7 Powerful Benefits of Humor for Kids' Development

Do you have a sense of humor? I think this is a funny expression (pun intended, of course). When I think of the senses, I think of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing. But humor? Now that’s a totally different kind of “sense” – one that helps us tackle life with joy, resilience, and flexibility.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a sense of humor is “a person’s ability to perceive humor or appreciate a joke.” But it turns out that humor is so much more than that – it’s a powerful tool for parenting, child development, cognitive flexibility, social connection, and relieving stress.

Let’s look at 7 powerful ways humor can benefit our kids (and us!):

1. Promotes Cognitive Development 🧠
I love to laugh! I love it even more now that I know it stimulates the brain, encourages abstract thinking, and helps children make unexpected connections. Research indicates that humor enhances critical thinking and creativity, meaning that kids who laugh are more likely to think outside the box.

👉Example: When a child understands a joke or pun, she is practicing word play, timing, and abstract thinking. These skills are all crucial for reaching comprehension and problem-solving!

2. Diffuses Situations 😅
Gotta love a good power struggle with your child. But a well-timed joke can instantly make things better. Humorous interactions can help diffuse tension and hierarchy between parents and children and help both parties feel better in a stressful situation.

👉Example: If your child is refusing to put on his shoes, lighten the mood with a silly joke: “Your socks are going to run away if you don’t cover them up. Hurry, grab your shoes!”

3. Encourages Cooperation 🤝
Turning everyday activities into fun, playful moments can help with cooperation. When kids associate a task with joy rather than obligation, they are more likely to willingly participate. Resistance turns into engagement!

👉Example: Having a hard time getting your kiddo to properly brush her teeth? Coming up with new silly faces during teeth-cleaning can turn it into a fun, playful time.

4. Strengthens Relationships and Emotional Bonds ❤️
The word silly is from a Greek word selig, which means blessed! So, things like playful teasing and shared jokes bless your relationship with your kids by strengthening bonds, promoting trust, improving communication, and supporting emotional health!

Outside the home, children love to be silly and make others laugh by playing games, telling jokes, or making funny faces. It is a social behavior that creates a sense of bonding and closeness.

👉Example: Think about the shared bonds that inside jokes, goofy nicknames, and funny dinner stories create in your family and friend groups.

5. Supports Emotional Resilience 💪
Plain and simple, people who can laugh at themselves do better in life! Kids who learn to laugh at mistakes develop a growth mindset and bounce back faster from challenges.

👉Example: If your child spills his drink, instead of frustration, you can make a quick joke of the situation (“looks like you wanted to share your drink with the floor!”) and a game of cleaning it up.

Bonus: There’s always a lesson to teach as well – here are 6 ways to help kids learn from their mistakes.
🔗 Everyone Makes Mistakes—Here’s How to Help Your Kids Learn from Theirs

6. Open Us Up to New Possibilities 🌎✨
Laughter can help us see the world and its challenges in a new light. When we momentarily suspend disbelief, our minds become more flexible, fostering creativity and problem-solving. Humor encourages a shift in perspective, making it easier to explore fresh ideas and unexpected solutions.

👉Example: Through imaginative play, kids learn to adapt quickly, approach situations from different angles, and consider multiple solutions. It’s a natural way to build creative problem-solving skills!

🔗 Check out: Encouraging Creativity: Why Imagination Matters

7. Has Therapeutic Benefits 😃
We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine. There’s a reason for this – science has proven that laughter improves our health, happiness, and relationships. Laughter reduces stress hormones, releases endorphins, and even boosts the immune system.

👉Example: Hospitals even use humor therapy (like clowns in children’s wards) to help ease pain and anxiety. If humor can help in stressful medical situations, imagine how powerful it is in daily life!

How to Add More Laughter to Your Child’s Life

Humor isn’t just about telling jokes – it’s about creating a playful atmosphere where kids feel free to be goofy, creative, and joyful. Here are 4 ways to add some laughter to your day:

1. Engage in Pretend Play 🎭
Be silly together! Act out exaggerated characters, swap roles, or tell funny stories.

👉 Try this fun activity: If I Were…

2. Encourage Laughter at Home 😂
Have joke battles, participate in goofy challenges, read funny books, or create a "joke of the day" tradition at dinner.

👉 Check out: Stinky Feet Relay Race

3. Laugh at Yourself 🤣
This is so important. Don’t take yourself or your mistakes too seriously – show kids it’s okay to make mistakes and find humor in the little things.

4. Use Humor in Learning 📚
Whether it’s turning math problems into riddles or making history lessons funny, humor keeps kids engaged!

Who knew a good belly laugh could have so many health benefits – it’s actually a lifelong skill that helps kids develop resilience, social intelligence, creativity, and confidence. By using humor in our parenting, we’re not just making life more enjoyable, we’re helping our kids thrive.

So embrace the giggles, the silly moments, and the ridiculous jokes – because raising a child with a strong sense of humor is truly a blessing!

More on the importance of humor for us and our kids:

How humour stimulates critical thinking, creativity and communication skills by Times Higher Education

Parents who use humor have better relationships with their children, study finds by PennState

Stress relief from laughter? It's no joke by Mayo Clinic

Five Ways Humor Boosts Creative Thinking and Problem-Solving in the Classroom by John Spencer

Kids and Humor: Helpful or Harmful? by Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters