Encourage Reluctant Readers with a Prize Treasure Hunt

This is a good game to play when you have one reluctant reader to entertain. The prize can be anything you can hide easily, such as a new toy or a film.

Write 5 or 6 short clues on slips of paper that you place around the house, and one that you give directly to the child. He must read each clue to discover where the next one is hidden, eventually leading him to the treasure.

Repetition is key, because the more you repeat key words the easier it is for the child to read, and the more likely it is he will remember them.

Keep your instructions short and simple. Don't write "Look in the third drawer down in the white chest of drawers in the living room" unless the child is reading confidently at that level.

Here are some example clues, for a reading age of around 4-6:

Look in the biscuit tin Look in the toy drawer Look under the bath

Look on the coffee table Look on your window sill Look under the sofa