I had a toddler and a new baby, so snuggling up on the sofa with a book while feeding the baby was a good. At the time Look and Say was all the rage "Teach Your Baby to Read" was a best-seller.
Looking at a library book together, first few times read the story, by the end of the week he just about had it by heart. Then point to a word on the page 'that says Daddy, can you find another that says daddy?' As this went down well I made some cards with words that he had learnt on, mostly names, and we played a game where we competed to win the cards. We spread them on the table, he could turn one over and 'guess' what it said, if he was right he took the card, if not they were shuffled around and I had to guess without turning. We also played this with a picture book (Ladybird book) that had a word on one page and picture opposite. One of us put a piece of card in (big enough to hide the picture), the other guessed the word, he could see the word and then check with the picture, I kept the book shut, each time we got one right we won a brick to build the highest tower.
You can buy picture lotto games with a pictue and a word under it, word on one side of the tile, picture on the other. This can be played as a game of chance, but also as a matching game, noticing the shape of the words.

This went well for a time, but after about 20 words he lost interest so we stopped. Then later we did phonics which was more successful.
The good old-fashioned games like 'I spy with my little eye, something begginning with --'. You can play this anywhere, on the way to the shops etc.

By the time 3rd child came along the others were at school, I had learnt to drive, so we spent more time on things like trips to the swimming pool. Still plenty of books stories and rhymes, but less emphasis

I almost think it doesn't matter what you teach children, as long as they learn to learn.