Waiting for your baby’s first big laugh can be both exciting and frustrating. If you haven’t heard it yet, here’s how you can make your baby giggle or laugh for the first time and you’ll remember it forever. While your baby will make sounds and some facial interactions from birth, a social smile will begin to develop around three months of age. By four months, your baby will start spontaneously smiling at people.

Once your baby learns to smile and can recognize positive reactions, sound effects such as cooing will begin. The cooing will turn into a giggle, and soon after that you will probably hear your baby’s first laugh. Babies won’t laugh until they’re ready, so while you can and should encourage laughter, don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t happen as soon as you hoped.

Try the following to get your first giggle or laugh: Copy your child’s sounds. Act excited and smile when your baby smiles or makes sounds. Pay special attention to what your child likes so you can repeat it. Play hide and seek. Give your child age-appropriate toys such as rattles and picture books. Place toys near your child so he can reach or kick them.