When does a baby start laughing out loud - at how many months?

When a child starts laughing loudly

After birth, the baby sleeps most of the time. So, he adapts to life in the outside world. And only by 1–2 months does he become interested in his surroundings and become more sociable. The baby smiles at his mother when she talks to him tenderly, and then his joy manifests itself in laughter. There is no clear time frame for when babies start laughing. According to neurologists, this occurs by 20–30 weeks.

But if the baby does not burst into laughter at this age, then this does not indicate developmental delays or illnesses. This skill itself does not depend on the baby’s intelligence, but rather on his temperament, as well as the habits of showing emotions in the family. After all, if the parents are restrained and show little joy and the baby does not hear their laughter, then he is unlikely to learn this skill.

What to do if your baby doesn't laugh out loud

If the baby doesn’t laugh at all, then don’t panic about it. Perhaps his nervous system is not yet ready for such a manifestation of emotions. In addition, do not forget that the character of babies is different. And some children grow up serious and thorough from infancy.

But if you are worried that the child is not laughing, then you can cheer up the baby in the following ways:

• Don't be shy about showing emotions. Babies are like sponges, absorbing everything they see and hear. And your laughter will be a great role model.
• Play simple games like “peek-a-boo” or “over the bumps” with your baby.
• Tickle the child, but don't get carried away with this activity. After all, some people find tickling unpleasant.
• Blow on your baby's face or tummy - this game often amuses young children.
• Make funny faces and make unusual sounds. The main thing is not to scare the little one.
• Sing songs and tell nursery rhymes.
• Be natural and have fun with your child, because little ones can sense falsehood.

If your child laughs, then don't worry about it. After all, “seriousness” is not a sign of developmental delay or some kind of pathology. It’s just that the child is not yet ready for such a manifestation of emotions. A little time will pass and he will learn to burst into laughter for any reason, so don’t rush things and just have fun with your baby.

My beloved mother’s tummy was always warm and comfortable. And then one day nature decided that the hour had come when the baby should already learn about the outside world and learn to exist and survive in a completely different environment. The young mother, having forgotten with joy about the painful contractions and labor pains, enthusiastically flips through the pages of a women's magazine, wanting to find out as quickly as possible what they are like as newborn children, in order to understand what awaits her during the first months.

At this moment, she is interested in articles about when to feed a baby, at what age do girls and boys begin to crawl and walk, how many hours a day should a child sleep. But most of all she is concerned with the question “When does a child begin to smile consciously?” After all, she and her little miracle finally saw each other after so many months, and I want to know that the baby is immensely happy to see her.

Should you teach your baby to laugh?

It is impossible to teach a child to laugh until his nervous system has matured. But this process can be stimulated; for this it is worth playing more with the baby, reading rhymes to him, accompanying them with appropriate gestures, smiling and laughter.

Simple games, for example, “peek-a-boo” or “magpie-crow”, “ladushki” will really appeal to babies. Sometimes babies can react to words they hear for the first time with violent emotions, and sometimes with laughter.

Constant communication with the baby accelerates the process of maturation of the nervous system, tactile games, reading books with pictures - all this develops the baby and teaches simple skills.

The first arbitrary grins

Just a few days after birth, the baby can give those present his first indistinct smile. This often happens during infant sleep or during hours when the baby is resting serenely - in a warm bath or after a nourishing and tasty mother’s meal.

As annoying as it may be, the sweet, calm smile of a baby at this age is not yet associated with emotions and is not the result of a thinking process. The mother can console herself with the hope that the child has learned to recognize her in the first days of his life and smiles awkwardly because he sees his favorite features, feels affectionate touches and hears her gentle voice. However, babies consciously begin to respond to familiar faces and pleasant sensations a little later.

First, you need the baby to start seeing well. During the first month of his existence, the only picture he observes is a thick fog and blurry large images. How can he understand who was bending over him or passing by?

Then it is necessary that the little creature’s brain begins to work productively and send impulses to almost two dozen facial muscles, which are responsible for a person’s ability to smile and laugh. Since the development of a fragile organism occurs gradually, the tender expression on the toddler’s face at this stage is only of a reflex nature.

Signs of a conscious reaction

After the first month, children learn to focus on objects and people's faces. By the eighth week from the moment of birth, babies' visual perception becomes more advanced, and they are ready to react animatedly to external factors. The baby is able to smile at the sight of the touching smile and cheerful facial expressions of his parents sincerely and quite consciously.

There is, however, one caveat. Accustomed to looking around with a wandering eye, a child of two or three months still does not really know how to listen carefully to adults. It is necessary to develop the baby’s ability to establish eye contact with others and listen to them. To do this, properly secure the mobile above the crib and set it in slow motion with melodic music. Often take your child in your arms in an upright position, so that his eyes look at you at a distance of 20-25 cm, and gently communicate with him out loud.

Sooner or later, the baby will be incredibly amused by chattering to the baby, nursery rhymes with funny jokes and the mother’s affectionate words during morning hygiene procedures, massage, feeding and bathing.

By the age of three or four months, the child can not only smile back, but also react violently to the presence of relatives or speech addressed to him.

The so-called “revival complex” of a baby manifests itself in the form of joyful screams, squeals, waving arms and legs at the moment when a loved one appears on the horizon, or when an adult talks tenderly to the baby. This way the baby can demonstrate his readiness to “socialize” and play with mom or dad.

At about four months, many babies begin to laugh wildly and laugh uncontrollably. But not all children show positive emotions in the same way. Should parents worry if the baby absolutely does not want to laugh or smile?

From the first smile to the first laugh

Newly born babies smile unconsciously, reflexively. This happens when the newborn is fed and calm. More often, the sponges stretch during sleep, and chaotic movements of the eyeballs are observed. You can make a baby smile like that by touching his cheek.

In infants at 3-6 weeks, a “revival complex” appears. The baby learns to fix his gaze on the faces of mom and dad. After another couple of weeks, by the second month of life, the baby begins to recognize his parents and expressly rejoice: move his arms and legs nimbly, smile widely, and coo invitingly. This means that the baby has successfully survived the “crisis of the first month”, is growing stronger and getting used to the new world. Responding to touches and affectionate speech, he smiles consciously for the first time, which causes an emotional upsurge in his parents. Experts call such a smile “exogenous,” that is, caused by external reasons. You need to support the baby in this: respond with a smile, gently stroke him, talk to him tenderly, play with him, take him in your arms.

Babies begin to laugh long before they learn to speak. Each child goes his own way from the first smile to the first laughter, which is most often observed at the age of 3-5 months. However, it happens that the baby begins to laugh loudly only at one year of age. By laughing loudly, children usually copy the behavior of their parents: watching adults laughing, they begin to imitate.

Advice It is important at this moment not to scare the baby, because he, embarrassed by your violent reaction to his actions, will remember the negative impression and will be afraid to laugh.

Why do children from birth not know how to laugh out loud, because they can cry well and loudly? According to the explanations of experts, newborn babies have not formed the so-called “laughter channel”, which acts as a kind of conductor connecting emotional signals with facial muscles. If you notice that your child starts laughing in private for no reason, do not be surprised - this is normal. He exercises, develops that very “laughter channel”.

The toddler is too serious - should he laugh or cry?

A baby's positive response to smiles, grimaces and lisps from adults is a sign of the newborn's progressive mental development. A lack of desire to smile may indicate the opposite. But you shouldn’t panic right away if your modest person doesn’t know how or doesn’t want to laugh heartily, no matter how much you try to cheer him up. It is necessary to compare all the facts.

If, according to physiological signs, the child develops normally according to the deadlines (can hold his head up, focuses his gaze on faces and objects at least for a short time, does not resist contact with others), most likely there is no reason for concern. Don’t despair, suddenly some person the same age as your child laughs loudly or laughs loudly with his parents and with strangers. Perhaps you have a very serious boyfriend or daughter with an easy-going, even character, and while someone else is laughing, your quiet one is intently analyzing what is happening.

Try to pay more attention to your child. Don't be shy to smile at your silent partner and communicate emotionally with him.

Read him nursery rhymes, sing him songs, pet him and lightly tickle him. Pick up a large, beautiful toy that the baby knows and is not afraid of, and talk to him on behalf of this character, changing your voice to a funny and amusing one. While walking, enthusiastically tell your baby about everything interesting around. Remember that the child will enjoy life only if the right moment is chosen - when he is not tormented by colic, he has slept and is ready to play, when he is full and dry. Otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain.

But if you have completely surrounded your child with attention, and you are still tormented by doubts about his health, contact your pediatrician to allay your fears or get valuable advice.

After a newborn is born in the family, every mother dreams of hearing her baby’s voice as quickly as possible. After a month after birth, the baby can already smile, but many people are also worried about when the child starts laughing. The answer to this question is important for inexperienced women who have become mothers for the first time, since the lack of laughter in certain “months” of life can be the cause of a lag in emotional development. This is necessary for timely contacting a specialist for help.

Emerging problems and ways to solve them

It happens that up to 3 months the baby does not hold his head up, does not focus his eyes, and does not pay attention to toys. And although no two children are alike, this may signal a developmental delay. In this case, you will need the help of a specialist.

Baby doesn't laugh

If a six-month-old baby begins to smile less and is in no hurry to laugh, young parents often worry. The reasons for this phenomenon include:

• the character and innate characteristics of the baby;
• brain damage;
• delay in emotional development.

The baby does not laugh when the mother rarely smiles, does not express her feelings, is silent and reserved. This problem is present in autistic people, in children who have suffered asphyxia, dropsy of the brain, or hypoxia.

Doesn't smile

If a baby does not show joyful emotions for a long time, doctors advise playing with it more, carrying it in your arms, telling rhymes, turning on music, showing pictures, making faces, and the mother frowning less.

What time do children start laughing?

The first time after a long stay in the mother's womb, children adapt to the environment. From the first month of life, children begin to be interested in the world around them and become more sociable. The baby’s very first joyful reaction is a smile, this is how he reacts to the presence of mom or dad. A little later, in combination with a smile, sounds in the form of “humming” appear.

Everyone starts laughing in different ways, because each “little person” is individual, and all children develop differently. “On average,” a baby begins to laugh out loud between the ages of 3 and 5 months. This is 20-30 weeks from the birth of the baby from a medical point of view. It all depends on the children’s emotionality and their expression of joy.

A child’s first conscious smile is a sign of development

Smiles in dreams are very touching and always touch parents, but be patient a little longer - a real reward awaits you.

Babies smile consciously, “for real,” when they are awake, not in their sleep.

A one-month-old baby may experiment with grins and faces, especially in response to the smiles of loved ones, but a conscious smile, expressing pleasure and friendliness, usually appears at 2 months.

This will be a memorable moment in your life as a parent, praising your hard work and care and reassuring you that your baby is happy. These first smiles are also an important developmental milestone.

Your baby will learn that when he moves his lips and smiles, it gets your attention. While your baby interacts with you, other adults and children, his brain develops. A new interest in “communication” distracts him from physiological discomfort such as hunger, fatigue or gas.

By 3 or 4 months, the baby will already be interacting with everyone he sees, trying to imitate human facial expressions. Of course, he will have his favorites: his parents and those who care about him most.

The more the baby socializes, the more he will like it. These early experiences are very important for his later social and emotional development.

All children develop according to their own scenario and at their own pace. If you notice that your baby hasn't started smiling by 3 months, mention this to your pediatrician.

If the baby doesn't laugh

In addition to the question of how many months a child will start laughing, many are interested in the question: should you worry if there is no laughter? Some children at 4 or 5 months only smile and make individual sounds, but there is no deep laughter. There could be several reasons:

1. Children, like adults, have completely different personalities. Some people show their emotions brightly, while others hide them. Also the baby, he may simply be a serious “melancholic” person, so his parents cannot enjoy his laughter. But this is temporary. In 1-2 months he will already please his parents.
2. Another reason for the lack of laughter in children is an underdeveloped nervous system. Most often, babies are not even 3 months old, and mothers are already rushing things, making themselves afraid that something is wrong with the child. Wait a little and take your time.
3. If it is not customary in the family to show joy in the form of laughter, the parents are restrained in their emotions, the baby can try on such a “mask”, despite the fact that he is very small.

So, you should not compare your child with others and listen to mothers whose child bursts into laughter from 3 months - everything is individual.

We can't wait for our first loud laugh.

The first manifestations of laughter out loud are observed in each baby at its own time. There is no need to worry about the fact that your child is already six months old and does not want to laugh.

Such children's emotional restraint, according to experts, has several reasons:

• parents are not used to expressing their emotions clearly, they are always calm and restrained;
• the child's innate temperament;
• unpreparedness of the baby’s nervous system for such a load as loud laughter.

Advice Do not thoroughly compare your beloved child with your neighbor’s, since each baby is individual.

Is it possible to teach someone to laugh?

Children are very emotional creatures who know how to enjoy little things. Everything around them is new and surprising. Also, children produce the hormone of joy - endorphin - in larger quantities than adults, so you don’t need to make much effort to make your baby laugh.

First, you need to pay attention to how often you yourself smile, because the baby first of all takes the example of its parents. And it is precisely the first months and years of life that children are able to absorb surrounding information like a sponge.

What can make a baby laugh? Whatever. You can try several ways to provoke children's laughter:

1. Massage given by mom.
2. Kiss on the tummy.
3. Make funny faces.
4. Make unusual and funny sounds.
5. Play special games, hide your eyes behind your palms or peek out.

The main condition should be the requirement not to frighten the child, since many children can react to games by crying. It is better to tickle the baby’s heels a little, and the touches should be light and short-lived.

Some children may become frightened by their own laughter and begin to cry. Over time, they get used to it and are no longer afraid of their own sounds. Toddlers may start laughing for no reason - this is normal and good training that improves and develops skills.

How to speed up the appearance of laughter

Daily routine of a 5 month old baby

There are several ways to stimulate your baby's laughter:

1. Gently stroke your tummy and ribs with your fingers and palms. This will help improve your baby's mood. Touching should be like a massage; you should not tickle the baby too much and cause colic or hiccups.
2. Many children like unusual sounds and unusual sensations. For example, you can blow on the baby’s heels, kiss the belly, or press your mouth to the belly and blow out air with a sound. Also, the baby will have fun if mom or dad repeats “apchhi” many times.
3. The baby will very quickly learn to laugh if the parents constantly make funny faces or utter bizarre sounds.

Important! If you want to cheer up your child, the main thing is not to overdo it and not to scare it. You need to touch gently and without sudden movements, do not speak loudly and try to do it softly.

You can cheer up your child with a toy

What to do if your baby starts to hiccup while laughing?

Some parents notice that while laughing, the baby begins to hiccup. Why is this happening? During laughter, rapid and short contractions of the diaphragm begin, a long process that turns into convulsions. There is no need to be afraid of such a reaction; it is a reflex feature of the body. To get rid of hiccups, make sure that the baby is distracted, for this you can play a game or sing a song, or you can just give him a little drink. If these methods do not help, try placing the baby on his tummy and patting him on the back. In a few minutes the hiccups will go away.

What to do if your baby pees while laughing?

Another problem that some parents may encounter is baby incontinence while laughing. Is this the norm? It will be possible to identify deviations only at an older age. If the baby already goes to the toilet to go potty, has been weaned off diapers, and while laughing there is incontinence, i.e. involuntary urination, this may indicate a violation of the tone of the pelvic muscles. In this case, you need to see a doctor for examination. But if the baby is still very small, and strong, loud laughter provokes urination, you don’t have to worry, since the pelvic muscles are not completely strong and the baby does not have much control over the process. Over time, the problem will resolve itself and will no longer bother you or your child.

So, armed with ways to cheer up your child, you will overcome sadness: your baby will definitely begin to laugh, delighting you with a rich and playful sound. After all, for parents at first, this is one of the most pleasant and joyful sounds. Let this sound visit your home as often as possible, and after a while we wish you to hear the words “mom” and “dad” at all.

The moment when a child begins to laugh is one of the most anticipated and exciting moments for parents. Therefore, they try to find out in advance at what age this happens, what signs precede out loud laughter, what to do if all the deadlines have passed, and the little one does not show the necessary emotions.

Taking into account the individuality of children's development and the specifics of each individual case, no one will undertake to give exact figures for the timing, but there are still certain boundaries. Just as there are actions and factors that can stimulate the development of this skill in infants.

At what age do small children start laughing?

The first month after birth, the baby mostly sleeps, adapting to new conditions. Only starting from 5-6 weeks does he begin to show at least some interest in what is happening around him. Already from 3-4 months of life, smiles, grunts and other equally cute sounds appear in the baby’s “arsenal”.

After the child begins to try to connect his voice, producing the indicated emotional accompaniment, he begins to coo and hum. And at about 4-5 months you can hear real laughter performed by a newborn. Usually the child begins to laugh unexpectedly, including to himself. Sometimes he even gets scared by a new sound, and here the mother should also support him with laughter so that the little one understands that everything is fine.

Don't be upset if nothing happens within the specified time frame. The framework proposed by experts is quite vague and ranges from 3-8 months. Calm and happy children, who are always the center of attention, may laugh for the first time even a little later. This does not mean that the baby has any abnormalities or is being improperly cared for.

What to do if laughter “out loud” never appeared?

Time passes, everyone knows the little ones laughing with all their might, and the little one dear to his heart smiles and is silent. There may be several explanations for this phenomenon:

• His nervous system simply hasn’t matured yet. Parents should remember that the “ability” to laugh is not an indicator of the physical or intellectual development of the baby. This is a natural skill that is stimulated by the environment and is sure to come.

Advice: It is worth considering that constant laughter for no reason is no less alarming than the complete absence of this emotion. Just in case, it is better to consult a doctor if it begins to seem that laughter is the baby’s only reaction to any external stimulus.

• He is surrounded by too serious people who try to control their emotions. Or the baby has no reason to laugh yet. This usually happens if children do not see their parents for a long time and therefore do not feel an emotional attachment to them. The opposite situations also happen. Children spend all their time with their mother and simply do not have time to miss her, so they take her for granted. But once they see something very bright, colorful or big, they experience such a surge of positive emotions that they are unable to hold back their laughter.
• Some babies are simply born serious and do not feel the inner need to express their emotions. This does not mean that they grow up to be closed pessimists, they just feel more comfortable this way at a particular period of time.

Of course, we cannot completely discount the possibility of a malfunction of the nervous system as a result of injury or an infectious process. But in this case, other oddities will be observed in the child’s behavior, which will help make the correct diagnosis.

Is it possible to teach a baby to laugh?

If the children's nervous system is not ready, it will not be possible to teach a toddler to laugh. But no one has canceled games and fun yet.

Children love rhymes and nursery rhymes, funny faces and tickles. You can have fun with games such as “peek-a-boo”, “drove over bumps”, “there is a horned goat”, etc. All this must be done cheerfully, with sincere emotions. Communication will only bring benefits to the child; he will definitely imitate you and copy your facial expressions.

You will be surprised, but some babies will laugh loudly when long unfamiliar words or tongue twisters are spoken to them.

As children approach the age of one, they are amused by things that are worn out of place. For example, tights on the head or a bowl instead of a hat.

How can you teach a child to laugh?

Children begin to enjoy life almost from birth (at least from the second month after birth), so instilling in them a love of laughter is not at all difficult. To facilitate this process, it is recommended to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. If a child starts laughing or at least tries to make similar sounds, he needs to be supported. Of course, you shouldn’t laugh loudly, thereby scaring the little one even more, but you should set a good example for him.
2. Children absorb everything like sponges, including the manifestation of emotions. Starting from the second month of life, they are physically able to smile and laugh. Therefore, the more often they observe these emotions, the faster they themselves will begin to use them in practice.
3. Often, a child’s first laugh occurs in response to tactile stimulation, for example, during a massage. There is no need to deliberately tickle the baby to the point of colic, but you can gently stroke the tummy and ribs, provoking a good mood.
4. In addition, children love unusual sounds and new sensations. Some laugh when they blow on their heels, others love to listen to counting rhymes, and others are delighted when dads press their mouths to their stomachs and exhale forcefully, provoking a loud snorting sound.
5. And of course, you need to constantly communicate with the baby, using different intonations (question, exclamation, surprise, praise), actively using facial expressions. You shouldn’t try to surprise him with scary faces; they often scare kids; it’s better to limit yourself to something original, but good-natured.

Scientists say that a child’s body produces endorphins, the hormones of happiness, much more actively than an adult. Therefore, the ability to laugh loudly and contagiously is inherent in them by nature itself. You just need to wait a little and everything will definitely come.

Rules for the development of feelings and emotions in a baby

• From the moment of birth, give your child love and affection.
• Take him in your arms as often as possible, as much as you want, tell him about everything that is happening around him, look him in the eyes.
• Watch the baby's facial expressions and movements, so you will understand what he likes more and what causes him to cry.
• Bring more positive emotions into life - smile and laugh, thereby you will be able to evoke the same reaction in your own child.
• The baby’s good mood should be reinforced by smiling in response to a smile and when the child begins to laugh.
• Don’t focus on your child’s frustrations; try to divert his attention to something positive by holding him to your chest and gently stroking his head.
• Involve other family members in close communication with the baby, try to expand his social circle.