Learning & Play

With the help of a frilly dress, tiara, and magic wand, your 3-year-old is transformed into the queen of a magical universe where her hobby horse is a winged unicorn. When you’re asked to taste the pink clouds, you agree that they’re a lot like bubblegum.

Your son pulls a sheet over his shoulders and runs as fast as he can across the lawn. The air lifts the fabric; your boy’s legs leap into the air. “I’m flying, mommy!” the 4-year-old says. He’s a superhero, out to save the backyard from dragons hiding behind the bushes and find treasure buried in the sandbox.

Parents of preschoolers have a front-row seat to some of the most imaginative theater ever produced. These are the so-called “magic years” — when a child’s brain is developed enough to imagine grand stories but not yet complex enough to reason the way adults do and ask, “But can that really happen?”

Here’s why imagination is so important and what you can do to foster these magic years.

How Preschoolers View the World

There’s a lot that very young children aren’t yet able to grasp about the world around them. As a result, they “fill in the blanks” and often make up their own sometimes magical explanations for how things work.

This time, which peaks during the preschool years, was dubbed “the magic years” by child development expert Selma Fraiberg, PhD, in 1959 when she wrote a book of the same name.

Babies use their senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound) to explore their world. As they develop, they begin to understand the basic function of things (“If I push this button, the pony will pop out of the barn!”).

Now, as preschoolers, they take this knowledge and combine it with a growing imagination to come up with fantastical ideas about why and how things happen.

Pretend play lets kids try out new roles for themselves (like superheroes, princesses, wild animals, or even parents) and allows for creative problem-solving. But it also helps them deal with another hurdle of the preschool years: intense emotions. Baby dolls might be put in “time out” and scolded for actions suspiciously similar to your little one’s latest offense. An imaginary friend (who’s a bigger troublemaker than your child ever could be) might be dreamed up to help your child deal with feelings of guilt and remorse following a moment of lost control, such as hitting a playmate.

Self-control is a tough skill to learn, and pretend play helps kids practice it as well as play out the frustration it creates.

How to Encourage Imaginative Play

Imaginative play begins in a child’s mind. But that doesn’t mean parents can’t join in. Here are some ways to encourage your child’s world of make-believe:

• Go along with it. When young ones leap through the air and tell you they’re flying, don’t tell them they’re only jumping. Instead, feed the fantasy: “Wow, you’re so high up! What can you see on the ground? Maybe you should take a rest on that nice puffy cloud.” Or even better, start flying with them.
• Choose old-fashioned toys. Blocks, dolls, arts and crafts, and molding clay are all toys that require creativity and therefore spur imagination.
• Limit electronic toys. Whether it’s a handheld entertainment system or a “junior” laptop, try to avoid toys that need batteries. Creativity is stifled when the toy, rather than the child, directs the play.
• Read to your child. And while reading, ask mind-opening questions: “If you were the caterpillar, what would you eat?” and “What do you think will happen next in the story?” This not only encourages imagination but promotes language skills and fosters an interest in books.
• Schedule downtime. Make sure kids have free time every day to play on their own. Aside from encouraging creativity, it teaches them to use their own resources to amuse or soothe themselves.
• Limit screen time. When kids watch a movie or even an educational program, they experience someone else’s make-believe world instead of using their own imaginations. Some subjects on TV are not appropriate for preschoolers. Young kids also are more influenced by advertising since they can’t tell the difference between commercials and actual programs. The same goes for digital advertising inserted in online games and apps. Experts recommend limiting screen time (which includes TV, DVDs, computers, smartphones, and tablets) to no more than 1 hour of quality programming per day for kids 2 to 5 years old.

When the Magic Ends

The day will come when the princess tiaras collect dust and your little ones no longer believe they can fly. It’s a bittersweet moment. You’ll miss glimpses into that world where anything is possible. But it’s a sign that your child’s brain is developing as it should.

The prefrontal cortex — the area of the brain just behind the forehead — has made the connections it needs to process more high-level thinking. So, the way a child thought the world worked is now not necessarily how it actually does work.

Take, for example, vacuum cleaners. A 2-year-old might throw a tantrum because he fears that, just as the dog hair got sucked up off the carpet, he will too. But a year or two later, he might pretend he’s being chased by the vacuum “monster” — and gain confidence from knowing that it will never get him.

By age 6 or so, kids are becoming aware that fears like being swallowed up by a vacuum are irrational — there’s no way your entire body can be sucked up that little tube! — and instead might want to take control and do the vacuuming on their own. This scenario will be repeated again and again as a child’s brain learns to tell the difference between the possible and the impossible.

This time in childhood, sometimes called “the age of reason,” is also when kids begin to form a conscience, differentiate between right and wrong, and act not just on impulse but because something is the “right” thing to do.

The age of reason explains why many second-graders are masters at sharing — they can consider the feelings of others. And it also explains why monsters that once hid under the bed have suddenly disappeared. A child this age realizes that since he or she never saw the monster, it probably does not exist.

This is also a time when your fantastical answers to their increasingly complex questions will no longer cut it. Thunder can no longer be a bowling match in the sky and the moon definitely isn’t made of cheese. But just because your kids have reached the age of reason doesn’t mean they can’t imagine a bowling match in the sky or a moon made of cheese — it just means that now they’ll be in on the joke.

And as they grow, their imaginations and creativity will translate into art, music, and creative writing, and help with critical thinking.

The critical thinking that inspires kids to dig deeper for information and grasp more complex ideas is their next key skill. And it’s the tool that will turn them into decision-makers and problem-solvers who will make you proud as they mature into their teen years.

Gabrielle takes a break from playing at her kitchen set and reaches into her basket of books. She roots around until she finds her current favorite by Richard Scarry, then delivers the book to her mother, who knows just what page to skip to. Gabrielle sits in her mom’s lap as the two of them examine the page — her mom names the orange juice, milk, and waffles and Gabrielle points to the pictures.

Soon, Gabrielle slides off her mother’s lap and moves over to her stuffed animals. Her mom knows better than to try to finish the book. For Gabrielle and lots of other toddlers, these little bits of reading are just right.

Reasons to Read to Toddlers

Studies show that kids with active exposure to language have social and educational advantages over their peers — and reading is one of the best exposures to language.

Reading to toddlers sets the foundation for later independent reading. Reading problems can be challenging to fix when discovered in elementary school, but most reading problems can be prevented if exposure to reading starts in the toddler and preschool years. Before children can read independently, they need emergent literacy skills. These include:

• having a large vocabulary of words and knowing how to use them
• understanding that words are made up of smaller sounds (called phonemic awareness)
• understanding that marks on a page represent letters and words
• knowing the letters of the alphabet

You don’t need games, flashcards, or special instruction for a toddler gain these skills. Just reading to your child as often as possible is the best way to help him or her learn to read independently.

Helping the Transition to Toddlerhood

Reading aloud is also an important way to help kids make the transition from babyhood to toddlerhood. Between the ages of 1 and 3, toddlers have triumphs and challenges, so it can help for them to hear stories about other kids and how they managed fears about what’s under the bed and tackled the challenge of using the potty.

Kids make big leaps in vocabulary during this time, and learn about letters, shapes, colors, weather, animals, seasons — all of which can be reinforced through books. Choose books with many pictures your child can point to and name.

But while eager to learn about the world and experience it, your toddler also needs a strong connection with you. Reading together regularly can strengthen that connection, helping your toddler feel safe and comfortable.

When and How to Read to Toddlers

Experts recommend reading to toddlers as often as possible, striving for at least one scheduled reading time each day. Choosing regular times to read (especially before naps and bedtime) helps kids learn to sit with a book and relax. But you can read anytime your child seems in the mood.

If your toddler will let you, hold him or her in your lap when you read. It’s a great spot for:

• helping kids feel safe, happy, and relaxed
• giving undivided attention
• showing new things
• inviting participation

You’ll find that your toddler wants to be independent and successful. Encourage this by offering three or four books to choose from, praising the selection, letting your toddler help you turn pages, and asking for help as you find things on a page. Your child will love to finish sentences in books with repetitive phrasing or rhymes. When you come to a repetitive phrase or rhyme in a book, pause and let your child finish.

Here are some additional reading tips:

• Read whatever books your toddler asks for, even if it’s the same book every night for weeks and weeks (and weeks and weeks).
• Read slowly enough for your toddler to understand.
• Read expressively, using different voices for different characters and raising or lowering your voice as appropriate.
• Choose board books or cloth books that are durable. You can let your child use these books independently without having to worry about pages getting ripped.
• Use puppets, finger plays (like the “Itsy Bitsy Spider”), or props while you read.
• Encourage your toddler to clap or sing when you read rhythmic, sing-song books.
• Talk about the illustrations. Point to items and name them. Then ask your child to name them with you and offer enthusiastic praise.
• Ask open-ended questions — “Why do you think the lion is going into the woods? What do you think will happen next?” This encourages your child to think about the story and to ask questions.
• Substitute your child’s name for the name of a character in the book.
• Have fun! Show your child that reading is enjoyable.

Sitting Still Not Required

Trying to read to a toddler who just won’t sit still can be frustrating. It’s important to be patient and keep trying. Find a book or a few pages that are of interest. If you can’t do that, don’t force the reading but be sure to try again later. Remember that toddlers love repetition — if your child seems uninterested in books, you may need to find a favorite and read it over and over again.

Some busy toddlers like to stand up while you read to them. Others like to look at a page or two before moving on to something else. Keep the book out — kids might want to return to it later, which you should encourage.

Don’t worry if your child can’t sit still for an entire book — toddlers’ attention spans will get longer soon. You might want to keep reading even if your child moves around. Before bedtime, allow your child to touch and play with favorite toys while you read aloud. The sound of your voice will be a soothing reminder of your bedtime routine and that books are a part of it.

You may find that your child sits still better while coloring or playing with a favorite toy while you read. Don’t assume that because your child isn’t looking at you or the book that he or she isn’t interested or listening.

You want your child to have positive associations with reading, so if you are feeling tense or your child is resisting, consider setting the book aside and returning to it later.

Remember that reading to your child is just one way to encourage emergent literacy. You also can talk to your child throughout the day, sing songs together, play rhyming games, and make up your own stories together. Don’t forget to provide paper and crayons so your child can practice writing.

You may also limit TV and video game time. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.

Choosing Books for Toddlers

Toddlers want to feel included and competent; choose books they can follow along with, especially those with repetitive text so they can fill in words. Maintain your toddler’s interest by choosing books with small amounts of text on the page and books about topics that you know are of interest.

For younger toddlers (12 to 24 months) you’ll want sturdy board books with pictures (especially photos) of kids doing the things they do every day. Books about bedtime, baths, or mealtime are all good choices; so are books about saying hello or good-bye. Keep active hands busy with lift-the-flap pages and textures to feel.

Toddlers from 24 to 36 months are beginning to be able to turn paper pages, so this is a good time to expand beyond board books. They’re also beginning to understand the mechanics of reading and like books that are repetitive and easy to memorize so that they can “read” along.

By now you will start to know what your child’s interests are — whether trains, trucks, or stuffed bears, find books about these things of interest. Kids this age also like books about children, families, and animals.

Toddlers love to look at homemade books, scrapbooks, or photo albums full of people they know (try adding simple captions). Poetry and songbooks are good choices for this age group too. You may find that story time turns into sing-along time.

Keeping Books Available

Read-aloud time isn’t the only opportunity kids should have to spend time with books — toddlers love to choose and look at books on their own. Keep books in a basket on the floor or on a low shelf where your child can reach them easily and look at them independently. Keep some books in the car and always have a few handy in your bag for long waits at the doctor or lines at the post office.

Visit the library or the bookstore and let your child select books to read at home. Many libraries and bookstores have toddler story times that kids enjoy. And let your child see you reading — he or she is sure to imitate you.

Encourage Activity

 It might look like just child’s play, but toddlers are hard at work learning important physical skills as they gain muscle control, balance, and coordination. Each new skill lets them progress to the next one, building on a foundation that leads to more complicated physical tasks, such as jumping rope, kicking a ball on the run, or turning a cartwheel.

Toddlers always want to do more, which can motivate them to keep trying until they master a new skill, no matter what it takes.

Take advantage of your toddler’s natural desire to keep moving. Even at this early age, kids establish patterns of activity that carry through the rest of childhood. So an active toddler is likely to remain active later.

Developing Skills

Playing and learning are completely natural for toddlers, so mastering physical skills should be fun and games for them. Parents should give toddlers many opportunities to practice their developing skills while providing supervision so they stay safe while they learn.

In addition to these physical accomplishments, toddlers are developing in other ways. Provide opportunities for yours to explore, ask questions, use his or her imagination, and practice fine motor skills, such as stacking blocks or coloring.

Here’s a guide to the physical skills toddlers are working, by age:

Early Toddler Skills (12-24 months)

• walks independently
• pulls/carries toys while walking
• stoops and gets back up
• begins to run
• kicks a ball
• holds railing going up/down stairs
• walks backward

Older Toddler Skills (24-36 months)

• balances 1 to 2 seconds on one foot
• climbs well
• bends over easily without falling
• runs well
• kicks ball forward
• both feet on step going up/down stairs
• starts to pedal tricycle
• throws ball over head

How Much Activity Is Enough?

For children 12-36 months old, current National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) guidelines recommend this much daily activity:

• at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity (adult-led)
• at least 60 minutes unstructured physical activity (free play)

As a general rule, toddlers shouldn’t be inactive for more than 1 hour at a time, except for sleeping. That’s a lot of work for parents and caregivers, but a lot of much-needed activity for toddlers.

Encourage your toddler to be active, and remember how much he or she is learning along the way.

By the preschool years, kids are humor veterans. After all, they’ve been smiling and laughing for years. A reliable host of tricks and jokes will crack them up, and even as preschoolers get older, they continue to be amused by many of the things they found funny as toddlers.

The Importance of Humor

Peekaboo will still get a laugh, only now kids like to extend it into giggly games of hide-and-seek. Expect your preschooler to continue to enjoy using objects in silly ways — putting mittens on feet, walking around the house in your shoes, or pretending a toy car is a phone.

But because a sense of humor is essentially an intellectual and emotional skill, it grows as your preschooler does. Kids are always finding new things funny while developing a better and more sophisticated understanding of the world. And they’re eager to show off new ways to be playful.

Humor is something you can enjoy together, but it’s more than just fun. The benefits of a good sense of humor are well documented and include better health, increased optimism, higher self-esteem, and greater emotional intelligence.

And the best thing is that these benefits are possible for anyone: Research shows that a sense of humor is learned, not inherited.

Hey There, Tommy – I Mean, Mommy!

A big activity for preschoolers is labeling things (that’s why you hear the question “what’s that?” all day long). Kids this age are becoming aware that everything has a name and they love using their new vocabulary.

Your child is probably using improved language skills to play with words, like calling objects or people by the wrong names. Ask “where’s your nose?” and your child is likely to point at his or her eyes or chin. Kids this age often like to mispronounce or make up words. Join in (“Billy, can you pass me the falt, I mean the palt, oh, that’s right, the salt”) and you’re likely to get a laugh.

Before long, kids will start replacing words in familiar songs — like singing “Twinkle, twinkle, little cat” — and experimenting with the same song for days or weeks by using new words (“Twinkle, twinkle, little chair” or “Twinkle, twinkle, little mommy”).

They might find humor in opposites — asked “where’s your room?” and answering “downstairs in the basement” instead of “upstairs”; or repeating in a sing-song way “now it’s time for dinner!” when you say “now it’s time for breakfast.”

Kids this age will also start to tell little tales in a humorous way. You may find your child claiming to have eaten his or her spoon or to have hidden the dog. These stories may or may not be accompanied by a smile — some preschoolers are very deadpan.

A Fish on a Bicycle — Now That’s Funny!

Language play is not the only thing preschoolers find funny. They have a sophisticated grasp of what objects “should” look like or how things “should” work. Change a characteristic appearance or behavior and you’ve got something that’s funny to your child. These include:

• strange juxtapositions: drawing a fish head on a dog’s body or wings on a cat or making a cow say baa
• removing things: taking away the wheels from a car or the nose from the middle of a person’s face
• changing shapes: making the wheels on a car square or a house round
• exaggeration: a man with legs like stilts or a woman with glasses bigger than her head

You preschooler will also enjoy books that have people or animals engaging in unexpected behaviors — a llama eating with a fork or cows who type. Kids like images like this because they are silly and because they get the joke — it’s fun to be an insider, to understand how the world works. Your child will especially enjoy it if you laugh along too.

Everyday Humor

Having a humorous attitude and playing with your child every day are two ways you can help develop your preschooler’s sense of humor. Be open and playful, and willing to laugh yourself. Make sure you respond to his or her “jokes” (even if these are repetitive — it may be the millionth time your child has worn underwear as a hat, but to him or her it’s still hilarious).

Your preschooler will also love it if you engage in his or her kind of humor, whether it’s putting your gloves on your ears or pretending to ice skate on the dining room floor.

Other Fun Things to Try

• Singing nonsense songs together. Try “Apples and Bananas”: Start by singing or chanting “I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and bananas” and then replace the vowel sounds with each verse — “ayples and banaynays,” “ooples and banoonoos,” and “iples and baninis.”
• Encouraging wordplay by using nonsense rhymes yourself. Ask if your child would like some “oodley, scoodley, boodley noodles.” See how your child responds and then play off that riff.
• Making a silly picture together. Draw a face where you each take turns adding funny features like a blue nose or a mouth where the eyes should go. You might also make a collage together using pictures you’ve cut out of magazines. Put a dog in bed or give a person a cat’s head.
• Imitating your family pet (or any other animal). Pretend to be the family dog, panting, barking, and walking on all fours. Encourage your child to do the same. You might even serve some cereal in a bowl on the floor and eat it without hands. You wouldn’t want to do this every day, but part of what will be funny is that it’s usually not behavior you’d encourage.
• Reading funny books — funnily. Preschoolers find loads of books amusing, and you can extend that pleasure by using funny voices when you read or doing unexpected things like having the cow say “baa” and the sheep say “moo.”

And finally, remember that preschoolers are more likely to be playful when they are being active and when they have an audience. Providing varied opportunities for play — both with other kids and with you — is important to helping your child practice both verbal games and clowning.

Look at Me!

Kids provide plenty of opportunities to laugh (undoubtedly without meaning to at times) and it’s important to respond to their attempts at humor. Laughing with parents is a way for children to feel like big kids who are in control and in on the joke.

Be patient and to respond to your child’s attempts at humor, even when you’re in a hurry. Kids this age are developing important skills that will help later in life. And right now, you’re your child’s best — and most important — audience. So sit back and enjoy the show!

• So did you hear about the colt with a cold?
  He’s a little hoarse.
• How about the pig with a rash?
  He needed a little oinkment.

If these jokes get a laugh at your dinner table, we’re guessing you have a school-age child.

Orange Ya Gonna Laugh?

Around age 6 or 7, kids start to understand language well enough to know that words can have two (or more) meanings. As your child develops this cognitive ability to grasp different meanings, riddles, jokes, and puns start making sense and will be a top source of enjoyment for the next 3 or 4 years.

Kids this age delight in their newfound ability with an insatiable appetite for jokes of all stripes. Don’t be surprised if it feels like you’re living with Jay Leno, with every meal an opportunity for a monologue. What your child is really doing is enjoying the ability to make these connections and to finally be the insider, the one with the info and the answers.

What Else Is Soooooooooo Funny?

General categories of humor that kids this age often find funny include:

So this sponge lived under the sea in a pineapple… Kids love nonsensical situations, especially when they involve grown-ups. The Amelia Bedelia series of books are favorites because the main character has such silly responses to rational requests (when asked to “draw the drapes,” she draws a picture of curtains, for example).

Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! Whether it’s eyes getting poked, heads getting hit by hammers, or an anvil falling on the head of Wile E. Coyote, kids often find violence to be funny. (Itchy and Scratchy on “The Simpsons” have made a running joke out of this for years.) It’s OK if they find these antics funny, but be sure they understand that these situations aren’t real and shouldn’t be imitated.

The old boutonniere trick. Slapstick and practical jokes can be very funny for school-age kids. Watching someone get sprayed in the eye with water or jumping out and yelling “boo” might have kids rolling in the aisles. But teach the difference between a good-natured practical joke and one that hurts someone physically or causes hurt feelings.

As kids get older, they may deal with anxiety by laughing or making inappropriate jokes. A friend tripping or falling down or a sibling being punished may cause laughter. Some kids also can’t help laughing when they’re in trouble with a parent or teacher. In both cases, laughter is a way of relieving fear or anxiety.

Why Does Humor Matter?

The ability to see and understand humor is increasingly important as kids move into school. As early as preschool, those with a strong sense of humor are better liked by their peers, and have more friends, higher self-esteem, and a more positive outlook on life. They’re better able to deal with their own quirks and are more tolerant of others.

Most important, kids who can smile at their own mistakes are better equipped to handle teasing, bullies, and the adversities of childhood, both big and small.

Encouraging the Yuks

For an adult, school-age humor can get a little tiresome. But there’s really no downside to a child’s love of jokes, riddles, and puns. Playing with language introduces new words and meanings and builds vocabulary. Repeating the same jokes or riddles develops memory skills. And poring over joke books teaches the value and enjoyment to be found in reading. Finally, kids learn many creative life and problem-solving skills by studying jokes and making up their own.

So what can you do? Keep your child well supplied with material. Buy or check out joke books from the library. Look for jokes, riddles, and puns together online. And best of all, make your own. Play the pun-a-day game. Memorize riddles and try to stump each other. Tell jokes and see who can keep from laughing the longest. Not only will you and your child share enjoyment, you’ll be working on your own mental agility.

Other fun things to try:

• Play a backwards day. Wear pajamas all day long, eat pizza for breakfast and pancakes for dinner.
• Play the “Make Me Laugh” game — everyone takes a turn trying to make the group laugh doing whatever he or she thinks is funny.
• Watch a funny movie together, rewinding your favorite parts.
• Make your own funny home video — scripted or not — and stage a private screening.

And don’t forget those good old standbys from your childhood: staring contests, tickle fights, and pillow battles — whatever gets you giggling. The most important thing is to have a playful attitude.

Laughing With Kids

It’s important to encourage your child’s sense of humor, which is finally starting to resemble yours. He or she delights in telling jokes that make you laugh and in “getting” jokes that you tell. Let this excitement about the humor in language be contagious.

And beyond simply enjoying jokes together, be a good humor model. Look for the humor in everyday situations. Laugh at yourself and deal lightly with irritations. Use humor as opposed to scolding; crack a joke to ease tension. You’ll not only be giving your child the tools needed to handle difficult situations in the future, you’ll find that you feel better too.

Developing a Sense of Humor

Dylan is busy in the bathtub, trying on a variety of “hats.” First, it’s the little bucket he uses as a bath toy. Then it’s his washcloth, then his rubber duck. He finds all this very funny. But when his dad takes the rubber duck and balances it on his own head, the giggles really get going.

Sounds like a typical bath time routine, but Dylan isn’t just getting clean — he’s starting to develop a sense of humor. It’s a good quality to have. Experts say a well-developed sense of humor can boost a person’s immune system, contribute to a more optimistic outlook on life, and increase self-esteem.

What’s more, research shows that a sense of humor is learned, not inherited. From a very young age we all have the capacity to laugh; kids as young as 9 months old may begin to understand physical or visual “jokes.” Toddlers are willing recipients of all we have to teach them about the pleasures of humor.

Fun With the Unexpected

Early on, babies respond to things that look or feel funny — a silly face, raspberries on the belly. But in the toddler years, kids understand more language and also have a good grasp on how the world is supposed to work — the right way to wear a pair of pants, for instance.

So, if you put your child’s pants on your head or diaper the teddy bear, you’re likely to get an uproarious response. Anything that disrupts a pattern or expectation is funny to a toddler. Try removing something from its usual place — put a stuffed animal in the cabinet with the dishes, for instance. “How did this get here?,” you might ask your child. Or wear a pair of their shoes on your hands as puppets and do a little song-and-dance routine.

You might already have books on your shelf that use this device — ones  that focus on something surprising or obviously out of place, like hippos wearing purple boots or frogs who go ice skating.

Visual humor is also very funny to toddlers. You can make faces, put on a funny hat, or knock yourself on the head with a pillow and pretend to fall over — any kind of broad slapstick will delight toddlers.

The Language of Humor

As kids begin to understand language, verbal humor is a great source of amusement. Rhymes and silly names, even nonsense words that just sound funny are favorites. You’ll be surprised how many times your toddler can listen to you sing “my name is Yon Yonson, I come from Wisconsin” and still find it funny. Kids this age also can anticipate humor. If you repeat jokes regularly, you’ll find your child giggling before the punch line.

Some people seem naturally gifted when it comes to a sense of humor. But what if you don’t consider yourself a natural? Here are two easy ways all parents can develop a child’s sense of humor:

1. Be open and playful.
2. Be willing to laugh yourself.

Toddlers are very physical about everything. There are few better ways to make a child laugh then to chase and catch him or her (funnier still: when you try to catch your toddler and “can’t”).

Perennial favorite peek-a-boo also continues to amuse toddlers. You can always refine the game — try encouraging your child to “hide” under a scarf or blanket while you “search,” then react with surprise when he or she emerges (“Where’s Will? I can’t see him. Oh, there he is!”).

Other fun games you can play include:

• Ring Around the Rosy. Play this the traditional way with everyone falling down or with substitutions like “all run around” or “all jump up and down.”
• This Little Piggy. Pull off your child’s socks for this nursery rhyme, and conclude with a rousing bout of tickling.
• This Little Sheep Goes Moo. Once your child knows animal sounds, what could be funnier than pretending that the cat says “baa” or the dog says “meow”?
• Silly Billy Loves His Gilly? Toddlers love rhyming sounds, especially funny rhyming names. Use your child’s name to make up nonsensical chants — encourage your child to follow along and make up his or her own rhymes.
• Row, Row, Row Your…Car! Try making up funny lyrics to familiar songs. Encourage your child by singing the song “incorrectly” once, then pausing for him or her to fill in a “wrong” word the next time around.

Your Budding Comedian

Here’s the really fun part: One day soon, your toddler just might start playing jokes on you, hiding under the covers when you come in to get him or her up from a nap or running away laughing when you say it’s time to go home from the park. Or, if you say “Show me your nose,” your child might purposely point to an ear or knee.

Repetition is big with toddlers, so you’ll probably hear these same jokes more than once. Be sure to give your child a big laugh — even if you’ve heard this one many, many times before!