Facts about baby laughter
When do babies learn to laugh?
Even in the womb, babies pull the corners of their mouths up – smiling is therefore innate. Even blind children, who have never seen a smile, use this expression to convey joy or recognition. As early as shortly after birth you can look forward to these special moments, even though at first it's not a deliberate movement but a reflex: the so-called angel smile. It often appears unconsciously in babies during sleep.
At five to eight weeks your baby mainly smiles when it recognizes your face and can distinguish it from others. Your baby, of course, knows you parents especially well. At the age of four to five months a real laugh and giggle emerge. Your baby laughs out of joy and from recognizing beloved things and people. In the following months you can make babies laugh by gently tickling them and making funny gestures – but that doesn't work with everyone, rather mainly with caregivers. Even now the little ones laugh intentionally and thus show how comfortable they feel. From around one year children begin to be proud of themselves and discover funny things in their environment – this often also leads to a delightful laugh.
Why is laughter important for babies?
The angel smile, that is the unconscious reflex in newborns, appears through gentle touches or during sleep. During this time new neurological connections are formed in your baby's brain – it unconsciously learns small movements. The sweet smile is therefore an important developmental step.
The same applies to the conscious smile after a few months. With a smile on their face, babies show that they are comfortable and that they are doing well. They also bond their caregivers to them and reward the trust you have shown. This also triggers the release of feel-good hormones in mothers and fathers. In later Developmental stages of your baby laughter is a sign that it is developing its own sense of humor.
Pure joy: With these tips you'll make your baby laugh
Once you've heard spontaneous, gurgling baby laughter, you can never get enough of it. The best and most effective way to make a baby laugh: Laugh yourself. That has the positive side effect that your own mood improves and sleepless nights and restless days quickly fade into oblivion. With the following tips you'll surely coax one or two smiles out of your baby – try them out right away!
Tickle sensitive spots: Under the arms, on the feet, or on the chubby rolls – a classic that always works.
Give kisses: Preferably with loud smooching noises and on the neck – that's what the little ones like best.
Toss into the air: If your baby is already big and strong enough, they'll enjoy the brief feeling of free fall.
Almost 'drop': The free-fall trick also works the other way around: pretend to let your little one fall.
Blow raspberries on the belly: The funny noises and ticklish sensation almost always cause loud gurgling.
Make funny noises: Lip popping, fart and smacking noises and the like go down especially well with babies. Babies also love fake sneezes.
Change your voice: The little ones love high or low voices, for example when singing or telling stories.
Play peekaboo: Hide behind a blanket and pop up again shouting 'peekaboo'.
Use hand puppets: Funny animals or characters that you move with your hands always provide great entertainment.
Let fingers stroll: Sing a children's song and let the index and middle fingers stroll over your baby's body.
Clap your hands: Show your baby how great you can clap.
Pull faces: Stick out your tongue, wide eyes, chatter your teeth – with funny facial expressions you'll occasionally elicit a sweet baby laugh.
Light rocking: Lay your baby on a mattress and sit beside them. Bounce lightly up and down to create a rocking motion; your baby will surely give you a smile.
Play chase: As soon as your baby crawls, they take great delight in crawling away and being chased by you.
Tickle with your hair: Long hair helps here, because little babies love being tickled with mom's or dad's hair.
Interesting facts about baby laughter
Smiling connects: Science assumes that the reflex smile of babies is a nonverbal bonding attempt of newborn children. By smiling at their caregivers, they express: "Stay with me".
Babies always smile honestly. At the earliest in preschool, children adopt a "diplomatic smile" to make contacts or handle conflict situations.
Laughter is healthy. It strengthens social cohesion, promotes blood circulation, releases endorphins and is an effective workout for the facial muscles. This already applies to the very young
Humans are the only species that can smile and laugh. Although primates also contort their mouths, that is usually more of a threatening gesture. Only human lip and facial muscles are anatomically shaped differently, making a pronounced laugh possible — and that already in the womb.
Laughing relaxes, banishes tiredness and strengthens the immune system. Children laugh about 300 times a day, most adults only manage 15 to 20 times. Simply put: If you make your baby laugh, it also boosts your own mood and health.
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Laughing baby sitting on a bed © gpointstudio - stock.adobe.com