Telling Jokes: A big development in middle childhood

Has your five or six year old asked things like . . . 

“Why did the man get a drink?
“Because he was thirsty.” Followed by gales of forced laughter? That’s how it starts.
Why Jokes Emerge During this Period
Jokes and humor are incredibly popular in middle childhood. These emerge as a result of several changes in thinking. The ability to decenter and consider different points of view or different aspects of an event allow children to recognize and appreciate unexpected twists, which is what successful jokes rely on. In addition, children this age begin to have what we . . .

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