The home literacy environment (HLE) provided to very young children was examined. A parent with a child under 19 months of age (N = 262) completed a series of checklists and surveys designed to assess literacy experiences and opportunities within the home. In general, children were exposed to a wide range of literacy activities and experiences, but many had relatively little literacy exposure. Shared reading was the most common literacy activity. Activities specifically intended to teach literacy knowledge or skill were in place for many children. Children were much more likely to see mothers engaged in literacy activities than fathers. The implications of these findings for conceptualising the HLE and designing HLE interventions are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)