Put books in children’s hands! Yes, read them but also let them turn the pages, point to things they recognize and sometimes skip pages. That’s OK. Board books are great for beginners. Like Little Minnesota by Kathy-jo Wagin and The Game of Finger Worms by Herve Tullet.
You can have a special place to read but it isn’t necessary. It will depend upon your little one and your own preferences. Like a bed when it’s time to go to sleep. Maybe there is always a story read by Grandma in the rocker when she visits. Furniture is great and the floor works tremendously well!
Remember to visit the library regularly. A favorite book can be read many, many, many times and sometimes a grownup needs a change. Libraries are great sources for new titles!
Sometimes the books end up hidden in a bed or sitting on the kitchen table. There could always be a few in the car or maybe one held under a chin like My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco.
Yes, my family is made up of readers but it didn’t happen automatically. We read signs as we drove down the interstate or walking through an airport. We would read the logo on appliances and our vehicles. I love to tell my children and now grandchildren that they learned a lot by accident. Every new word shared and every book read benefits all of us.