The following post was originally published in February 2010. I’d love to know: what is making you and your kids laugh this week?
“Mommy, why did the chicken cross the road?” my son Max sets up the joke, a huge grin on his face. Then, with the kind of humor that makes sense only to three year olds, he delivers his punch line, “because he wants a cookie!”
Wait. What?
At our house we’re used to the fact that Max’s jokes don’t make sense to the rest of us. (In this case, it probably means that he wants a cookie). Max doesn’t care whether or not his jokes make sense, he just wants to laugh and he wants us to giggle along with him. And, it doesn’t take much to make Max laugh. Nonsensical knock-knock jokes and silly words like ooga-booga or even kiwi are belly-laugh material.
Not only is my son discovering the things that he finds funny, but he has discovered that he has the ability to make other people laugh, too. Those knock-knock jokes and silly exclamations show that he has learned a new way to communicate with us: though humor.
Photo by GraceWong
My eight year old possesses a more sophisticated sense of humor than her little brother. She is at an age where she can understand irony and the concept of a play on words. She appreciates a good pun or an extra-tricky tongue twister. I appreciate that those puns and tongue twisters are helping her develop a love of language.
Just for Laughs
Knock-Knock joke, pun, or ooga-booga, I love the sound of my children laughing. Because I know that we all love giggling with our kids, I’m sharing a few of our favorite jokes with you.
Knock-Knock Jokes
Knock, Knock Who’s there?
Boo. Boo who? Aww, don’t cry.
Knock, Knock Who’s there?
Interrupting Cow. Interrupting Co- MOOOOOO!
Knock, Knock Who’s there?
Olive. Olive who? Olive you! (I love you)
Puns
What do you call a train that sneezes? Achoo-choo train
Why did the bee go to the doctor? Because he had hives
Why did the pony go to the doctor? Because she was a little horse
Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants to the game? In case he got a hole in one
Tongue Twisters
The key to the silliness of tongue twisters, of course, is to try to say them as fast as you can. All of the fun is in the mistakes and mispronunciations.
Give papa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.
Six slippery snails slid slowly.
Rubber baby buggy-bumpers.
Theophilus Thistle, the unsuccessful thistle sifter, thrust three thistles through the thick of his thumb.
Photo by Andrew
I encourage you to take some time today and laugh with your kids. Remember, it doesn’t have to make sense to be funny. Break out your corniest jokes, silliest puns, goofiest words, and trickiest tongue twisters and let the giggling begin!
Laughter is contagious and we want to share it with you. Heard any good jokes lately?
About Kara
Love this Kara! It’s very timely, wouldn’t you know.
Noah (4.5) asks me often throughout the day-every day-to tell him a joke. Begs is probably more appropriate.
Then I rack my brain, trying to think of something, which of course I can’t. I finally realized he doesn’t care about the joke, it’s about connecting with me and being silly.
This post helps me understand that a little better.
Such fun! Thanks and have a wonderful weekend!
.-= Aimee´s last blog ..A Guidemap for Finding Real Salt =-.
Ahhhhh, I love this!! Oh my goodness, I see some old favorites, but lots of great new material for when we’re driving in the car and the five-year-old says, “tell me a joke!” Which is frequently, she loves jokes. Her goldfish is named “Jokes.” Thank you thank you! Oh my, the “interrupting cow” one is excellent.
.-= Laura´s last blog ..Impromptu Adventure to the Zoo =-.
My son (3) loves to make us laugh, as long as he doesn’t feel laughed at (and most of that is in his head, becuase he is pretty funny!). This is his favorite to tell and hear:
Knock Knock. Who’s there?
Banana. Banana who?
Knock Knock. Who’s there?
Banana. Banana who?
(repeat until you can’t stand it)
Knock Knowck. Who’s there?
Orange. Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?
that’s my absolute favorite!!!
.-= Annie´s last blog ..I Am Just Me =-.
Yes, that one is a popular one here, too
.-= Kara´s last blog ..Weekend Showcase: Link Love =-.
My two favorite kid jokes ever:
What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back?
A stick!
What is brown and sticky?
A stick!
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A stick! Oh, my! I’m going to have to try that boomerang one out on my kids today
.-= Kara´s last blog ..Weekend Showcase: Link Love =-.
That’s a cute joke! So is the “dwain the tub” one (below by Wendy). Thanks for the good humor on this very cold Monday in NYC.
So very true indeed! My Little Beans’s favorite joke to tell is this…
knock knock
who’s there
orange
orange who
orange has 100 eyes
and cue the rolling on the floor laughing.
I think I’ll have him draw a picture to go along with this joke. Pretty sweet memories!
.-= Jenn´s last blog ..Olympic Fever =-.
Jenn, that is a great idea to have him draw a picture to go with the joke. What a cool memento for the scrapbook – love it!
.-= Kara´s last blog ..Weekend Showcase: Link Love =-.
We have two joke lovers in our family…the 10 yo doesn’t always remember punch lines and the 4 yo’s are similar to Max’s
) So it’s left up to the 36 year old to tell jokes! Here’s a recent fave (but you might have to think about it)
What did the green grape say to the purple grape?? BREATHE!
http://www.highlightskids.com/GamesandGiggles/Jokes/h12jokes.asp?show=ALL
is a great source for jokes!
.-= Tanya´s last blog .. =-.
just an aside…I must remember that this
is a smiley face…not this 
) !
.-= Tanya´s last blog .. =-.
I just had to link to a post I did of my all time favorite joke that my 2 year old used to tell. (Linked directly to it from my name)
It’s a messed up, but much better, version of…
Knock, Knock
Who’s there?
Dwain
Dwain who?
Dwain the tub, I’m dwowning.
.-= Wendy´s last blog ..Low Light Pictures with a Point and Shoot Camera =-.
so funny!
When my oldest kids were 2 and 3 they would tell this joke to each other over and over again:
Knock knock. Who’s there?
Apple. Apple who?
Apple tree!
My husband and I didn’t get it, but they thought it was hysterical! They are 7 and 8 now and we like to remind them of this joke sometimes. A friend of ours taught them this one when they were younger:
What do you call cheese that’s not yours? Nacho cheese!
By the way, the Interrupting Cow one is a particular favorite of my husband’s.
Our 3.5 year old’s favorite right now is, “What color is a burp?… BURPLE!”
Burple! that is a riot
(my 3 year old will love that one)
LOVE THESE, Kara! So much fun. My girls love to make up knock-knock jokes. Of course, they are totally just silly, like “Knock knock” “Who’s there?” “Hairbrush” “Hairbrush who?” “Hairbrush on an ice cream cone!” and much laughter ensues.
Thanks for publishing these today. Fun, fun, fun.
.-= Megan@SortaCrunchy´s last blog ..40 Days of Joy {day 10} – Projects =-.
Why did the star fish cross the road?
To get to the other tide.
My 6-year-old’s stand by!
.-= Annie´s last blog ..I Am Just Me =-.
Will you remember me in a year? (Yes.)
Will you remember me in a month? (Yes.)
Will you remember me in a day? (Yes.)
Will you remember me in a minute? (Yes.)
Will you remember me in a second? (Yes.)
Knock knock? (Who’s there?)
What?! You’ve forgotten me already!
.-= Trisha Cupra´s last blog ..Why WordPress Is The Ultimate Blogging Platform =-.
Kids love this one:
Q: What’s a shark’s favorite game?
A: “Swallow the Leader!”
And another marine-themed groaner:
Q: Why are manatees so wrinkly?
A: Have YOU ever tried to iron one?
Thanks a gazillion! I needed these. I’ve heard the one about the chicken crossing the playground a few too many times this week.
.-= Erin @ Letter Soup´s last blog ..Etsy Letter Love: Pilosale =-.
this is so cool
yaeh really cool
Ok, my 5 year old son heard this joke on Curious George and when he told it to me and my husband we couldn’t stop laughing! It goes like this:
Q-What is invisible and smells like bananas?
A- Monkey toot!
Very silly! lol
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NOCK NOCK
WHO`S THERE BEST
BEST WHO YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND
Fave in my house:
Why did the skeleton NOT cross teh roasd?
- Because he had no guts!!
The fave in my house between my 4 and 6 yr olds:
Why did the skeleton NOT cross the road?
- Because he had no guts!!
I have to stop reading these and get to work!
What a great way of getting your kids involved!
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Love these! The brown and sticky joke is a favorite here too.
Magic and Mayhem´s latest post: Science Nifties!
So glad to have some new material for my kids! Thanks, everyone!
P.S. My boys’ favorite is
Knock, Knock
Who’s there?
Who
Who who?
Whoo-whoo here comes the train! (followed by ding, dong, screak, whistle or whatever other noisy train noise my little ones come up with)
They also say nonsense knock knock jokes just based on whatever they see – a truck, plant, tree… Knock, knock, Who’s there? Truck Truck who? Truck driving down the street. (Truck noises…)
That is just like my kids. They are always making up their own jokes and cracking themselves up! Silly stuff.
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One of my favorite tongue twisters goes back to when I was 7 or 8 yrs old. I am 56 now but this is still my favorite. What really surprises me is a lot of people do not know the second part which is a response to the first.
How much wood,
could a wood chuck chuck
If a wood chuck could chuck wood?
Response:
He wood chuck as much wood,
as a wood chuck could,
if a wood chuck could chuck wood.
My most recent favorite:
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To get to your house.
(pause)
Knock knock. (Who’s there?) The chicken.
Why is 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 8 9!
Saw your website and started cracking up. Here’s my daughter’s favorite:
What do you call a fairy that doesn’t take a bath?
A: Stinkerbell!
“Laughter is the best medicine”. Wear a smile in every day of living to avoid stress and long life. It is priceless and no charge at all.
Resha´s latest post: are warts contagious?
i like
max joke!
My daughter’s longtime favorite joke:
Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln who?
You don’t know who Abraham Lincoln is?????