Start reading aloud to your child early. Just because they cannot talk yet doesn't mean that they won't like a good story. (And don't stop when they learn to read by themselves; read them the books that they cannot handle alone.) Make reading a part of the regular family routine. Bedtime stories, morning newspapers and weekly library visits should be indispensable parts of a balanced life. Show that reading is a useful skill. Toy assembly instructions, cake recipes and shopping lists provide practical reading experience with obvious rewards. Pity the child who thinks of reading as a dreary academic exercise that has no real benefit in day-to-day life.