I love how kids tell jokes. It’s chaos theory at its best.
From my unscientific observations, there are two initial stages of kids’ lack of development with regard to joke telling.
Stage One: The Surreal Phase
In the surreal phase, kids will tell jokes greatly influenced by the postmodern movement. These jokes tend to follow a preset structure.
Question: What did the ______ (name on object to your left) say to the ______ (name an object to your right)?
Punchline: ______ (name an object in front of you)
They usually read like this:
Kid: Mom? Mom? I have a joke. What did the Lego say to the lamp?
Mom: I don’t know.
Kid: Dustball!
My twins are mostly through this phase. Now, they’re on to the next level.
Stage Two: The Random, Play-on-Words Phase
Last week, it was semi-logical pun time.
Vivian: Where do ants live?
Me: I don’t know.
Vivian: Ant-artica.
Vivian smiles, then proceeds to Round 2.
Vivian: Where do ties like to go?
Me: Thailand?
Vivian: Yes!
Me: Okay, my turn.
I pause, then say this:
Vivian: Bra-land?
Me: No.
My husband: Mommyland?
Me: I was going for Brazil, but you get bonus points.
Vivian: Why can’t I get bonus points?
Me: You do. I just forgot to tell you.
Vivian: How many?
Me: The same number as Daddy. And William too.
William: I have a joke.
Me: Okay. Tell it.
William: Where do Pee-gyps live?
Me: What?
William: Pee-gyps.
Me: I don’t know.
William: Egypt.
Me: What’s a Pee-gyp?
William: I don’t know.
Me: Why would a Peegyp go to Egypt?
William: I don’t know.
My husband: Speaking of Egypt, Mommyland’s got a couple of great pyramids.
The art of joke telling never seems to get old.
*
Know any good kids’ jokes?
Pee-gyps? How could you not get that?
We had to outlaw joke telling at the dinner table. Too much diaper humor.
With three boys, we (still) get a lot of that – you know, the “Hairy Potty” kind. 🙂
I like the great pyramids of mommy land 🙂 last night I told my 15yoDD all the ” what do u call a guy with no arms or legs that…..” jokes she had never herd them
The Bob and Matt jokes. I remember those…
I’ll be praying you make it through this annoying and difficult stage…sane…though its better than the first, it has its own drawbacks…
I need prayers. I appreciate help of any kind…earnest or sarcastic!
my sons classic and only joke is:
knock, knock,
who’s there?
BOO!
boo who?
don’t cry little baby! its just me!
🙂
for a 3 year old i thought it was pretty good… and it beats: “pee!” pee who? “peeenis!!”
That’s actually advanced for a three-year-old. Count yourself lucky (for now).
Laughing! Love how theory humor/humour theory leads to jokes about pee and boobs. That’s why you gotta just stick with the classics eh?
Thank “u” for you sensitivity to Canadian spelling. (Speaking of bad puns, eh?)
I don’t know how to do sophisticated humor with such brevity. Dang it. I draw things out forever. Teach me, Obi Wan. But I do know what I want to put on your blog, but I’m scared. Because, you know… long-winded. Maybe you’ll help me hack it down to its bare bones. I think I have pretty good pyramids. Sometimes they are just hidden under all the… sand. 😉
I’ve heard your pyramids are lovely…
And don’t be fooled. Writing concisely can be a curse when you’re trying to write something longer. Sigh.
My favorite jokes from my kids are:
Why did the banana put on sunscreen? So he wouldn’t peel!
Why did the light turn red? You’d be embarrassed too, if you had to change in front of all those people.
And then there are the knock-knock jokes…
I hadn’t heard of either of these jokes. New material. I’m doing my happy dance!
My son is too small to really get joke telling, or even to get the jokes, I think,
He still tries anyway.
Oliver: Knock knock!
Me: Who’s there?
Oliver: ME!
You gotta love a realist. 🙂
My favorite knock-knock joke (since we’re going there):
Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Interrupting cow.
Interrupt —
MOO!!!
Love that one!
I have outlawed the word “turd” in my house. I said it is never a punch line. I never thought I would have to say that.
Maybe Leanne could do a post on “things we never thought we’d say” now that we’re parents.
Seriously. I have a whole collection of things I didn’t think I’d ever say.
I prefer the post-modern and semi-logical puns to the fart jokes that every boy seems to grow into at the age of 11+. It literally takes 10 years for the meaning of “gaseous giant” to return to that of an astronomical star.
Is that the same age where they can’t say “uranus” without dying of laughter?
Oh – I loved Stage 2!
Of course, with boys (especially?) the body-part-jokes (and sounds, and tricks, and noises) seem to set in about age 5 (around here) and depart around… well, um… teens-in-the-house and that stage hasn’t departed just yet…)
Might you insert a Whoopie Cushion here, and leave it at that?
The things I have to look forward to…
Awesome. W & V are naturals.. Our kids are right on par with each other. Another reason you need to visit.
We’ve moved past my 6yo’s “knock, knock, who’s there, trash can, trash can who, trash can diaper toilet!” (because gross equals funny, duh). Now he’s a prodigy. His best made-up one: “What do Spanish tens play? A Nintendo DS!”
I love your son. Another reason I should visit!
I am in Knock-Knock joke Hell around here. Sadly, most punchlines involve one, sometimes two of these:
1. Poop
2. Pee
3. Penises
4. Boobies
EVERY joke is followed by hysterical laughter. Mostly from DH.
Laughing. The 4th circle of hell may contain Knock Knock jokes.
to date, her only joke is ‘guess what? Chicken butt!’ She even has a t-shirt…
Uh oh. She’s a rhymer!
Peegyps.
Love it so much.
I want to be in your family. AND mine.
(maybe a cult? think about it.)
A cult? Think of the fun we’d have thinking about initiation ceremonies…
This brings to mind this timely video link the husband sent me earlier today. Joke telling fail.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13782645
Oh my goodness! The cringe factor is higher than an episode of The Office. Hilarious!
My oldest tells the WORST jokes… it’s horrible! 🙁
I hear your pain.
My kids are in the constant potty talk phase right now, les sigh. But my grade ones at school are all about jokes, April Fool’s Day was awesome. (typed sarcastically)
I almost never teach on April Fool’s Day (a late Spring Break). There is a God.
pee
boobies
*poop*
hee hee
I mean, what else is there?
I have two boys. Here’s my tactic: I’m introducing them to fart/poop jokes and laughing hysterically…
Hilarious!
I was in a kindie class the other day and I got them to tell me jokes to pass the time. I have pages. Only one makes sense. I love this.
I can’t tell jokes…I can’t remember them…sigh…
Wendy