Before speaking, crawling, walking or any other milestones in their infancy, babies start learning to laugh. At various stages in their infancy, they start to procure different skills to interact with the bizarre world they’ve found themselves in. Their first chuckles start to emerge when they are around 3 months old, opening up their opportunities for two-way social communication.
As a parent, we’re sure you seek to be the primary beacon of your child’s growth. Laughing together is the best way to connect with your baby, and your sense of humour would be essential in assisting with their cognitive development and healthy personality.
Wondering how you can start out your baby or toddler’s life with much exuberance and joy? It’s safe to say we as grown ups already have the natural skills to interact with babies to elicit their precious laughter. When we’re asking how to do something, what we’re really asking is why. When we understand the why behind things, it helps us achieve the results better.
Babies don't actually understand humour, but they are very responsive to surprises and anything that is out of the ordinary. So we at our Tampines childcare centre, Genesis Childcare 1989, have come up with an intimate list of the hows and whys of ways to make babies laugh!
Peek-a-boo!
Cliche as it may sound, research has shown that the most effective way to make a baby laugh that was held consistent throughout every culture is to play peek-a-boo with them.
At the very early stage where they are developing a sense of objective permanence, babies actually do think you are disappearing and reappearing when you play peek-a-boo, and that to them, is wildly amusing.
Making funny faces!
Babies instinctively recognise expressions from the get go rather than having it be something they develop, they make the most absurd expressions themselves after all. So they do recognise it when an expression is out of the norm and perplexing. All kinds of funny faces can lead to a baby’s chuckles.
Don’t limit yourself to just sticking out tongues and bloating cheeks, being creative and using paraphernalias will boost the silliness factor. Try putting diapers on your head, or putting straws in your nose, for example!
Tickling!
If all else fails, try cheating with tickling! The laughter may only be a physiological response to a stimulus, but it helps nonetheless with providing happy chemicals for your baby’s little brain. However, be gentle, subtle and strategic!
It is important to not go overboard with this, so try to use tickling as a tease rather than using it as the main method to get them to laugh.
Unusual sounds!
Babies are processing the world with the auditory sense very passively, they’re starting to get accustomed to the sound of human speech and the natural environment. When you suddenly change your voice to a high to low glide while speaking to them, that’s unusual to them and they will find it silly!
Sounds like burping, slurping, kissing, pops and squeaks are sounds that don’t occur very too often and will always catch their attention. Of course, not everything is going to work all the time, so try changing it up with varieties.
Blowing raspberries!
A combination of the previous two sensations above, the fool-proof giggle-trigger. The louder the better. The blurting farty noise is one of the most ridiculous and conspicuous sounds they can come across.
In fact, babies themselves love blowing raspberries! They receive the tickling feeling from their lips vibrating and that makes them want to continue.
Your laughter!
Laughter is contagious! Babies imitate you out of their curious reciprocity and are empathetic towards you yourself having a good time. They are most susceptible to your fun emotional energy. So if anything, if all else fails, that’s because you have to be enjoying the humor and playfulness yourself to let them have a happy foundation!
Now we don’t have any tips on this bit, because we’re sure it’s not very difficult to laugh and smile in the presence of the bundle of hilarity your baby has to offer!
Leave it to the experts of making babies laugh!
If you’re looking for infant care in Tampines or anywhere in the east of Singapore, our staff at Nurture Infant House has more than their share of willies in being the entertainers and caretakers for little bundles of joy.
With over 30 years of specialised experience, we have nurtured thousands of infants, toddlers and preschoolers alike.
For toddlers and older children looking for a preschool, you can also take a look at Genesis Childcare 1989, our playgroup and kindergarten, also located nearby in the east of Tampines.
Feel free to book an appointment through WhatsApp, or visit us at the following venues:
Genesis Childcare 1989 (Tampines)
Blk 433, Tampines Street 43, #01-63 (S) 520433
Tel: +65 9666 4141
Genesis Childcare 1989 (Taman Jurong)
Blk 153, Yung Ho Road, #01-41 (S) 610153
Tel: +65 9666 4141
Nurture Infant House (Tampines)
(2 to 18 months Infants)
Blk 433, Tampines Street 43, #01-61 (S) 520433
Tel: +65 9666 4141