Which Video Games Can Boost Reading Skills in Kids Aged 6 to 12?

When Reading Feels Like a Battle

You’re not alone if reading time at home is starting to feel like a daily uphill climb. Maybe your 8-year-old says the words are boring, or your 10-year-old claims reading is too hard. You want to help, but every suggestion—from phonics apps to bedtime stories—feels either too dull or too academic for your child to enjoy. It’s easy to feel stuck, especially if traditional methods aren’t working. But what if help could come from an unlikely ally—the video game console?

The Surprising Link Between Video Games and Reading

It might feel counterintuitive—after all, aren’t we always fighting to pull kids away from screens? But under the right circumstances, the immersive worlds children explore in certain video games can actually lead to stronger literacy skills. The key is choosing the kinds of games that make reading a necessary and rewarding part of the gameplay itself.

Some of the most innovative games today embed reading directly into their narratives. These aren't the fast-twitch shooter games you might be imagining—these are story-rich adventures, mystery-solving quests, or even role-playing games where kids have to read to advance. In fact, research points to how video games can support vocabulary growth and comprehension when text is woven naturally into gameplay. You can read more about that here.

Games That Make Reading Part of the Adventure

Let me tell you about Mia, a 9-year-old with dyslexia whose mom was desperate for a new way to support her daughter’s reading. Mia struggled with chapter books and got anxious during classroom reading. But everything changed when she started playing a game called Ni no Kuni, a visually stunning role-playing game where understanding written clues, dialogue, and story progression was the only way to move forward.

Mia didn't even realize she was reading. She was too caught up in discovering magical creatures and figuring out enemy weaknesses. Her mom noticed a shift—not in the classroom, but when Mia started voluntarily looking up words and even journaling about her adventures. Through the game, she had found a purpose for reading.

Other games—like Wandersong, Professor Layton, and Animal Crossing—appeal to more than just fantasy lovers. These games encourage reading instructions, interpreting dialogue, and contextualizing stories. They're also generally free of fast, frustrating gameplay, making them well-suited for younger children or those with learning challenges.

Still uncertain? This article on how much games can help school skills dives deeper into the academic role games can play. Spoiler: it’s more than you might think.

When Kids Read Because They Want To

What’s powerful about these types of video games is that they make reading feel purposeful. Instead of it being another skill to practice, kids read because the game needs them to. That shift in motivation—from external to internal—can do wonders to rebuild confidence in struggling readers.

Imagine this motive applied to other parts of your child’s learning. That’s where certain tools can come in handy. For instance, the Skuli app—used by many parents who want to make learning feel personal—can turn written lessons into custom audio adventures where your child becomes the hero of the story. If your daughter’s name is Zoé, the story will talk to Zoé, not about her. It’s a gentle but powerful way to extend that same “reading with a purpose” mindset beyond gaming and into homework and class reviews.

Don’t Be Afraid to Rethink “Educational”

Many parents (myself included) grew up in a time when educational tools looked like flashcards and reading logs. We might feel a twinge of guilt when our kids want screen time before reading time. But what if, in the right setting, screen time is reading time?

Kids aged 6 to 12 are wired for stories. Whether it’s a bedtime fairy tale, a comic book, or the narrative of a video game, story is how many children connect to the world. By choosing games that rotate around character dialogue, quests, and cause-effect decisions, you're not just letting your child play—you’re inviting them into stories that require active, engaged reading.

Of course, balance remains essential. It's worth reflecting on how gaming can affect classroom focus, or why playing itself supports learning. But the shock many parents feel is not that video games are tolerable—it’s that, sometimes, they’re profoundly helpful.

Follow Their Curiosity

You don’t have to know every trending game to make a smart choice. Watch your child play. Ask what the character is doing, or read some dialogue lines together. If a game captures your child’s imagination enough that they forget they're reading, you’ve already won half the battle.

Reimagine reading time not as a chore, but as something to be discovered—line by line, quest by quest. Whether in a richly designed game or in an audio adventure tailored just for them, your child can find their path back to reading. Not through pressure. Through purpose.