Silly faces, funny dances and funny sounds – if you’re waiting for your baby to laugh first, we bet you’ve tried it all.

Laughter is a social skill and one of the ways your baby will communicate with you and the other people he interacts with on a daily basis. During the first few months of life, your baby may laugh in his sleep. That first real laugh, however, comes a little later.

When do babies laugh?

When your baby starts to smile around 8 weeks, laughter is one of the next social milestones to look out for. Around 4 months old, your baby will give a little smile or giggle in response to something you did. That first little laugh can be unpredictable, and what gets you a giggle once may not work the second or third time.

“My little one is just over 4 months old. She’s been giggling here and there for a few weeks, but at first it was hard to tell the difference between the giggles and her happy sounds,” she says BabyCenter Community a member of Mom2Peps.

By the time they’re 6 months old, your baby will probably be laughing heartily after you’ve made funny noises, gently tickled their tummy, or pretended to chew on their fingers. Although some of the laughter is involuntary, it is also a communication skill that babies learn to tell you when something makes them happy. When they laugh out loud or squeal with delight, you’ll know your baby is having fun.

As their parent, you can probably make your baby laugh better than anyone else. You are their favorite person and all of their earliest attempts at communication – including babbling, smiling and laughing – will be directed at you.

As babies begin to laugh

Socialization learning begins the moment your baby is born. Long before they can understand words, smile, or laugh back at your antics, they are gathering communication information from the world around them.

Here’s a timeline of the skills babies learn from birth that help them start laughing:

A newborn baby

When your newborn is awake, he is learning about the world using his senses. What they see, touch, hear, taste and smell is information they use to make meaningful connections.

At this age, your newborn already knows your voice and notices changes in your tone. But they only have one way of communicating: crying.

1 to 2 months

Your baby may start trying to imitate your facial expressions first. Stay close and stick out your tongue. Pause and give them a moment to respond. It will take time, but eventually they will learn to imitate you.

At 2 months, you might catch a glimpse of your baby’s first smile! If your baby isn’t smiling, you’ll probably see a gummy smile soon. You will begin to notice your baby’s preferences: they will seem happy to see you, and certain toys or games may attract their attention more than others.

Your baby will also add sounds to her social interactions, cooing at you when she’s awake and wants to chat.

3 to 4 months

At this point, your baby will likely be adept at interacting with you and other loved ones with the help of a smile. You will be able to have small exchanges with your baby using “smile talk”: Offer them a smile and they will smile back.

“My 11 week old has been smiling for the past two weeks and it’s wonderful!” BabyCenter Community says parent MelissaC1587. “Mostly she laughs at her sisters, but she also laughs when we tickle her. Nothing sweeter than a baby’s giggle!”

By the time they are 4 months old, you will probably hear your baby’s first laugh. If you were doing something fun, like dancing around or making funny noises, they might respond with soft laughter.

“Babies usually start to smile between the ages of 4 and 6 months, usually when they find something to smile about,” says Chandani DeZure, MD, FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician and member of BabyCenter’s medical advisory board. “Tickle is perhaps the easiest way to make your little one laugh – on the tummy or soles of the feet should do the trick!”

5 to 6 months

By now, your living room might be starting to feel like open mic night at your local comedy club. Your baby will probably erupt into full-blown laughter by 6 months. Everyone, including siblings, grandparents, will want to make your little one throw a tantrum.

This is a great time to add more baby games to your little one’s daily routine. For most of their lives so far, they have observed the world around them. Now they are ready to participate.

Ways to make your baby smile

If you’re eager to hear that first giggle or your baby is already laughing and can’t get enough, these antics might just work.

• Funny sounds such as clicking the tongue against the oral cavity, blowing raspberries or making a silly voice will surely attract your baby’s attention. If the moment is right, they might respond with a smile, laugh, or belly laugh.
• Games are a great way to have fun with your little one. Try games that rely on the element of surprise, such as peek-a-boo or tower-build-and-tear.
• Tickle may be the easiest way to get a smile if your baby is ready. Just stick to gentle touches on their sensitive skin. It takes a lot less pressure than you think to get that tricky spot just right.
• Blowing raspberries on their stomachs or pretending to bite their fingers is a trick that is often a hit with babies. If it doesn’t work on the first or second try, take a break and try again later.

Tickling is perhaps the easiest way to make your little one smile – on the tummy or soles of the feet should do the trick!

– Dr. Chandani DeZure, pediatrician

What if your baby doesn’t laugh?

Babies reach developmental milestones at their own pace. But if your baby isn’t smiling by 6 months, show it to your pediatrician. In some cases, missed milestones are signs of stunted development. Your doctor may recommend a developmental assessment or refer you to a specialist.

After your baby starts smiling, what’s next?

Once your baby smiles, you can expect more fun milestones just around the corner. Around 6 months old, they will be babbling and practicing new sounds. At 9 months, many babies learn to clap and point to things that pique their interest.

Next are independent movement and conversation. Your baby might take their first steps around their first birthday and start saying simple words like “mummy” and “daddy”.