Positive early experiences with books help children associate reading with closeness, curiosity, and pleasure. That emotional foundation matters long before a child can read independently.
Let children choose familiar favourites, talk about the pictures, make predictions, and join in with repeated lines. It is perfectly fine to read the same story many times. Repetition builds vocabulary, memory, confidence, and understanding.
Keep books within reach and weave print into ordinary life: notice signs, make shopping lists, write family names, and leave little notes. When children see reading and writing used with purpose, they begin to see themselves as readers and writers too.