There is not much else sweeter in the world than the sound of baby’s laughter. It is enough to warm our hearts in any situation. However, people are not born to have the skill of laugh… The first thing everyone learned after birth is crying… A baby will flash their first real smile at around 6-12 weeks old, and when they reach three and half months or so, you’ll hear the blissful sound of their laughter.
If you’re trying to coax this out of them, here are some fun tips for how to make a baby laugh. Trying some of these will help you discover how to make a baby laugh, but don’t overstimulate the baby, as it will impact on adjusting the baby's emotional processes.
1. Pretend You’re an Animal
If you start making funny noises, your baby will probably think you’re silly and funny. You can bark like a dog, meow like a cat, bounce around the room like a chimp, or staring mooing like a cow. Your baby will love you for it; maybe they will even try to mimic your sounds!
2. Peek-A-Boo
For a baby, what they cannot see does not exist. Therefore, hiding your face behind your hands and then revealing yourself while enthusiastically proclaiming “peek-a-boo!” will excite your baby to no end.
3. Tickling
Being tickled is a classic way to get anyone to laugh, especially a baby. Tickle their bellies, necks, feet with gentle fingers. Rename your pointer finger as The Tickle Monster, so your baby knows what’s coming and they’ll probably laugh before you even touch them! You can also try tickling your baby using a feather (which you should freeze overnight to kill any bacteria), a cotton ball, or a tissue.
4. Sing and Dance
Your baby loves you and everything that you do. Prop your baby up in front of a mirror while singing a fun song and dancing with them. Hold their hands and make them dance with you, show them how impressed you are with their moves, spin them around, lift them up high, hug them in close and keep moving.
5. Eskimo Kisses
An Eskimo Kiss is when you rub the tip of your nose with your baby’s nose. This is such a sweet bonding activity that is likely to make your little one burst with glee.
6. Blow Your Nose
It sounds absolutely ridiculous, but if you can manage a honking sound out of your schnozzle, then grab a tissue and fire it up, because this is how to make a baby laugh. Who doesn’t love a silly “honk, honk” coming straight out of the face of the one you love the most? If you can’t make that sound, then give your baby a big, dramatic sneeze. Build it up with the, “aah, aaaah, aaaaaaaaah!” and then let out a huge “ah-choooooo!” It works every time. Your baby will think you are a comedic genius.
7. Gobble Your Baby Up
Most babies get a real kick out of their parents’ trying to eat them. Put their toes in your mouth and make some silly “nom, nom, nom” sounds, then move up to their irresistible chubby thighs, bellies, necks, cheeks. Of course don’t use your teeth! Baby will love it.
8. Where’s Baby?
Playing this fun game of hide-and-seek is how to make a baby laugh. Sit right next to your baby, and ask yourself out loud where he or she is. Pretend like you can’t see them at all, frantically look about in search of your honey pie, and when you finally “find” your baby, give big gasp in total shock.
9. Whisper Secrets
Your baby wants to know everything about you, because you are the most interesting thing in the world to them. So tell your baby all your secrets. Even if you’re just speaking in gibberish, or saying “googoo, gaga,” when you whisper in your baby’s ear, they’ll be so tickled by just the sensation of air blowing into their ears and they’re sure to chuckle.
10. Play Chase
If your little ball of fun is already on the move, even if they are only crawling a bit, you can engage in a playful and exciting chase! Get down to your baby’s level and tell them, “I’m going to get you!” and crawl up to catch them! You’ll win every time, and baby definitely wants to be caught, but how thrilling the chase is for them. Any chance you have to get your baby riled up with delight like this will definitely bring the laughter out of them.
11. Stinky Feet
When your baby is lying down in front of you, take their precious little feet in your hands and take a big whiff of them. Scrunch your face up and shout “phew! Stinky feet!” Repeat over and over until your baby is overcome with laughter, because surely they will be!
12. Take ‘em for a Ride
On a horse, of course! The horse that is your knee! Bounce your baby up and down, you can even make some horse-y sounds, say “giddy up!” and keep bouncing until they nearly burst with glee. Slow down and stop, pretend that you are very tired, and then suddenly get to bouncing again. Your baby will never want to stop!
13. Raspberries
Anyone who knows babies will tell you that blowing raspberries is a surefire answer for how to make a baby laugh. These hilarious fart sounds, otherwise known as “zerbits” or belly bubbles, raspberries sound funny and feel funny for a baby. Blow raspberries on your baby’s belly, or on their back or side, on their thighs, or anywhere you can find enough surface area to let it loose and you’ll both be cracking up in no time!
14. Wear a Silly Hat
It doesn’t even have to be a hat, it could be anything: a pot from the kitchen, a laundry basket, a handbag, a towel, anything that would look funny on your head. Your baby is smart enough to know you’re joking around and will likely get a huge kick out of it!
15. Put on a Show
General clowning around is what you need to do to get your baby to laugh. Make a big fuss over everything, even if it’s just picking something up that you dropped. Carry on like you are performing a show for your baby and they’ll find so much delight in everything you do.