Laugh Out Loud Storytime Favorites for Both Kids and Adults
Your first laugh comes around 3 or 4 months, and with any luck will be one of the last things you do. Humor helps in many aspects of a child’s life (an adult’s). There are plenty of documented benefits to mood, from physiological to psychological. They say laughter is the best medicine because it relieves stress and releases endorphins.
With today’s world being so dark all around us, work stress leaking into our everyday lives, and our stress rubbing off onto the kids, sometimes we need a good laugh. The best laughs are personal. We relate. We see ourselves in the characters and situations and the absolute ridiculousness in front of us. Usually, that’s when we have the biggest belly laughs and end up ROTFL.
The funniest kids’ books to read aloud (if you’re not laughing too much) are the ones that work with both the humor of your little reader and you. For some books, you are laughing because the kids are crying laughing, and sometimes you are laughing because you finally feel validated in your bathtime underwear struggles. It really is the little things in life.
Written and Illustrated by Jenn Harney
This book is one of the most ridiculous play on words books ever. It is absolutely hilarious for parents and kids alike. A little bear needs to take a bath but is continually playing with his underwear much to the dismay of his poor tired Dad. This one falls into the glittering category of books that works on the level of the adult as well as the child, which is why it is so funny to read over and over. You will especially appreciate this book if you’ve ever had to chase a child to get them into (or out of) the tub.
ages 2-5
Written and Illustrated by David Ezra Stein
This is another one of those books that works for both kids and adults because it portrays the very real relationship between a father and his not sleepy daughter. They settle down to read a book before bedtime but are unable to finish any book because Little Red Chicken absolutely cannot help but interrupt every story to save the beloved characters from their own story. If you’ve ever had a child excitedly interrupt your reading, this book is for you.
ages 3-5
Written by Nancy Shaw, Illustrated by Margot Apple
What do you get when you get five fun loving sheep out for a joy ride in their jeep? An absolutely hilarious, rhyming disaster of a tale. With brightly colored pencil illustrations the sheep are off on a ride that certainly doesn’t end as they expect. (Keep an eye out for the helpful tattooed pig.)
ages 2-5
Written and Illustrated by Mark Teague
A misbehaving dog who winds up in obedience school writing letters to his owner. Ike LaRue has a vivid imagination with illustrations going from color to portray the reality of obedience school being more like summer camp, than his imagined black and white explanations describing it as prison. This is for older kids who already understand irony, exaggerations, and irony.
ages 4-7
READ THESE + TELL US YOUR FAVORITE
Once you’ve read these, we really want to hear from you! Leave a comment @bontempsbooks on Instagram and let us know which one you laughed at the most!
