I’ve recently made a pretty incredible discovery. It’s rocked my world. It’s changed the way I choose books to read with my soon-to-be-two toddler. It’s enriched our time spent reading together. Want to know what I realized?
Children’s books can be really funny--for adults. I'm talking knee-slapping, belly-laughing, side-splitting funny. I’d always thought of children’s books as cute, sweet, heartwarming, silly, and whimsical, but hilarious was never a word I would have used to describe them. I’ve since read countless books that have had both me and my son in fits of giggles. And, in all honesty, it’s brought us closer together, and made our time reading together so much more special.
It’s easy to find yourself reading the same books over and over again. I know I’ve been guilty of that more times than I can count. The problem is, when we get into the routine of reading aloud the same books day after day, we lose some of our original excitement and charisma. Not to say there is anything wrong with the classic children’s books, but it’s important to have a healthy dose of change when it comes to your reading repertoire at home. That’s where the funny children’s book comes into play. They make us laugh! They are exciting! There are punch lines and jokes to anticipate, characters' voices to try out! It’s important to remember that when your child sees you enjoying yourself while reading, it makes them want to do the same.
Another part of the importance of introducing language and literacy to young children is that they begin connect reading to positive, memorable experiences. So when my son and I are both reading something we enjoy, something that makes us laugh, I’m helping him to associate happy, funny memories with his mom to reading a story. Never forget that when you are reading with your child, you are building a lifelong love of reading simply by making your story time fun, imaginative, and meaningful. That is a valuable investment in your child’s future reading success!
In short, read books that make you and your child laugh. Read books that you both enjoy and bond over.You'll create positive experiences that allow you to connect with your child, and promote a lifelong love of reading. Below are some of my personal favorite funny books, all available at your local library branch. Happy (or should I say funny?) reading!