Kids’ Humor

Laughter relieves stress, promotes better health, increases intelligence, and builds social bridges. According to KidsHealth, children laugh about 200 times each day; adults laugh only 15 to 18 times. Make yourself and your classroom healthier and happier by making sure that humor is part of your daily classroom activities.

Purpose

To promote humor in the classroom to help children perform better and be healthier.

Materials

Building Blocks Character Cards (PDF)
Construction paper
Markers
Glue
Scissors

Preparation

Make copies of the Character Cards (PDF) so that everyone in the class has a choice of one of the Friends.

Procedure

Start a math or reading lesson wearing a baseball cap and carrying a bat or wearing skates. When students notice, they’ll probably start laughing. Ask them what’s funny. As they talk about trying to teach math in skates or carrying a bat, they’ll start to realize that something unexpected or out of place is funny.

Divide the class into small groups and distribute the pictures of the characters. Have each group use the Character Cards (PDF) to make funny pictures to glue on the construction paper. For example, instead of kicking a soccer ball, Ali kicks Wally’s pot; instead of learning to play golf with a golf club, Thurgood holds Mee’s swimming goggles; when Miguel picks up a rock, instead of finding a bug, he finds Ali’s soccer ball.

Have students share their funny pictures and talk about what makes them funny. Create a “Laugh Out Loud” bulletin board to share with the school.

Optional Procedure: Bring a funny hat to class or let students make their own. Any time during the day, put on your funny hat and tell a joke or riddle. Allow students to use their hats as they tell jokes as well. Provide appropriate joke or riddle books to help children find funny stories to share.

Challenge: Young children often laugh at word play. Runny Babbit, a Billy Sook, by Shel Silverstein, is an excellent source of confused, out-of-place words. Whenever you want children to feel good, read one of these or other funny poems to the class. Challenge them to write and share their own funny phrases: a darking bog, a kurring pitten, a fled rower.

Resources

Laughing Is Good for You and Your Child from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Family Guide, provides a clear rationale for using humor to help your child stay healthy.
Articles on Children’s Humor by Dr. Paul E. McGhee, show how children’s intellectual, social, and emotional growth and well-being can be fostered through humor.
Encouraging Your Child’s Sense of Humor from KidsHealth says that helping children maintain their playful outlook and encouraging a sense of humor can help children stay healthy, emotionally and physically.
American Red Cross: In the Aftermath—Mind-Body Connection. (PDF) “Have You Heard the One About the ….?” (activity 3 within the PDF) shows how you can use humor to help children stay healthy after a disaster.

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Updated on 3/21/2012