Making a baby laugh is the easiest thing in the world. First you take his or her chubby little face in your hands and start cooing. They love this sound and it is one of the easiest for them to imitate back to you. Now you'll find yourself on the speaking level and you've got his attention. The games will begin.

Babies respond best to sounds so start making them. Exaggerated hiccupping tickles the toes right off a baby. Vary the pitch of your voice and make lots of facial gestures. It's not difficult to become a clown when there's a tiny one on the receiving end. Even very tiny babies are much more intelligent than we give them credit form, so that means they are watching your every move to see just exactly who you are and what you are about.

With the very youngest of infants, the imitation of giggling is limited to the sounds they have discovered so far, but getting right into their face with plenty of light so that they can see you is a key to their world. They have enough visual acuity to be able to see you if you are well lit and close to them. Remember that their eyesight improves exponentially on a daily basis and it isn't true that babies don't see very well, but they do need plenty of bright light. Next, there isn't anything wrong with their hearing and they are quickly sorting through the many new sounds in their life. This "sort and classify" instinct is helpful for them to learn what is safe and what is not. Sounds help this process along.

Babies are especially tactile. Touching gives pleasure. That along with sound and sight is what gives them the freedom to let forth a chuckle. Giggling for a baby is like purring is to a kitten. They get pleased with the stimulation around them and they respond with spontaneous outbursts of downright laughter.

Tickling if it isn't irritating usually gets a response. See yourself grasping your baby's toes and putting them in your mouth or kissing them while making a yum-yum-yum sound. Feet are sensitive and the sounds are friendly and loving. Who wouldn't laugh?

It takes a combination of tactile, auditory and visual cues to teach a baby that all is well and they are in a happy, safe place. You can never provide enough stimulation for your infant. As long as they are fed, dry and well rested, together time will always be playtime. Think about the important lessons of trust you are imparting at this very early age.