When Will My Baby Start Laughing?

A., that 3-4 months guideline is a good one, but not every baby will fall into that span, since they're all unique. It's good that you've heard a couple laughs. He might respond to a squeaky toy or a pet maybe. One of these days when he's really enjoying something you should hear it again. When you think something is really funny, let him see you laugh:) Is he playing around with sounds and making some consonant sounds yet? Kitty M

One day when you least expect it, your little guy is going to let out a big belly laugh at something that you won't find the least bit funny, but you will laugh like crazy because those baby laughs are soooo darn cute!!! Enjoy!!!!

Do you have a dog? Their silly antics are always good for a laugh from baby!

A squeaky toy got my first to laugh. It was this obnoxious sound. Or Zerbert on tummy (blowing air wet smacky sound kiss) I find you can't really make them do it - one day it will just happen and parents naturally do it over ... and over ... again.

I found older toddler siblings were the best. Babies just find them ridiculous to watch so my younger ones laughed earlier than my first. One thought our cat was the funniest thing. It will come :) Just when you don't expect it.

ETA: Forgot to mention, no reason for concern. Mine all laughed/walked/talked/sat/rolled at different times - and I did pretty much the same routine with all of them. Those books and articles often are based on when the first set do things - like some kids will show they can do stuff. Our doctor assured me that a lot of babies are doing things up to 6 months later and no reason for concern. In short, you would notice other things (not things like laughing) if there were reasons for concerns. So relax and enjoy and it will come :) Some babies laugh a lot more than others. In my house, my serious kids did not laugh as much. My jokey crazy kids, had deep belly laughs as babies. Babies show their personalities at a young age too :) But he will - it will come. He's probably just busy taking it all in right now.

No reason for concern. Along with the fact that it sometimes takes a little longer than smiles for laughter to come along, you may also find that your baby has preferences about for whom he will laugh. My daughter (almost 15 now) would ONLY laugh for my husband. It was a huge guttural laugh that had me in stitches--but also jealous, because she WOULD. NOT. DO. IT. FOR. ME. Wouldn't. For months. It was probably close to her being 10-11 months old before she laughed with ME. For husband? I can't recall exactly, but probably 5 months or so? She would laugh for my 3 year old son before she would laugh for me, too. I guess she had a male preference. LOL

So, don't be alarmed. And don't be surprised if she laughs when you aren't around, either.

There's a range on EVERYTHING - walking, talking, laughing, sitting up, rolling over, sleeping through the night and learning to use the toilet. Try not to sweat out ONE single milestone if he's meeting everything else. Change up the toys, get him outside to look at nature and get fresh air, and introduce new experiences. Try puppets or giving voices to stuffed animals, try making stacks of blocks and knocking them over (and laughing when it happens), enjoy neighborhood dogs, and more. And try to relax.

A.,

I remember being a first time mom and being concerned over EVERY thing....

Please BREATHE!! Please ENJOY your son! Don't rush him to grow up and meet the milestones...those milestones are not, repeat, NOT set in stone. Breathe.

My daughter will be 30 this August. She started laughing at 3 months - our dog would lick her face and she just thought that was hilarious!!

My son just turned 16. He started laughing around 4 months - maybe 5 - I would give him my GRUMPY face or read "where the W. things are" and I would GNASH MY TERRIBLE TEETH and ROAR my terrible roar!! He thought it was funny!

My youngest will be 14 in July. He laughed at his big brother falling over - that was about 4 months old - the ruckus scared/startled him and then he saw his brother's feet in the air - he laughed....

This happened in a blink of an eye - at least that's how it seemed - and those "terrible 2's" weren't so terrible - it was the Fearless 4's - those seemed to last for TWO YEARS...

Stop TRYING to get him to laugh. It WILL happen. The more you FORCE it? It won't be genuine. He doesn't know what you are TRYING to get him to do. Does he hear YOU laugh?? What about his daddy? Does he hear HIM laugh??

Please breathe. Let things happen when they happen. Milestones are a GUESSTIMATE - not a written in stone "thing"

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I think laughing around 3-4 months is the average, but infants vary significantly in reaching their milestones. Those who don't hit the milestones during the "average" period still grow up to be perfectly normal.

Maybe your son is one of those kids who's just not easily amused. Keep trying different things and he'll laugh soon enough. Also, do you and the people around him laugh a lot? If not, try to laugh when you're with him. Kids mimic adult behavior so that might encourage him to laugh.

True story. My son was just like that, only with fewer smiles. He is very observant, and I wondered why he never laughed. Guess what? When he was about three, we were watching an old Tom & Jerry cartoon. He giggled uncontrollably until he cried, and practically fell off the sofa. Old Roadrunner cartoons trigger hysterical laughter. Try not to worry. He may just be so alert that laughter isn't natural, or important right now. Enjoy him, and don't be concerned. It will come with time. The fact that he smiles all the time? Good sign. =)