A scroll through google scholar seems to show it has no positive benefits. For instance, the abstract at <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;archpedi.jamanetwork.com&#x2F;article.aspx?articleID=1360889" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;archpedi.jamanetwork.com&#x2F;article.aspx?articleID=13608...</a> gave kids reading lessons &quot;delivered at 4, 12, 18, and 42 months&quot; and concluded that it &quot;provided neither the anticipated benefits to literacy and language nor enhanced uptake of literacy activities at 4 years of age, even when targeted to relatively disadvantaged areas.&quot;<p>Everything seems to show little to no effect, but as far as I can tell it&#x27;s not inherently a bad thing to do. Kids just happen to learn to read at about the time they&#x27;re intellectually ready for it.