When Do Babies Start Laughing? - Healthline

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When Do Babies Start Laughing?

Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — Written by Kimberly Holland on July 30, 2018

Age at first laugh
Making your baby laugh
Missing the milestone
Seeing the doctor
Takeaway

The first time your baby laughs is considered a milestone. Most babies begin laughing around four months, but every baby is different.

Your baby’s first year is filled with all types of memorable events, from eating solid food to taking their first steps. Each “first” in your baby’s life is a milestone. Each milestone is an opportunity for you to make sure your child is growing and developing as expected.

Laughter is a wonderful milestone to reach. Laughter is a way your baby communicates that you can understand. It’s a sign that your baby is alert, intrigued, and happy.

Read on to learn about the average timeline for babies to start laughing and what you can do if they miss this milestone.

When should your baby start to laugh?

Most babies will begin laughing around month three or four. However, don’t be concerned if your baby isn’t laughing at four months. Each baby is different. Some babies will laugh earlier than others.

4 ways to make your baby laugh

Your baby’s first laugh may happen when you kiss their belly, make a funny noise, or bounce them up and down. There are also other techniques to draw out a laugh from your little one.

1. Funny noises

Your baby may respond to popping or kissing sounds, a squeaky voice, or blowing your lips together. These auditory cues are often more interesting than a normal voice.

2. Gentle touches

Light tickling or gently blowing on your baby’s skin is a fun, different sensation for them. Kissing their hands or feet, or “blowing a raspberry” on their belly may elicit a laugh, too.

3. Noisemakers

Objects in your baby’s environment, such as a zipper or bell, may seem funny to your baby. You won’t know what these are until your baby laughs, but try using different noise makers to see what makes them laugh.

4. Fun games

Peek-a-boo is a great game to play when children start laughing. You can play peek-a-boo with your baby at any age, but they may not respond by laughing until they are four to six months. At this age, babies begin learning about “object permanence,” or the understanding that something exists even when you don’t see it.

If they miss the milestone

According to many milestone markers, babies typically laugh between months three and four. If the fourth month comes and goes and your baby is still not laughing, there is no need for concern.

Some babies are more serious and don’t laugh or cackle as much as other babies. This might be OK, especially if all they’re meeting their other developmental milestones.

Focus on the entire set of age-appropriate milestones, not just one. If, however, your baby hasn’t reached several milestones in their development, it’s worth speaking to their pediatrician.

Here are some of the 4-month milestones you can look forward to:

spontaneous smiling
following moving things with eyes
watching faces and recognizing familiar people
enjoying playing with people
making sounds, such as babbling or cooing

Talk to your baby’s doctor

If you’re concerned that your child is not laughing or meeting other milestones, bring this up at your baby’s next wellness visit. As part of the visit, your doctor will likely ask you about all the milestones your baby is meeting.

If not, be sure to include these details in your conversation.

From there, the two of you can decide if you’d like to watch and wait for future developments or if you’d like your baby’s doctor to recommend further evaluation. There may be therapies to help your baby develop more in pace with other children their age.

Takeaway

Laughter is an exciting milestone to reach. Laughing is a way for your baby to communicate with you. But remember that each baby is unique, and they develop at a pace unique to them. Resist comparing your child to another one of your children or to another child.

Parenthood
Baby
06 Months 1 Year

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Important milestones: Your baby by four months.(2018).http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-4mo.html
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Infant development:Milestones from 4 to 6 months.https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/infant-development/art-20048178
Speech and language developmental milestones.(2017).https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/speech-and-language

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Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — Written by Kimberly Holland on July 30, 2018

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