). Globally, a large dataset from Renaissance (covering millions of students) shows that less than 15 minutes per day of reading is associated with poorer reading gains, while 15 minutes per day and above significantly increase reading gains. Separately, a study of more than 10,000 teenagers found that pleasure reading started early was associated with better cognitive scores and structural brain changes.
But how can we make children approach books without feeling pressure? The answer is not more homework or more pressure. Engaging children with games, creativity and emotional connection could be the solution for our little ones to discover the joy of reading. Here are 8 ideas—approved by education and cognitive development specialists—that turn reading into a real adventure, even for the most reluctant readers.
1. Turn the book into a real adventure
Children connect better with stories when they can live them. Read “Charlotte's Cloth”? Go to a farm to see the animals in the book. Finished “It's Raining Meatballs”? Also watch the movie and prepare spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce together. Each activity strengthens the emotional connection between the child and the text.
“Reading doesn't have to be a static act. When a child associates the book with a concrete experience, reading becomes exploration,” says education expert Dr. Niyoka McCoy in a Parents.com article. In this way, the child learns that reading is a portal to adventures, not an obligation. And if you choose the next book together, you'll turn reading into a family ritual, not a school chore.
2. Create family “secret missions”.
If everything written in books is boring, add a touch of mystery. Write funny or coded messages and put them in envelopes labeled “TOP SECRET”. Secrets attract children and arouse their curiosity. They will want to read them to discover the secret messages.
For example, you can turn the “secret” messages into a little code hunt. Write a simple sentence or clue (“Go to the fridge and find the next note!”) but leave some letters missing. Each correctly discovered letter becomes a “key” to the next step – a new stage of the game or a new challenge. The child must read, guess and fill in the missing letters to reach the end (eg a small prize, a joke or a surprise).
Basically, reading turns into a miniature escape room, where each deciphered word brings him closer to the “treasure”. This is how he learns to read without realizing it – being caught up in the mystery of the game. “Reading can become a form of play and curiosity, not just an academic activity,” explains educator Kristen Miller, in the same source.
3. Read together, but in roles
Reading aloud isn't just for little ones. If you set aside five to ten minutes daily for a joint story, the child will copy your rhythm, expressiveness and curiosity. Choose characters and read with expressiveness, as in a play.
Dr. McCoy also recommends listening to audiobooks in the car—a great method for kids who tire of reading. “Listening to a story builds their vocabulary and understanding of complex language,” she says. You can alternate: one day you adults read, one day the child reads, and on Sunday you listen to a narrated story. The goal is not performance, but building an affective ritual around the words.
4. Create a “reading passport”
“Reading Passport” is a motivational game that turns every book you read into a journey. You can do it very simply at home: take a small notebook (the size of a vocabulary) and write “My Reader's Passport” on the cover. Every time the child finishes a book, he gets a sticker, or draws or puts a stamp that symbolizes the place he “traveled” through reading. If he has read The Little Prince, he can stick a planet; if he finished The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a boat; for “White Harap,” a crown. Older children can add the title of the book, the author, write where the action of the book takes place, and even an idea discovered by reading the book (a feeling, an emotion, a new word) on the tab.
The goal is not to evaluate the child, but to concretely show him the progress and variety of worlds he has traveled through reading. Children love the feeling of collecting – each “visa” becomes a small victory. Over time, the passport becomes his diary of literary adventures, and reading turns into a natural way to “travel” further. “Kids love the sense of progress and visual reward,” says McCoy. The passport motivates them to finish a book just to move on to the next “destination”.
5. Reading in the kitchen. An applied reading, with immediate results
Use menus and recipes as an excuse to read, but in an organized way. For example, at a restaurant, ask him to read the menu and identify 2-3 dishes, then briefly tell you what they contain – pasta with tomato sauce, basil and parmesan. At home, in the kitchen, choose a short recipe (4-6 steps) and let your child take turns reading the name, ingredient list and first step, then cook together. Finally, ask him to recap the steps taken in 1-2 sentences: “I preheated the oven, mixed the dry and wet ingredients, and baked for 20 minutes.”
Why it works: The child reads with immediate purpose, practices vocabulary, measures and step order, and the satisfaction of the result sets the habit. It is interdisciplinary: not only reading works, but also mathematics (units, fractions, proportions, times), sciences (temperatures, transformations), logic and planning (order, “if-then”, checking), executive functions (attention, working memory, self-monitoring), technical vocabulary, food safety (allergens, shelf life) and even fine motor skills & cooperation.
6. Treasure hunt with written clues
Turn reading into a treasure hunt. Write several short messages, each containing a written, not drawn, clue. The child must read them to discover the next place.
Example: “Look where stories sleep.” The child goes to the library and finds the following note: “Under the red pillow in the great hall is the next secret.” And, there, another: “There is a magic letter hidden in the refrigerator.” Each clue contains a key word to read and understand. Some may be rhymes (“In the big chair, have a question”), others may be simple riddles (“Where do tired socks rest?”).
Along the way, the child reads simple sentences, learns to follow the meaning of the text and receives a small reward at the end (a toy, a chocolate, a new book). In this way, reading is related to movement, action and achievement. The child reads, understands, makes a logical association and reaches the result. This is exactly what strengthens his internal motivation – the feeling that “I can read and succeed on my own”. You can adapt the game to any age, from letters for preschoolers to complex riddles for teenagers.
7. The “Responsible Reader” at games
Before any board game, have your child read the rules and explain them to others. It will feel important and the motivation to read increases when it has a social responsibility. In the same spirit, you can create a word puzzle: jump only if you read correctly. Or you can play puppet theater, where each line must be read aloud.
“When reading is integrated into play, the child doesn't even feel like they're reading,” says educator Kristen Miller. “Learn, laugh, connect, and reading comes naturally.”
8. Photo caption: write the story of an image
Take funny pictures and challenge him to invent witty photo explanations: “What's the cat saying?”, “What's my brother thinking here?” Then read the “comic” you created together. This activity develops humor, expressiveness and verbal creativity. “The child learns to turn reality into a story—which is exactly the essence of reading,” says Miller.
Reading is not imposed, it is cultivated. Each book is a gateway to a new world, but the key is in the hands of the parent: tone, atmosphere, freedom of choice and joy. “Kids who read for pleasure see learning as an adventure, not an obligation,” says Miller.
The benefits of reading to children
Reading is not just a quiet activity or a way to relax before sleep. It is one of the most complex cognitive and emotional exercises for a growing child. Studies show that regular reading stimulates the development of language, attention and working memory, contributing to better school performance and more structured thinking.
By reading, the child enriches his vocabulary, learns to recognize grammatical structures and various expressions and acquires the ability to express himself clearly. In the long run, frequent reading improves his writing, argumentation, and critical thinking.
The benefits are not just academic. Reading develops empathy – the child gets into the shoes of the characters, understands different emotions and exercises his ability to look at the world from other perspectives. Also, joint readings with the parent strengthen the affective relationship and increase the feeling of emotional safety: the calm voice, shared time and conversations about the book become strong affective anchors.
On a neurological level, reading simultaneously activates several areas of the brain: those responsible for language processing, visual imagination and memory. Basically, reading is a complete brain workout. The more often the child reads, the easier it is for him to learn everything else – from mathematics to a foreign language.
