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5 At-Home Reading Activities for Struggling Readers


There are several activities for struggling readers you can do at home to help your little reader's skills. There are perfect activities for new readers, kids with a learning disability, or kids who are simply struggling. These five at-home activities can help boost your child’s skills so that schoolwork becomes easier.


two girls reading together on a tablet using one of the 5 At-Home Reading Activities for Struggling Readers

Try a Word Ladder

A word ladder is a fun reading activity that any struggling reader can complete at home. It works like this: you start with one word and add a letter or two at the end of it to create a new word. You continue doing this until you can no longer make a new word. For example, if you started with apple, your word ladder would be: apple, apple pie, apple juice, apple cider, etc.


Build a Word Wall

A word wall is a great way to build vocabulary and get kids comfortable with words. It can also help struggling readers because when they see the same word over and over again, it becomes easier for them to remember what it means.

you can put the word wall on your fridge, in a family room, or even in their bedrooms! Let everyone in the family choose words to add to the word wall. You can also let your child draw and color pictures to go with each word to help them with word recognition.


Mom and son practicing 5 At-Home Reading Activities for Struggling Readers at table with word cards

Play Word Games

Word games are a great way to boost your struggling reader's skills. Plus, playing games at home is a great way to keep the learning process fun and engaging. Some examples of word games you can play at home are Scrabble, Boggle, Jumble, Hangman, and Text Twist. There are also a ton of word game apps that are appropriate for beginning readers!


Do Some Sight Word Scavenger Hunts

Sight word scavenger hunts are a fun way to get your child to recognize sight words. All you need is a list of sight words, index cards, and some markers. Have them find the word and draw it on the card then return it back to you. The first person to collect all their cards is the winner!


girl inside an indoor tent with pillows and stuffed animals reading using one of the 5 At-Home Reading Activities for Struggling Readers

Make a Reading Nook

A reading nook can provide a quiet, private space for your child to read. It can also help with other at-home activities like homework or puzzles. A reading nook is a good place for struggling readers because they have a place where they can focus and be comfortable. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to monitor their progress and give them feedback.





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