Being funny and making funny jokes are two big differences. It so happens that a child arranges a «clowning» — specially amuses the audience. But this behavior is not related to a sense of humor. This is most likely his defensive reaction, he is defending himself from something. And when a child laughs after hearing a humorous story, he gives out jokes himself, this is the work of thinking.
Why is it important to develop a sense of humor in a child?
As you know, laughter is the best medicine for the brain. A sense of humor helps to find positive moments and easier to endure difficulties. Conditionally , three main useful functions of wit can be distinguished:
Emotional (helps to see the world in bright colors, from an unexpected side, forms positive thinking, self-confidence)
Social (sociability, ability to communicate in a team, find friends)
Intellectual (develops thinking, observation, creativity).
When a child has a sense of humor?
The first positive emotions appear in infants at the age of about six weeks, they smile, then make cute grimaces, then laugh loudly. These are also reflex reactions at the moment when the basic needs of the baby are satisfied (he is full, he is comfortable), or in response to a conversation, the voice of the mother. And the first manifestation of a sense of humor, a conscious reaction to the funny, is typical for children over 3 years old. The child deliberately rearranges words, does something on purpose in an unusual order, and this game makes him laugh.
How humor and thinking are related?
Develops a sense of humor with the development of cognitive skills, speech, imagination, etc. This is a skill of the thought process through the search for analogies, comparisons, analysis and synthesis of what is happening. Therefore, it is fair to say that a good sense of humor is a sign of high intelligence. And vice versa — if a preschooler, unlike his peers, does not see funny moments in a book, drawings, situations, this may indicate problems with development.
When a person laughs at nonsense, this is also a characteristic sign showing his way of thinking. When we hear or see something funny, our prefrontal cortex is activated, which evaluates a potential joke: funny – unfunny, tries to understand its meaning. If a person laughs at everything, it means that his frontal lobes cannot fully assess the situation and give the command to the limbic system of the brain how to react. If the frontal lobes understand the meaning and consider the joke appropriate, then the limbic system gives a reaction in the form of laughter.
How to develop a sense of humor in a child?
If a preschooler does not understand the meaning of a joke, it is necessary to broaden his horizons. Analytical thinking is directly related to the conceptual sphere. Therefore, he needs to accumulate knowledge: read more, watch good children’s films, go to exhibitions. A lot of jokes are built on wordplay, so develop his vocabulary.
Read children’s literature together and discuss funny cases read.
Teach a child positive thinking. You can make friends with humor when you have a positive outlook on life and the ability to rejoice.
Develop associative thinking. There are many games and exercises that help to hone the skill of wit: draw a funny animal, rhyme words, come up with a funny story.
Show by example how useful humor is in communication, how you can dilute speech with puns and jokes, watch funny programs. The child will repeat after the parents.
Answer the kid’s jokes. He wants to make Mom laugh, he expects a backlash from you, so be sure to react with laughter and praise.
