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How to Make a Baby Laugh? 19 Ideas to try out

Laughing baby

One of the most beautiful sounds in the world is a baby’s laughter. No one can resist a baby’s laughter, no matter if the baby is yours or not, it will make your heart warm. It feels like their laughter has some sort of refreshing feeling, and no matter how sad you feel, it will make you forget all the pain.

The question is, if we like their laughter so much, isn’t there any way to make babies laugh more often? The answer is that there are ways to make a baby laugh, and also, their laughter sometimes has a meaning.

So, when and why babies usually laugh?

The first time you see your baby laughing will be when he/she is around 4 months old. At this age, they will literarily laugh as a response to anything they find interesting. 

Babies will laugh even when no one around them is laughing, they do it independently. In a way, with their smile, it is like they want your attention.

Because laughter is not only good for you but also your baby’s health, you should always find ways to make them laugh.

What are the ways to make a baby laugh?

You can make a baby smile through simple games, which can also help the baby to develop emotional, cognitive, and social skills.

  1. Try blowing raspberries. Very gently blow on your baby’s feet, skin, or stomach and see what’s their reaction. Usually, this makes them giggle, especially when it is accompanied by some funny sound.

2. Try gentle bites. Gently nibble on your baby’s feet or hand. Usually, they find this ridiculous.

3. Try chasing the baby. This one is when the baby starts crawling, and you can pretend you are an animal that tries to catch them.

4. The good old peek-a-boo. Babies love this game because of the elements of surprise and suspense. The moment they see you coming out from behind the blanket of some object, they will burst into laughter.

5. Try physical games. Games that include touching is very useful for bonding with your newborn. Games you can play are “steal your nose,” and for sure, you will get them curious and laughing.

6. Play little piggy. You can use your baby’s toes to play this game. You play this game by touching each of the toes, starting from the thumb, and tell the baby, “the big toe went to the market”” once you get to the little toe, you say, “the little toe says heee heee” this usually makes the babies laugh.

7. Try horse riding. Take your baby and sit him/her on your knees and move the baby up and down as if they are riding a real horse. You can also try making a horse galloping sound. This will probably make your leg hurt, but when you see your baby laughing, you will forget about the pain.

8. Try tickling. Now, this is a sure way to make your baby laugh. You can try tickling them on the stomach, feet, or armpits. This usually works for babies older than 3 months.

9. Make funny faces. Funny faces include making bunny teeth, sticking your tongue out, using your hands to make figures, and using a humorous tone while talking. You can make your bay laugh by dancing and singing funnily.

10. Use the baby’s siblings. If your baby has siblings, ask them to make some funny faces or noises in front of the baby. This is one of the best ways for both of the kids to bond and share some laughs.

11. Goof around. Babies love to laugh when they see you jump on the couch, fall on the floor, accidentally on purpose hitting something, or tossing things in the room.

12. Sometimes animals are the way to go. Babies get fascinated by the sounds, the movements, and the appearance of the animals. Animals are completely different from humans, and even the simplest things they do can make your baby laugh.

13. Try giggling. It is true when they say that laughter is contagious. When you giggle or laugh, the chances that your baby will start giggle with you are big.

14. Try singing. Singing is also one of the best ways to make a baby laugh. You can add some random funny faces or do a funny thing with your hands while you sing. This should steal some giggles from your baby.

15. Try showing some random object to your baby. The objects should be some of the baby’s toys which he/she can grab. First, introduce the toy to your baby, let him/her touch it, and examine it.

16. After some time, take the toy and cover it with some cloth or blanket. Then, pull the cover off and smile at your baby. The re-appearance of the toy will make your baby giggle.

17. Try the Eskimo kisses. This type of kiss evolves, rubbing your nose against your baby’s nose.

18. Try bed bouncing. Lay the baby on their back and gently shake the bed in such a manner that it will make the baby bounce up and down. The motion will make them giggle.

19. Try pretending to hurt yourself. First of all, be careful when you do this so that you won’t hurt yourself. You can try accidentally bump your head into a wall or accidentally trip on the carpet. This should make the baby giggle.

One will ask what laughing means for the baby?

Laughing is an indicator of the baby’s emotional, social, and cognitive skills, and that is why it is an important milestone. Laughing evolves as the baby grows, just like all the other basic activities that reflect on their development.

Even when a baby laughs for no apparent reason, it still indicates that the baby is developing. Not to mention that the baby’s laughter is a stress-relief for the parent. So, you see, it is beneficial for both the baby and the parent. It is a perfect bonding mechanism.

While you try the tricks from above, make sure you are being natural and release the child in you. Just have fun and enjoy the moments.

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