by Vickie Hoyt

Created on: November 30, 2007

Watch out Seinfeld, Because Kids Make the Best Comedians
Kids make the best comedians because they don't know they are being funny. They are naturally humorous when they innocently misuse the English language. Life perceived through their eyes can also be very funny.

Children often interpret our language literally. When my nephew was very young, he did this frequently. One time, he and I were throwing a ball back and forth. I kept saying, "Keep your eye on the ball." I noticed he had a funny look on his face, but just kept playing catch. Finally, he took the ball, held it to his eye, and said in a confused voice, "How do you keep your eye on the ball?"

This same nephew, when visiting his grandparents, came in the house after being outside with his "Papa". He told us he had to stay indoors now, because Papa was putting poisonous on the lawn. Another time, when helping Papa hammer some nails, he referred to the job as hamming.

As a teacher of young children, I hear the English language misused quite often. During a bathroom break, one boy came out of the bathroom to tell me the uranium was plugged. Another child once told me when arriving in the morning, he was going to use sarcastic that day.

One time when telling my students about something that I saw on my way to work, a student said, "You work?" Another time, I saw one of my little girls from school in a store. She was shocked to see me there. She thought I lived at the school.

So, watch out, Seinfeld and other comedians. Children don't have to work at being funny. It just comes naturally

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