Babies

Cuddle with your child to create a bond and a positive association with reading. Hold baby in your lap, with a good view of the pictures.
Expect your baby to explore books with her mouth - this is how babies learn and interact with their world. You can offer your child a toy to hold and chew as you turn the pages of the book.
Point to pictures and name what you see; talk about what's on the page.
Ask your baby questions about what you see on the page and respond to the noises your baby makes. These "conversations" lay the foundation for language.
Stop when your baby becomes fussy or bored.
Keep books close at hand - in the car, in the diaper bag - to share books anytime, anywhere.

Toddlers

Set aside a special time every day for you and your child to read together. But don't restrict reading to just this time!
Read slowly and with lots of expression in your voice; vary your voice for different characters and events.
Repeat rhymes, words and phrases.
Repeat books if this is what your toddler wants - repetition is essential for learning. Allow her to choose what book she'd like to read.
Also choose books that YOU like. Your enjoyment and enthusiasm will "rub off" on your child.
Talk about the pictures; ask questions that cannot be answered with a yes or no answer - for example, "what is the bear doing?" "What do you think will happen next?" This conversational style of reading, called dialogic reading, makes your child an active participant and helps with comprehension.
Make reading an interactive experience; allow your child to turn pages, make sounds, ask questions, and point to pictures.
Relate the story to your child's own experience. For example: "Have you ever felt scared like Corduroy felt?"
Don't feel you need to read a book cover to cover - simply talking about what you see in a way that holds your child's interest is enough.

Read the title and the author of the book when starting a story.
Allow your child to make choices about what he or she would like to read. At this age, interests are becoming clear.
Point to words as you read them, so that your preschooler sees that print has meaning.
Pause in the middle of familiar lines in a favourite book to allow your preschooler to fill in the right word.
Ask questions about the story and talk about it afterward.
Talk about the pictures and how they give clues about the story.
Make predictions together about what will happen in the story.
Have fun! Make reading a rewarding, favourite part of the day, rather than a chore