There is no better sound than that of a “baby cackle”. A belly laugh from a child can keep me smiling all day long. Laughter is as good for children as it is for us grown-ups, and there are even some benefits to laughter that may surprise you.

Laughter boosts memory and gets kids socializing:

Have you ever wondered why you remember events from long ago that made you laugh? It’s because humor helped you recall the moment. Edutopia says, “ Neuroscience research reveals that humor systematically activates the brain’s dopamine reward system…” thereby making us remember specific moments that made us chuckle. If you want to help your kiddo study for that next geography test, come up with some funny mnemonics to help remember word meaning or spelling. In addition to memory boosting, humorous situations are inherently social, which benefits our children immensely. All humans lower their defenses to join in on happy situations. As long as the humor is light and well-meaning, participants feel welcome and included.

Laughter boosts immune systems and increases oxygen flow:

Laughter can help kids fight off sickness. Doctors have proven that negative emotions weaken the immune system. Child website mentions, “According to Dr. Lee Berk from Loma Linda University in California, laughter helps to increase the count of natural-killer cells and raises the antibody levels in the body.” Therefore, get those knock-knock jokes rolling to fight off the next round of viruses that hits your school. Gaiam website explains, “When you laugh, you activate T-cells that immediately begin to help you fight off sickness.” By simply laughing, we are giving ourselves and our children a better chance at being healthy throughout the year. 

 

Ways to increase your child’s laughter

Michigan State University has broken laughter tips down by age. Keep reading for ways to inspire joy in your children.

The first year: Do something out of the ordinary such as a silly face, a silly voice, or peek-a-boo. Researchers at Michigan State University say that babies this young get a kick out of and can recognize behavior that is silly. The first year belly laughs are priceless, so get silly often.

Toddler years: During these years, children love books and pictures that depict humorous scenes. One of our favorite funny books is, Don’t Take Your Snake for a Stroll by Karin Ireland. Playing games, mimicking funny faces, and picture books are effective in getting your toddlers laughing.

Elementary years: Kids in school are so funny. They like to retell stories of the playground and the fun they have with their friends. My kids love when I tell them the silly things they used to do and say when they were younger. Like when my middle kiddo thought thunder was an actual tiger roaring outside of our house, or when my daughter mistook my mention of seeing a really cool Jaguar (car) on the road. (She thought it was an actual jaguar. Can you tell we have a zoo close to us?) or when my oldest was caught mimicking my body language in his high chair. These soon became inside jokes, and we laugh each time these stories are told. 

Middle-High School years: Upper middle and high school kids are hilarious. They make me laugh hourly by what they say and do. Getting them to laugh in the middle of their adolescent storm is a task I take head-on. I read long ago about the benefits of humor in the classroom, so each day, my students come in my room and a meme is waiting for them on the board. It can be a struggle to find the perfect “dad joke” to start their day, but I find the more cringe-worthy, the better. If they are groaning from a bad joke, they are smiling while they do it. It gets them out of their “too cool” vibe and allows them to let down their guard.

Overall, one of the best ways to get humor in your children’s lives is to model it. Laugh often, make jokes, smile more, find funny in the areas of life that are hilarious. A situation where the person driving ten under the speed limit in front of you can be a funny one if you let it. Tripping in front of an entire stadium of football fans can be a laughter opportunity for not only the spectators, but you as well. (Trust me on this one. It happened last Sunday.)

There are countless areas of life where humor is lurking. Look for those, and get your family laughing.