Smiling and laughing are some of the expressions that kids learn from their surroundings when they are wee little. As they grow, they tend to giggle and laugh at unbelievable things; sometimes, the mention of a word will crack them up, or an action will have them rolling on the floor laughing. But there comes a time when kids don’t find the same things funny and making them laugh is no joke. That might be a concern for many parents because exposure to other aspects of life could birth issues like separation anxiety in preschoolers. A good laugh can help diffuse stress and elevate their spirits. So, how can you make your kiddo giggle and laugh? Give these a try and let us know what you think.
Fun Activities To Make Your Preschooler Giggle and Laugh
Like we said, making a preschooler laugh and giggle is no cakewalk. You will need to keep your eyes and ears open for every opportunity to lighten the mood. Here are a few ways to do just that.
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1. Crack Jokes
This is one of the simplest ways to go about it, but it can be super effective if you crack the right joke at the right time. So, time something like ‘What has two legs but can’t walk?’ while helping your kid dress up, or ‘What kind of key opens a banana?’ while eating a banana, of course. Keep a straight face while you patiently wait for your little one’s replies and give clues if needed. The answers, you ask? They are ‘A pair of pants’ and ‘A mon-key’.
2. Tickle Away
The funny thing about tickling is that it sometimes works before it happens. When you become the tickle monster and approach your child, they will know what’s coming their way and prepare to roll with laughter.
3. Movie Time!
Have a vast collection of funny movies ready for you to access when your kid needs a good laugh. Try to go for the best from each decade like Honey I Shrunk The Kids, Home Alone, Mrs Doubtfire, Shrek, The Muppets, Elf, Up, Boss Baby, Zootopia, Despicable Me, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, etc.
4. Use Funny Words and Sounds
Nothing beats funny words when they are slid into a usual conversation unexpectedly. For example, ‘That puzzle had me bumfuzzled!’ and ‘I love you, schmoopsie-poo!’. The other times, you can choose a word, say it in a hundred different ways and get it wrong each time. If you’re running short on ideas, experiment with sounds, accents and rhymes; try imitating an animated character your little one likes or speak Minionese, a combination of different languages + gibberish. It works, underwear.
5. Play A Prank
This is a tricky one, and you need to ensure the pranks you play are harmless because your kiddo could return the favour. Try pranks like pretending to freeze, sleeping suddenly while talking, or wearing a fake moustache and pretending you don’t know about it. These will get your kid cracking right away. You can also freeze a bowl of cereal overnight and serve it to your kid for breakfast, or wrap grapes in colourful foil and offer them ‘candies’ in a beautiful bowl. Food pranks can be harmless, too. If you want to level it up a notch, fill a closet with colourful balloons and ask your little one to get something from it to add an element of surprise to your pranks.
6. Magic Tricks
Oh, you don’t know any magic tricks? No problem! The best part about being a novice magician is that your child will laugh more at the goof-ups than the actual magic trick. Let’s say you’re doing the thumb removal trick, and your child can see that you’re moving a different thumb or while playing the vanishing trick, your feet are clearly seen, and your preschooler can figure out that you’re running away while the sheet is still in the air. Their observation will induce a good laugh and also open up communication between the two of you. Look up as many tricks as you can and aim to be the worst magician for a while. Then one day, maybe when your munchkin turns five, blow their mind away with a super-duper magic trick!
Preschoolers may not react to funny faces anymore, but there is no harm in making some while you’re trying the suggestions we’ve made above. We’d be happy to know if these worked for you. Comment below or share videos of you making your preschooler laugh and tag @firstcryintelli on Instagram.
