Let the kid hold the book. Let the kid turn the pages. Let the kid "read" to you — even if they're making it up from the pictures (which, for pre-readers, is exactly what they should be doing).

Inverting the power dynamic changes everything. When you read to your kid, reading is something adults do for children. When your kid reads to you, reading is something they own. The shift from passive recipient to active performer changes how a child thinks about themselves as a reader.

For pre-readers: "reading" the pictures is a real pre-literacy skill called "emergent reading" and researchers consider it a critical developmental step. For early readers: reading aloud to a parent builds fluency and confidence. For older kids: reading a favorite passage aloud practices expression and sharing something they love.