51吃瓜网

The children鈥檚 laugher was bellowing, contagious, and almost constant, and sometimes it bordered on uncontrollable. At one time I might have asked them to quiet down. However, once I decided to nurture children鈥檚 sense of humor, laughter was always a delightful and welcome sound in the classroom. Eventually I joined their scenario, bringing my plate and asking for an extra-rare piece of opossum with ketchup. Here are some ways to learn to let go of control and encourage laughter with preschoolers.

1. Know the children鈥檚 interests.听Learn about the books, music, movies, and television shows the children are interested in. Use the information to relate to the children and laugh with them. Considering children鈥檚 cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds is also important. Children from different backgrounds often experience humor in different ways.
2. Talk with preschoolers about laughter and humor.听When the children laugh, ask them about what they find funny. Discussions about laughter help teachers discover children鈥檚 perspectives and understand what led to the laughter. As children become more aware of their laughter, they will see it as something desirable that they want to repeat.
3. Use laughter to help children build relationships.听Laughter often brings people closer, helps them communicate, and creates a shared experience and common bond. An environment filled with laughter strengthens the relationships of teachers with children and of children with each other.
4. Share silly books and stories.听Story time is a chance to read books that tickle children鈥檚 funny bones. Preschoolers often enjoy books with rhymes, silly sounds, and made-up or nonsense words. Older preschoolers might also laugh at characters who make mistakes or get into trouble. They love it when the teacher uses a different voice for each character, makes funny sounds or faces, and invites the children to join in the story.
5. Involve the whole body.听Children laugh when adults jump, dance, sing, and use their whole bodies. Do a silly walk, sing a funny song, or invent a little dance with them during transitions. In addition, when children laugh, they鈥檙e more likely to remember what they learn.
6. Try something new.听This is the surest formula for success! Children often laugh when something unexpected happens. Activities that challenge what children know and expect are sure to produce laughter. Set up a new learning center, try a fresh activity, read a new book, take a field trip, and invite a human or animal guest to the classroom.
7. Set children up for success.听Children often laugh with pleasure when they master something new. A child who learns to pump her legs to propel the swing on her own might screech with laughter when she succeeds. Experiences like this build confidence, competence, and feelings of success.
8. Break the taboo: Body sounds and other noises.听To close, I must mention the unmentionable鈥攂ody sounds. Are they funny? Disgusting? Intolerable? Most teachers shut down this kind of humor, but there is certainly a time and a place to laugh about these things. Recall when you were a child and found such noises hilarious. Learn to accept that laughter at passing gas, burping, and mouth sounds is part of childhood, and humor will follow.

Photo听漏听iStock