Which Games and Activities Can Help a Dyslexic Child Read More Easily?

Understanding the Struggles Behind the Letters

If you're reading this, chances are you're a parent who has seen their child battle tears, frustration, or confusion over reading. Perhaps your child has recently been diagnosed with dyslexia—or maybe you're starting to notice the signs and searching for some gentle, effective ways to help. You’re not alone, and most importantly: this journey doesn’t need to be a daily battle.

Dyslexia can feel like an elusive puzzle. It’s not tied to intelligence or interest in learning. In fact, many children with dyslexia are curious, creative, and eager to absorb new ideas. What gets in the way is the method. When reading feels like decoding a secret language, kids need tools that match how their brains work—not just more practice, but the right kind of practice.

Games and activities that help dyslexic children learn to read better aren’t just fun distractions. They’re proven ways to build phonological awareness, visual memory, and reading fluency—while protecting your child’s self-esteem along the way.

Play Is Not a Distraction—It's How They Learn

Let’s take a deep breath together. The world of worksheets, flash cards, and school forms can be overwhelming. You may feel a sense of urgency—will your child fall behind? Are you doing enough? But try to remember this: for children with dyslexia, playful learning is often the most effective kind. Games aren’t wasted time; they’re part of the solution.

For example, word games like “I Spy With My Little Eye” can be adapted to build phonemic awareness (the ability to hear distinct sounds in words). Instead of colors or objects, you can say, “I spy with my little eye… something that starts with the /s/ sound.” Children with dyslexia often need many exposures to sound-letter connections, and games like this reinforce those connections in a low-pressure environment.

Movement-Based Activities: Learning Through the Body

If your child fidgets, doodles, or has trouble sitting still during homework, that’s not misbehavior—it’s communication. Many dyslexic learners are kinesthetic: they absorb information through movement and touch.

Instead of fighting this, why not use it?

• Sidewalk phonics: Use chalk to draw letters or simple words outside. Call out a sound, and have your child jump to the matching letter or word.
• Letter sculpting: Use clay or playdough to build letters together. As your child forms each letter, talk about its sound and words it appears in.
• Scavenger hunts: Hide objects around the house that start with specific letters or sounds. Make it a timed game to keep the engagement high.

These kinds of activities don’t just make learning fun—they engage the muscular memory, helping children ‘feel’ their way through language, which can be especially helpful for children struggling with phonetic decoding.

Stories They Can Hear: Building Literacy Through Listening

One of the quiet heartbreaks of dyslexia is how much it can limit a child’s exposure to stories. While their decoding skills take time to develop, their imaginations are already ripe. Letting your child absorb language, vocabulary, and storytelling through audio books is not a shortcut—it’s a valid, research-backed way to bolster literacy.

Apps like LISN Kids offer a library of original audiobooks and series for children aged 3 to 12 that are ideal for dyslexic learners. Whether during quiet time, road trips, or bedtime, listening helps children learn sentence structure, develop language skills, and fall in love with narrative, without the stress of decoding text. You can explore LISN Kids for iOS or Android.

Games That Teach Without Pressure

Traditional flashcards can sometimes create more stress than progress for dyslexic children. But gamified alternatives like memory card games, rhyming puzzles, and phonics-based board games feel different. They lower resistance by wrapping learning in fun.

For example, the classic game “Memory” (also known as “Concentration”) can be adjusted to match letter sounds with corresponding pictures—like matching the letter “b” with a picture of a “ball.” This improves both phonological awareness and visual discrimination.

Digital games can be helpful too—but screen usage should be mindful. Consider partnering time with games that reinforce word-building, like Boggle Junior or apps that offer multi-sensory practice with spelling in a relaxed environment.

Family Rituals That Promote Confidence

At the end of the day, none of these strategies matter more than how your child feels while learning. Dyslexic children are more at risk for anxiety surrounding school, and how we interpret their struggles can either build or chip away at their confidence.

Creating a calm, daily reading ritual—without pressure for them to perform—can go a long way. You could read aloud to them while they follow along, take turns reading lines from their favorite books, or even just share thoughts about a podcast episode you both listened to. As explained in this article on family reading rituals, the consistency creates security, and your presence creates motivation.

You might also be interested in our guide on how to help build confidence in a 6-year-old with dyslexia, especially if self-doubt has started creeping into your child’s school life.

Each child is different, and what works wonders for one may need adjusting for another. Checking in with your child frequently to see what they enjoy, what frustrates them, and when they feel accomplished, helps personalize your support in a sustainable way.

Finding Joy and Progress—Together

The path to reading success doesn’t start with a textbook. It starts in playful moments, encouraging interactions, and the quiet promise you make every day: “I’m with you. We can figure this out together.” From structuring homework time to recognizing early signs of dyslexia, the most effective strategy is always support rooted in understanding and trust.

So when your child picks up a pencil and sounds out a word—celebrate it. When they get it wrong but keep going—celebrate harder. And when they light up during a story, game, or silly scavenger hunt—that may just be the most important learning of all.