Originally published by Scholastic Parents on February 24, 2022<\/em> Think about which books your child reaches for most. If you\u2019re like many parents, the first thing that comes to mind is \u201cfunny kids\u2019 books!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scholastic research shows that humour in books is the top characteristic kids look for when making their reading selections. According to the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report<\/em><\/a>, more than 70 percent of children ages 6 to 17 say they look for books that make them laugh. Parents feel similarly: More than 50 percent of parents say they want their kids\u2019 books to be funny above all else. When humour is involved, the whole family enjoys reading more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Funny kids\u2019 books provide a positive and uplifting interaction that encourages regular reading habits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMost people enjoy a good laugh \u2014 kids included,\u201d says Jessica Wollman, senior vice president and general manager of curriculum at Scholastic Education. \u201cHumorous books pull kids in and make reading fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When children enjoy what they read, they\u2019ll want to read more \u2014 but funny books are more than just a means of entertainment. They can be a doorway to better reading comprehension, improved social-emotional skills, and overall well-being. Here are the three major benefits of humor in books for your child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Humour plays a big role in a child\u2019s stages of development. How a child uses humour is a reflection of their developing cognitive and linguistic abilities. Introducing children to humour through books is one way to build lasting skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHumour can be an effective way to improve retention, or \u2018make teaching stick,\u2019 in kids from kindergarten through college,\u201d says Wollman. \u201cAfter all, humour triggers our sense of wonder, which is the root of all learning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experts agree: Funny kids\u2019 books teach lessons that prime readers for the wider world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFunny books can absolutely provide a learning experience,\u201d says Judy Newman, executive vice president of Scholastic and president of Scholastic Book Clubs. \u201cSeries like Dog Man<\/a> by Dav Pilkey<\/a> provide lessons to enhance social-emotional skills and good decision-making, while they entertain kids with puns, jokes and amusing illustrations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Humour also gives kids the confidence to try new things. By reading about characters who slip up or fail in an amusing way, or who take many attempts to succeed, children feel more comfortable embracing their fears and hesitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHumorous books can be empowering for young readers,\u201d says Newman. \u201cRather than being overtly told that they need to behave in a certain way, these stories show that it\u2019s okay to make mistakes! Kids can relate to characters like Junie B. Jones<\/a> and Greg Heffley (the Wimpy Kid)<\/a>, who mess things up in hilarious ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through funny books, children also get a window into what it\u2019s like to be an adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAdult characters are often depicted as misguided or confused in these books,\u201d Newman says. \u201cPopular series such as My Weird School and The Bad Guys<\/a> illustrate that \u2018grown-ups\u2019 mix things up, too. This can be reassuring for kids, and turns the table so that they are assessing decisions made by people who are generally in a position of authority.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good joke is better when it\u2019s shared. In this way, reading becomes a group activity when children can share the laughs \u2014 and form bonds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHumour is also inherently social, and it\u2019s highly contagious,\u201d says Wollman. \u201cWhenever young readers connect over funny books, like Dav Pilkey\u2019s Captain Underpants<\/a> and Tedd Arnold\u2019s Fly Guy<\/a>, they\u2019re also engaged in authentic community building.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But perhaps the most enduring legacy of funny kids\u2019 books is their ability to help children navigate difficult times and difficult situations. Laughter may enhance a child\u2019s literacy in many ways, but it\u2019s the old expression \u201claughter is medicine\u201d that hints at its true benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDuring these tumultuous times, we are seeing that both caregivers and children are looking for books that provide therapeutic benefits,\u201d Newman says. \u201cIn particular demand are books that address social-emotional concerns, mindfulness, understanding differences, and kindness. And, of course, laughter increases endorphins released by the brain, which reduces stress and promotes a sense of well-being. That\u2019s something everyone could use more of these days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shop our collection of funny kids\u2019 books<\/a> and share a laugh! Also available, our exclusive Silly Books to Read Together Pack<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Discover how humour can develop your child\u2019s love of reading and literacy skills. Originally published by Scholastic Parents on February 24, 2022Versioned for Scholastic Canada Think about which books your…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[5,6,14,64,61,63,7,45,20,48],"class_list":["post-1206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reading-tips","tag-book-clubs","tag-book-fairs","tag-books","tag-funny-books","tag-graphic-novels","tag-humour","tag-parents","tag-picture-books","tag-social-emotional-learning","tag-teachers"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/em>Versioned for Scholastic Canada<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHumour \u201cMakes Teaching Stick\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Humour Is Empowering<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Humour Is Therapeutic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n