Babies love to laugh, because laughter is a new sound for them. Playing, singing, and tickling your baby are all great ways to make him laugh. These games will also help your baby develop some early cognitive skills. Making a baby laugh is easy with a few simple games and can be a useful distraction for new parents who have to deal with a fussy child.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Using Simple Games to Make Your Baby Happy
Step 1. Play something absurd
A 9 month old baby can notice silly things.
- For example, if you put the frying pan over your head, your child will notice that this is odd and may find it funny.
- Make funny facial expressions. Do this by widening your eyes and pulling your lips or sticking out your tongue. Your child will find it silly and funny.
- A 6 year old baby will find this really funny, because anything silly or unusual will look cute in their eyes. Try making different sounds to see what your baby finds cute.
- If you want your baby to keep laughing, change your facial expression.
- Laugh back in response.
Step 2. Make funny gestures
You can do things like dance, clap, or other gestures to make your baby laugh.
- Use hand puppets. Your baby will giggle if you dance and make the hand puppet sing to him.
- Funny hand gestures are unusual, and your baby will notice them. He thought this was funny because he didn't think it would happen.
Step 3. Try making funny sounds or singing songs
Babies love to hear unusual sounds. These sounds will catch his attention.
- Sing a song. Any song with hand or body movements will make your baby giggle. Try "Itsy-Bitsy Spider" or "Hokey Pokey."
- Make funny sounds. Children like strange or silly sounds, such as farts. You may have to try different sounds to find out what your baby finds cute.
- Kids also love animal sounds, so try imitating the sounds of the family cat or dog.
- Try not to imitate these sounds too loudly or shockingly. Babies might get scared!
Step 4. Try a physical game that involves lots of touch and funny sounds
These types of play help develop a physical bond between you and your baby, and serve to make him laugh and happy.
- Tickle your baby. Babies often find tickling cute, but do so only in minimal doses. A tickle that is too loud can be annoying for your baby.
- Chase your baby. If the baby is crawling, get down on the floor and chase him while crawling as well. Make sure you smile so your baby knows it's just a game.
- Kiss the baby and stick out your tongue. By blowing on his belly or face, you will make the baby laugh. You can also try kissing his toes or hands.
- Catch the nose. Pretend you're about to steal his nose, and point your thumb between your fingers (this will be the "nose" part). The baby will giggle at this action.
Part 2 of 4: Play Peekaboo
Step 1. Start playing when the baby is happy
Make sure you're in a good mood yourself too.
- Babies can imitate laughter, even at an early age.
- Many babies start laughing out loud for the first time at 3-4 months of age.
- Babies laugh in response to bright colors, toys, and other people's laughter.
Step 2. Know that even younger babies will smile and laugh in response to simple play
Peekaboo can be important for the development of permanent objects for babies aged six months and over.
- Object permanence is when a baby remembers that an object and event are still there, even when the two things are not seen or heard.
- Peek-a-boo is a good way to train his cognitive development in this regard.
- Peek-a-boo can also be a good way for young children to play with their siblings or cousins.
Step 3. Show an object to the baby
This object should be one of his toys, such as a teething ring or a ball he can hold.
- Let the baby examine the toys for a minute or two. Let him touch and hold it.
- After a few minutes, cover the object with a cloth. If your baby has acquired permanent object skills, he or she will pull on the cloth and find the object.
- Pull the cloth and smile. This will usually make the baby laugh or giggle, because then the object will reappear.
Step 4. Do the same with facial expressions
Start by smiling at your baby and talking to him in a soft voice.
- Cover your face with your hands and say "Where's Mama?" or "Where is _?
- Open your arms and bring your face back up while saying, "Peek-a-boo!"
- Keep your tone of voice happy and keep smiling.
- Remember, the goal here is for the baby to laugh, not be afraid.
Step 5. Involve other children to join the game
This is a good way for an older brother to build a relationship with his younger sibling.
- Peek-a-boo is one of the games that older kids like to play with babies.
- Both the baby and the older child will exchange responses.
- Babies love this game, and older children will develop an emotional bond with the baby.
Part 3 of 4: Playing Pat a Cake with Your Baby
Step 1. Recognize that this is a rhyming game involving hand movements as well as short English poems
This may be better for older babies, who can imitate your body movements and a few simple words.
- Even younger babies can love this game.
- Babies usually like sounds that rhyme.
- Babies will subconsciously begin to imitate your smile and laughter at 3 months of age.
- Games like pat a cake use sounds in happy tones, which can make babies laugh.
Step 2. Start the game by saying the first line
As you say it, you have to make the right hand movements.
- His first line of poetry reads "Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker's man."
- As you say the line, clap your hands.
- You can replace clapping by slapping your palms on your thighs.
- Older babies can be helped to clap along with the rhyme.
Step 3. Continue the poem
The second line reads "Bake me a cake as fast as you can".
- Continue clapping and clapping your thighs as you say the second line.
- Alternatively, you can help your older baby to follow your hand movements.
- Maintain an upbeat and enthusiastic tone of voice. Do not forget to smile.
- When your baby laughs, respond with a laugh back. This will increase the fun!
Step 4. Finish your poem
The last lines read as follows:
- "Roll it. Pat it. And mark it with a B. And put it in the oven for baby and me!"
- When you say "roll it," make a circle with your arms.
- When you say "pat it," clap your hands on your lap.
- When you say "Mark it with a B," draw the letter B in the air with your finger.
- When you say "put it in the oven," imitate the act of popping a cake in the oven.
Step 5. Repeat as often as possible as long as baby is entertained
Children love repetitive games.
- Many babies will continue to find this game interesting.
- This is a good method of distracting an unhappy child.
- As your child gets older, try to get him to follow your hand movements. This can help him learn sequential play and coordination of movements.
Part 4 of 4: Playing This Little Piggy Game
Step 1. Know that this game can entertain both young and older babies
In this game, you touch each toe as you say a line in English, about a new little pig.
- Younger babies will love the rhyming sound and the touch of the toes.
- Older children, once they have begun to understand words and animal names, will be able to imagine the words you rhyme with.
- This game can help you introduce some words and body parts to a young child or an older baby (12-15 months).
Step 2. Start by touching one of your baby's big toes
Say the first line of the rhyme.
- It read, "This little piggy went to market".
- Wiggle your big toe as you say this line.
- Laugh and smile afterwards. This may elicit a reaction from your baby.
Step 3. Continue to the second, third, and fourth rows
Here's what it says:
- "This little piggy stayed home".
- "This little piggy had roast beef."
- "This little piggy had none."
- As you say each line, move to the next finger and wiggle that finger.
- When you wiggle your toes, it may tickle your baby a little so he laughs.
Step 4. Say the last line of the poem
You should end up on the little toe on your foot as you say this line.
- The line reads, "And this little piggy went wee, wee, wee, wee all the way home!"
- When you say it, wiggle your little finger on your baby's foot.
- Then, tickle the baby to the stomach.
