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Reading Is Funny Day

By reading books of riddles, jokes, and comedy, help kids see how reading can be just as fun and funny (if not moreso) as video games, tv, or the internet.

Books & Literature Children Hobbies & Activities Reading & Writing Silly & Humorous62

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Position funny books and reading activities as the fun alternative to screen time, targeting parents seeking engaging ways to boost children's literacy and family bonding.

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History

To understand the history of Reading Is Funny Day, we need to understand the history of a joke. We are sure you have heard plenty of jokes throughout your life, some good and some bad!

From riddles to knock-knock jokes, there are certain formats that stick with us and give us the basis for a good joke. We’re sure you have heard plenty of jokes that ask why a chicken (or any other type of animal) crossed the road!

The oldest joke that has been saved is an ancient Sumerian proverb, which comes from 1900 BC. The second oldest can be dated to 1600 BC and it comes from the ancient Egyptians.

This shows that throughout the ages, and no matter the differences in our cultures and way of life, one thing that we have enjoyed doing for as long as time is having a good laugh!

You may be wondering what sort of jokes the ancient Egyptians found funny. Well, the joke from 1600 BC is as follows:

“How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish”.

This joke was found scrolled onto papyrus and it is thought to be a dig at the Pharoah that was in charge at the time!

It was not until the 4th or 5th century AD that we started to see collections of jokes. What is so fascinating is that we still use a lot of these jokes today, such as those referring to people with bad breath and the absent-minded professor.

At the time, the book was intended so that you could read it and then repeat the joke whenever the opportunity came about.

When the printing press was invented in the 15th century, you probably already know that one of the first books to be printed was the Bible. But did you know that one of the other first books to be printed was the collection of jokes we’ve just referred to?

It did not take long for joke books to take off either. Their popularity has been unquestioned ever since. In fact, one joke book that was released in 1470 was so popular that there were roughly 20 editions of the book generated in the 15th century alone!

There are many books today that don’t get anywhere close to having 20 editions published!

Joke books today are still as popular as they ever have been. The way that they are consumed may be different, as a lot of people read online content and e-books, yet it’s unlikely we will ever see the day whereby jokes aren’t popular. Who would want to live in such a dull world?

How to celebrate

Read with a Child

Take the opportunity on this day to show your children how fun reading can be. Download riddles from the internet to get your children engaged, go to the local library to check out a few funny books, or even spend the day making up funny stories of your own! Setting this day aside to concentrate on having fun reading can be a real eye-opener to the children of today and may even encourage them to start to read on their own on other days of the year!

Make a Funny Book

You and your little one could also try to make your own book on Reading Is Funny Day. This is a great activity to enjoy on this day, and it will help to progress your child’s development as well. Plus, we are sure it is the sort of activity that your little one is going to get excited about. You can find lots of different examples of activities like this online if you’re looking for a fun way to engage your child and teach them about the value of a good book.

Get Some Funny Books

You could purchase some children’s books in preparation for the day. Alternatively, you could go to the library together and pick out some funny books. This is a great way to spend some time together and it gives your child the chance to explore the sort of books they like. If you’re wondering where to start when it comes to funny books for kids, there are lots of great suggestions out there! I’m Bored by Michael Ian Black is a good choice! It is a book about confronting the age-old child mantra “I’m bored.” In this book, a bored little girl is excited to meet a talking potato, that is until the potato declares that he finds children boring! The book follows the girl trying to change his mind, and it is assured to make both you and your child laugh. Another book that comes highly recommended is Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein. In this book, a little chicken wants her dad to read her a bedtime story. However, she keeps interrupting the book at every opportunity because she can’t bear that her beloved fairy tale characters continue to make errors! The book shows that children being an active participant in storytelling can be very funny and exciting too. Whatever you do on Reading is Funny Day, make sure it’s fun! Let us know if you read any books that get you and your little one in fits of giggles!

FAQ

Why do many educators and librarians recommend funny books to reluctant readers?

Educators and librarians often use humorous books because laughter lowers anxiety and helps children feel less pressured by reading, which can make them more willing to pick up a book and stick with it. Research on humor in children’s literature notes that incongruity, surprise, and absurd situations grab attention and support cognitive engagement, while publishers such as Scholastic highlight that funny stories can improve reading comprehension, social‑emotional skills, and overall motivation to read.

How does humor in children’s books support reading comprehension rather than distract from it?

Humor in stories often depends on children noticing something that “doesn’t fit” and mentally resolving it, which exercises the same inference and prediction skills used in reading comprehension. Studies of humor in picture books show that jokes built on incongruity, exaggeration, or wordplay require children to connect clues in text and images and to understand cause and effect, so the joke only “works” if they are following the story closely.

At what age are children typically ready for riddles and wordplay jokes in books?

Developmental research on children’s humor suggests that very young children first enjoy physical and visual humor, then nonsense words and simple mislabeling, and only later understand double meanings. Wordplay riddles and jokes that hinge on multiple meanings of a word usually begin to make sense around early school age, roughly 5 to 7 years old, when children’s language and abstract thinking have developed enough to track two meanings at once.

Is there any evidence that sharing funny books or jokes can strengthen parent‑child bonds?

While studies rarely focus on joke books alone, broader research on shared reading and humor with children finds that laughing together can act as a form of “emotional glue.” Joint reading of enjoyable material encourages eye contact, physical closeness, and warm conversation, which supports attachment. Reviews on using humor with children report that shared joking and playful talk can foster trust, improve communication, and make children more likely to open up about their feelings.

Do funny stories and joke books help with children’s social and emotional development?

Humor can help children practice social skills, manage emotions, and build resilience. Reviews of humor in work with children indicate that joking can support self‑esteem, provide a safe outlet for feelings, and help children cope with everyday stress. In peer settings, humorous play and shared jokes also give children chances to read social cues, take turns, and understand other people’s perspectives, which are key parts of social‑emotional learning.

What kinds of humor are most appropriate for preschoolers versus older elementary children?

Preschoolers usually respond best to visual silliness, physical comedy, and simple incongruities, such as animals wearing clothes, objects used in funny ways, or playful nonsense words. As they approach school age and beyond, children gradually appreciate more complex language‑based humor, including puns, riddles, and jokes involving double meanings or logical twists. Developmental overviews of children’s humor recommend matching joke complexity to a child’s cognitive level so the humor feels accessible rather than confusing.

Can humor in books benefit children who struggle with anxiety or learning difficulties?

Literature reviews on using humor with children suggest that appropriate joking and funny stories can ease tension, make challenging tasks feel less intimidating, and help children feel safer about making mistakes. For some children with learning or attention difficulties, humorous material can increase engagement and persistence, though it works best when the jokes do not ridicule the child and when adults keep the humor supportive rather than teasing.