An Easy Way to Break up the Day at Home

Need a brain break from all the Zoom calls and school work? All you need to do is pick up a funny book and laugh out loud with your kids!

Research shows that laughing makes you feel better by producing endorphins in the brain, just like exercise. Experts actually include laughter therapy alongside other traditional ones to improve mental health and the immune system in depression treatments. As you know, laughter is highly contagious, and the endorphin response can easily spread through groups that laugh together. Perfect way to spend time with the kids right?

Let’s dive right in. Ready to laugh out loud with your clan to the top 5 funny picture books we read so far this year?

Shock horror- mums and dads pick their noses too?

1. You Do by Kes Gray and Nick Sharratt

Kids love books that they can relate to and this is definitely one- calling us adults out!

The cover itself is pretty telling- Daisy is picking her nose...

Highly recommend reading with the kids so you can guide them to avoid these behaviors after having a good laugh!

2.     I Yam a Donkey by Cece Bell

A great read aloud book about a conversation between a donkey and a yam, with a twist at the end.

Both kids liked it, but particularly funny for my 5 year old who gets the grammar jokes.

3.     Creepy Pair of Underwear! By Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown

Which kid isn’t obsessed with underwear and glow in the dark? Well, this book brings both in the form of creepy underwear!

This hilarious book ends in a final double spread that my kids just loved. Be prepared to flip back and forth for favorite spreads after reading!

4.     The Book that Never Ends by Matt Stanton and Beck Stanton

The 5th book in the Books that Drive Kids Crazy series- enough said right? We were in stiches trying to find the end- it’s a ‘pick your path’ type of book that even a 2 year old can get into! 

5.     Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang and Max Lang

Jim Panzee is grumpy and his friend tries to cheer him up- in the process pointing out what makes him look so mad and what Jim can try to feel better. Lots of mock facial expression play from my kids, inspired by the great drawings, but also a book with a more subtle message that sometimes it’s OK to feel how you feel.

“A Day without Laughter is a Day Wasted.” – Charlie Chaplin

Enjoy the books- do you have any funny books to recommend? I’d love to hear from you!

Jane