Capitalize on every quiet moment you can with your active toddler or preschooler. If she's ready for a story, be prepared to drop what you're doing and respond. But don't force a child to sit and listen when she's scrambling off your lap. Don't turn reading aloud into a battle of wills. Five or six minutes of quiet reading may be the maximum in the beginning.
Some children listen best when they're in a high chair or while strapped in their car seat.
As your child's attention span increases and her interests mature, you can stretch this time. Be prepared, however, to listen to as many stories at bedtime as you are willing to read. At kindergarten, plan to spend a minimum of 20 minutes daily reading aloud to your child. At 1st grade, stretch the time to 30 minutes, and once your child is beginning to read on her own, use some of the time to listen to her read. You can also engage in shared reading in which you take turns reading from a book.