How Can I Make Sure My Child Understands What They Read

Understanding is More Than Just Reading

You're watching your child squint at a worksheet, lips moving softly. They're reading—but are they understanding?

It’s one of those quiet worries that builds over time. Maybe your 8-year-old reads fluently and seems confident, but when you ask what the story was about, they shrug: "I don't know." Or perhaps your 10-year-old reads slowly, stumbling over words, and avoids anything longer than a few paragraphs.

As parents, we often focus on whether our kids can read. But the real gold is in whether they understand what they read. Comprehension is the bridge between decoding and learning—and without it, school becomes a frustrating uphill climb.

Start with Their World

The key to building reading comprehension is connecting it to what your child already knows and loves. If your child is obsessed with dinosaurs, pick stories set in the Jurassic era. If they can't get enough of cooking, choose a nonfiction book about baking. Engaging their interests activates their background knowledge, giving them an anchor for new information.

One mom told me her son, Leo, disliked reading... until they found a graphic novel about space explorers that mirrored his favorite video game. Suddenly, he couldn't stop talking about character decisions and plot twists. What changed? He cared. And comprehension started to flourish.

Reading Out Loud—Together

Reading aloud isn’t just for toddlers. It can help older children, too—especially those who struggle with attention, vocabulary, or who get frustrated easily. Take turns reading a chapter book. You read the first page, they read the next. Pause often and ask open-ended questions: "Why do you think she did that?" or "What do you think will happen next?"

This isn’t a quiz—it’s a conversation. When children feel safe to express their ideas without being judged, they process better and build confidence. You can also model how to think through confusion: "Hmm... I didn’t quite get that part. Let’s go back and read it again together." That simple moment teaches them that struggling doesn't mean failing—it's part of comprehension.

Turn Reading Into an Experience

Some children learn best when stories come alive. One often-overlooked strategy is using audio to support comprehension. For instance, during car rides, you might play their assigned reading as an audiobook. Not only does this support auditory learners, but it also removes the pressure of eye-tracking and decoding—which allows them to focus on meaning.

Apps like Skuli even let you transform written lessons into personalized audio adventures, inserting your child's name into the story. For a 9-year-old who feels distant from the world of school texts, hearing themselves as the hero of a Roman mystery or a science expedition changes everything. Suddenly, absorption isn't effortful. It's fun.

Ask, Don’t Test

It’s easy to fall into the trap of asking yes/no questions: "Did you understand it?" Most kids will nod—or say no—without much reflection. Instead, try open phrases like:

• "Can you tell me that part again in your own words?"
• "If you had to explain this story to your little cousin, what would you say?"
• "What was the most surprising thing to you?"

These questions invite storytelling, not memorization. They also let you peek into how much your child really understood—and where they might have gotten lost. If you're seeing patterns of struggle, consider whether your child may need extra help at home.

Give Their Brain Time to Process

Some children take longer to digest information. After reading, they may not have immediate responses—and that’s okay. Instead of pushing for instant analysis, let ideas sit. Maybe bring it up over dinner or while brushing teeth later: "I've been thinking about that story you read earlier. Do you think the main character made the right decision?"

Spacing out discussion gives their mind time to connect the dots and form opinions. You're also showing that reading isn’t a task—it’s a part of life that’s worthy of reflection.

When Textbooks Get in the Way

School assignments, especially in upper elementary years, can be dense and dry. If your child struggles with science or history homework, they might not be confused by the topic—it might just be the way the material is written. This is where turning a lesson into another format like a quiz, game, or story can help. Some families use features like turning a photo of a textbook page into a comprehension quiz to reinforce understanding without the stress of rereading.

If your child battles homework regularly, you might also want to explore making homework a more positive experience—sometimes it’s less about the reading and more about the mindset.

Support Without Pressure

It’s tempting to fill every silence when your child is stuck or to jump in with the right answer. But learning to understand text—really understand it—comes with some wrestling. Instead of fixing, guide. Instead of correcting, model. You'll find that patience, more than anything else, builds comprehension.

For kids who get easily frustrated or shut down when they don’t get it right, consider tools or routines that help them manage emotions around learning. Here's a guide we wrote about supporting your child through homework frustration—many of the same ideas apply to reading.

It Takes Time

Finally, remember: comprehension is a slow build, not a sudden leap. Progress may be quiet at first—your child might start asking more questions, or summarizing a story just a bit better each week. Celebrate those wins. Let them know that understanding is a skill, and like any skill, it grows with use, curiosity, and support.

You’re not alone in this. And your effort matters more than you know.

For more on helping your child manage their study workload and avoid burnout, check out our guide on making revision easier for your child.