Everybody big and small likes to laugh. Humor can be a universal force that brings people together from all walks of life. A good joke or bit can be retold time and time again to friends and coworkers or even passed down through generations. Humor can also help people retain information and be an effective tool for teaching!
Studies show that humor and laughter release the brain’s dopamine reward system. More importantly, cognitive studies show that dopamine improves motivation and long term memory. This reaction is even more prevalent in adolescents as research shows they tend to release more dopamine and have more receptors than adults. A more responsive dopamine reward system means that adolescents are more likely to react positively to educational humor.
Have you ever happened to notice that children’s shows, such as Sesame Street, effectively combine humor with instructional material? A study published with the American Psychological Association used Sesame Street as an example of how it effects children. Children were divided into separate groups. One group was shown video clips from the show that contained humor with instructional information, and another group was shown clips without humor. In the end the children that watched the clips with humor were more engaged and retained more information than the children that were given non humorous clips.
The same concepts can be appropriately applied to the classroom. Content- related humor can be used to enhance children’s retention of information. It also helps develop a sense of community as adolescents tend to laugh collectively and with their peers. However, it’s important to keep humor age appropriate, as certain forms of humor may not be within the scope of understanding.
Some people just don’t have a funny bone, and that’s ok. Not everyone can teach and use humor at the same time. Here at Scheer Genius Assembly Shows I have made a priority of providing an experience that is designed to be entertaining and educational for children of all ages, as well as the parents and adults who accompany them.
“The Laugh Factory” is a full 45 minutes of wacky fun, nonstop laughter, incredible magic, and plenty of audience participation. Your audience will play toilet paper basketball, see the world’s largest pair of underwear, watch soda cans explode, and more. This fun-filled event will be the talk of the town for month’s to come!
“There had to be at least 60 parents who told me this was the best show we’ve ever brought to our library. Everybody, and I mean everybody, had an absolute blast. We will have Doug back as a regular addition to our summer programing.“
– Cathy Jurich, Children’s Librarian, Dexter District Library, Michigan
With 12 different shows to choose from there is something for every occasion. Contact me today or check my availability.