How to use humor with children
Kids love to laugh and humor is a great way to reach them on their level. Try these ideas to build better relationships with your children using humor.
Know Your Audience
Children have different levels of understanding and maturity. What’s funny to a teenager might not be funny to a toddler. Tailor your humor to the child’s age and comprehension level.
Avoid Sarcasm
Young children often take things literally and might not understand sarcasm. It’s best to avoid it to prevent confusion or unintentional hurt feelings.
Use Playful Teasing Sparingly
While light teasing can be fun, it’s essential to ensure it doesn’t cross the line into making the child feel bad or insecure.
Physical Humor
Younger children, especially toddlers, often enjoy physical humor like funny faces, tickling, or playful gestures.
Storytelling
Making up funny stories or adding humorous twists to familiar tales can be a great way to engage children and make them laugh.
Use Everyday Situations
Find humor in daily routines or situations. For example, making funny noises when brushing teeth or creating a silly song about putting on shoes.
Encourage Their Humor
Children love to make others laugh. Encourage them to share their jokes or funny stories. Even if it’s not genuinely funny to you, laugh along and appreciate their effort.
Model Positive Humor
Children learn by observing. Use humor in a positive, kindhearted way, and they’re likely to do the same.
Avoid Inappropriate Humor
Steer clear of jokes or comments that might be inappropriate for children, whether it’s due to content or language.
Use Humor to Diffuse Tension
If there’s a tense situation or a disagreement, sometimes a bit of humor can lighten the mood and make it easier to move forward.
Teach the Difference
As children grow, teach them the difference between humor that uplifts and humor that puts others down. Encourage the former and explain why the latter can be hurtful.
Be Genuine
Children are excellent at picking up on insincerity. If you’re trying to be funny, make sure it comes from a genuine place of wanting to share a laugh, not just to manipulate or distract.