The best place for mom with little kids, especially preschoolers who stay home with me, I think the library is the best thing ever happen to kids (rich or poor), probably it means even more to the ordinary kids. It offers a window to the knowledge access, including free books ,audiobooks ,DVDs that you can borrow, the free stroy time that build all the little readers and memories too; the free diversity events that fit for different age groups that help the developments, also the special event for kids with special and different needs! It is a shelters for a really hot day with cool air conditioner or a cold day in the winter with heat, and mostly it provides us refreshments,and craft time, free online resaurces and classes!

It is mostly free which it is really great. And quite many libraries located in every areas if I don't mind traveling that I can filled my kid's day with all the activities.

No doubt , that is my favorite place!

My older son who is now 3 and half years old has finished his program "1000 books before kindergarten" , you know how much money I saved from buying all those pictures books, particularly the books is really expensive in USA! And he is a book worm naturally if you spent time together to read, but I myself like reading book, that play a role to build his reading habit. But also aware that, if father in the family is also reading story to kids, especially boys, that enlarge the impacts, typically at early ages, mother is primary care giver, we don't want to tell our boys ,reading is a feminine thing. Seeing his father reading books that is like setting a role model ,this positive image imprint in their brain. I would try encourage my husband to read not just to our boys, but for his own pleasure and growing, he answered:" reading is geeky, and girly." Not a big deal to cause any family fight, but father can impact huge on boys, take note!

I forgot one big context : don't feed your little kids with too much the screen time, TV, iPad, these are such tatsy and easy treat, and the kids got instant gratification from the moving talking colorful pictures , is hard to tune they attention into books, all is about measurement, nothing is only harm, but depanding  how we use ? As to little kids, they are still developing their controlling ability, it is very hard for they to resist the screen time, therefore, parents really need to set a appropriate rule and be consistent with it.

Let's go back to "library ", I was been carried away again, every time come cross how to raise a young reader. There are plenty of methods and blog posts about what books to choose,blah, blah,blah! Most of that are good advices, but like I said, too many source, you really need to be more wise to listen to what is really helpful to your little kids, and you must be the filter to all these raw materials or noises.

One or two notes I would think more important then the content of a book, that is : regardless how good or bad rating some books are by some experts, if the story teller---you, don't  enjoy it at all, forget it, bypass it, that is nothing wrong, your little kids reading more from your tone other than your words;;; and also try to read the book as fun and play, don't read flat out the words, it's more emphasis that how well you engaged in the reading time with your kids, not necessarily be an expert story teller, that would fulfill the needs to raise a young reader, but your efforts in story telling ,make it fun and interactive it works better， basically! 

Take your kids to library, as often as could be, let other older readers show they reading is a something good and important in life, they absorb these information and signals, often it does more that you just push him to read.

I may need to share some particular books that my boys crazy about , but mostly these books are also enjoyable to me.

And don't be frustrated if your kids turn away from books, be consistent and encourage, and look farther, you are planting the seed, your impact is one of the element to help grow the fruit, being patient and reasonable expectation, and most of all, don't make a big deal of it, your anxiety are mostly poison to these seeds.

The library is a chance , mostly likely every kids access to the knowledge equally, rich or poor, remember that, count the time you spend on your kids as cash too, it counts.

Whenever possible you can make time , library or book store is a good place for little kids