How To Make A Baby Laugh?
Few can resist a child’s tender smile, especially mothers. That’s why we are all always trying to make a baby laugh.
According to studies, children can laugh 300 times a day, on average, up to 6 years of age. What is the motive behind this behavior?
Why do babies smile?
An article in Consensus magazine states that “laughter is a manifestation of the state of pleasure in babies, […] produced by playful situations, such as tickling”. However, although babies already smile inside their mother’s womb, that doesn’t mean they’ve developed a sense of humor or laughter.
In fact, little is known about how babies select stimuli to perceive mood. For example, it was found in research that babies of all ages in the study group smiled, regardless of the affection shown by their parents.
However, after 5 months of age, paternal stimulation influenced the babies’ affection, and this emotion intensified after 7 months. That is, when parents tried to make the baby laugh, they were more likely to do so.
The development of humor and laughter in the baby
In the book P rogram to improve a sense of humour: Because Life with Good Humor is Worth It, Begoña García gives a brief account of the development of humor in babies by age, which I share below:
First month
Babies smile in their sleep. Likewise, they smile in response to stimuli such as touching and soft sounds while being rocked.
second month
The baby gives signals to external stimuli and smiles in response to human faces.
third and fourth month
At this stage, the baby has mastered the art of “talking with smiles” and laughter appears, either through stimuli or playing with them.
sixth month
The selectivity of babies increases. The amount of smiles your baby has will depend on the level of trust he or she has with each person. According to some experts, it is necessary to deepen the topic of laughter in babies.
However, what is known is that laughter in babies is part of their social development as an important means of communication and an indicator of well-being.
Now that we know a little about the development of humor and laughter in little ones, it will be easier to figure out how to make a baby laugh.
How to make a baby laugh?
If he’s your child, you don’t have to worry, his first smile is usually dedicated to his mother. But if you need more advanced techniques to get a beautiful smile, here are some tips to make your baby laugh.
1. The tickle
Tickling is one of the simplest techniques for making a baby laugh. This is because touch is the baby’s first sensory perception. This effect is natural because certain physical points on the nerves are activated through physical contact.
Also, the baby’s skin is very soft and sensitive. Therefore, tickling easily produces a response in the baby, making him smile.
2. A nice shower
Babies relax in a comfortable environment. You should enjoy these moments, because he ‘s more likely to smile while he’s calm. A good example occurs during the shower.
If you’ve ever had small children, you should know that children love water so much that they don’t want to get out of the bathtub! And they’ve been used to the aquatic environment since they were conceived. So play with it and you will see that both your child and you will have fun like never before.
3. Toys and teddy bears
For babies everything is new and fantastic. For that reason, moving the teddy bears as if they had life and making them talk is a lot of fun. It doesn’t matter if you say nonsense. Therefore, making nonsense is valid in trying to get a smile from your little one.
4. Cucu!
Cucu is a very simple game that, in addition to entertaining the baby, helps in their intellectual development. Generally, 8 month old babies can play this game. All you have to do is hide your face behind your hands and let him find you.
After a few seconds, discover your face and make a funny gesture or say “Cucu!”. He will be surprised and start laughing. Although it sounds like a silly game, it helps your baby learn about object permanence.
It also allows distinguishing various emotional expressions, developing motor skills, among other benefits. This game also works by hiding objects behind fabrics or pillows.
5. funny faces
From birth, the baby learns to read the faces of his father and mother. Furthermore, it becomes your mirror, as in a mime game. For that reason, another basic trick to make a baby laugh is flirting looks or making funny faces.
It can be difficult, but try to get within 20 or 40 centimeters of your face. Give a big smile and play! This exercise will allow the child to recognize the different meanings of the gestures and will also serve as a means of expressing body language.
In conclusion, laughter and smiles are the great gateway to a baby’s social and emotional development. We hope that you have a lot of fun with these tricks and, most importantly, that your relationship will be strengthened.
