How does your child’s sense of humour develop?

In 2021, Researchers from the University of Bristol published a study of the development of humour from birth to 47 months. 

Previous research has found that humour helps us to cope with stress, make friends, learn, be creative and form relationships. So, understanding the development of humour is an important part of supporting our children’s learning and wellbeing.  

The researchers from the School of Education at the University of Bristol developed a questionnaire which could be used to identify when children develop different types of humour. They found 21 different types of humour and suggested children develop these at different ages.  

^{Babies under one laughed at things they saw and heard and at physical movement}  

You might find your baby enjoys peekaboo games, you making funny face or noises and doing unexpected things such as putting a cup on your head.  

One-year-olds enjoyed humour that involved other people’s reactions 

Your older baby or toddler might enjoy things like acting like someone else, or teasing – so things like offering you a toy but then not giving it to you.  

Children enjoyed humour involving playing with word and ideas 

Your child might find saying the wrong word for something funny, or as their language and social understanding develops, they might find humour that bends or breaks social rules funny. They might also begin to use puns in their humour.  

Understanding the development of humour can help you think about how you play and interact with your child as they develop. What is your baby or child finding funny at the moment?

You could spend some time today finding out! 

Reference:

Hoicka, E., Telli, B.S., Prouten, E., Leckie, G., Browne, W.J., Mireault, G. & Fox, C. (2021). The early humour survey (EHS): A reliable parent-report measure of humor development for 1- to 47 -month-old. Behvaior Research Methods, https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-021-01704-4