Free educational materials for children aged 4–9+, based on the Dutch AVI reading method — adapted for the Romanian language.
ExploraTory is dedicated to children who want to learn to read Romanian. All materials are created in Romanian because they are designed specifically for children learning the Romanian language. We believe that great educational resources should be available to every child — which is why everything is completely free.
ExploraTory is a free educational platform created by Ioana Bour, a Romanian mother who moved to the Netherlands on a scholarship to pursue her Master's degree. After discovering the extraordinary learning methods in Dutch schools, she decided to adapt them for Romanian children.
Romania has one of the highest rates of functional illiteracy in the European Union. Children can read letters — but they don't understand what they read. ExploraTory is the answer: clear, progressive, free materials that make reading a joy, not a chore.
The AVI system (Analyse van Individualiseringsvormen) has been the national Dutch reading standard since 1972, used in nearly all Dutch primary schools. Its core principle: match the book to the reader — not the other way around.
ExploraTory adapts this 50-year-old research into 6 clear levels for Romanian children:
Ages 4–5 · First letters & short words
Ages 5–6 · 3–5 word sentences
Ages 6–7 · Simple stories
Ages 7–8 · 40–60 words/min
Ages 8–9 · 70–90 words/min
Ages 9+ · Independent reader
All materials are completely free and always will be. We believe quality education should not depend on financial circumstances.
"Education opened so many doors for me. I want other children to have the same chance: to believe in themselves, to learn with joy, and to discover they can go anywhere they want."
ExploraTory is for Romanian-speaking children aged 4–9+ who are learning to read Romanian — whether they live in Romania, the Netherlands, or anywhere in the world. It is also for parents who want to support their children's reading journey at home, using methods proven to work in one of Europe's best education systems.
The materials are in Romanian because Romanian phonics, vocabulary and sentence structure require language-specific materials. A Dutch child learning Dutch needs Dutch books — and a Romanian child learning Romanian needs Romanian books, at exactly the right level.