Monday, May 18, 2009

Knock Knock Jokes

Knock, Knock!
Who's there?
Banana!
Banana who?

Is it just my favorite, or is the banana joke the most well-known knock knock out there? 

We were traveling home from Thanksgiving when my 4-year-old decided to start telling us knock knock jokes with nonsense words for the who and punch line.  It was clear that he enjoys them, and I started trying to think up any halfway decent knock knock to share with the family.

Coming up with knock knocks is not the easiest for me. I managed a few, "Harry up and open the door!"  but after about 5 or 6 I was seriously stuck and made it a point to go purchase a knock knock book at Amazon.   

We were just looking at one of the books last night, Good Clean Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids, as we were having another family knock knock session. (We improvised a great one in Jamaica based on the name of an appetizer on a restaurant menu.  Here it is: 

Knock, Knock!
Who's there?
Jamaica!
Jamaica who? 
Jamaica me crazy! 

Hope you like it!)

It is hard to review a knock knock book.  Some of the jokes are good, some are OK, some are clunkers, some don't make sense.  But.... having a knock knock joke book on hand is a fun, good resource for some fun family entertainment.  I think making up your own is awesome and great brain exercise, but when you run out, a joke book keeps the fun going. 

I want to get some videos of the kids telling knock knock jokes.  They are not master joke tellers by any means, but they enjoy the interaction and pattern of knock knock jokes.  I think that we'll enjoy knock knocks for at least a few more years.  Perhaps I will remember a few more in time than just the banana and Harry. 

I *think* that joke books fall into the nonfiction category.  If you are interested visiting today's Nonfiction Monday, check it out here at the APCL Mock Sibert blog

5 comments:

BookChook said...

I love joke and riddle books too. They're great for beginner and emergent readers, because they can do a lot of predicting and memorizing with them.

Here's my contribution to your family archive:
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Snow.
Snow who?
Snow use, i can't remember my name.

Lynn said...

I remember loving that kind of book when I was younger too; good for you for obliging them. I admit I had never heard of the banana joke and had to ask my husband to explain it to me! How about:
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you glad I (insert whatever you want).

Lauri said...

I remember all 3 of my kids went through a Knock-Knock joke phase when they were 4 years old. I thought I had heard every knock-knock joke out there until I read the comment from The Book Chook and the 'snow' joke...that's a new one for me.

Just wait till they really start making them up on their own! All the jokes start out the same:

Knock-knock
Who's there...
PIZZA!
Pizza who?

Then it is all about words you can add on after pizza that they think is soooo hilarious...

Pizza head!
Pizza shoe!
Pizza soap!

I kept waiting for someone to shout, Pizza Paper!, but they never did. lol!

BookChook said...

Lauri just reminded me of the funniest thing my Kindergarten kids had ever heard.

Kid 1: Wanna lolly?
Kid 2 (eagerly): Yeah!
Kid 1: Kiss a dolly.

That was all. I guess I should have been pleased they were practising rhymes, but after I'd heard it 20+ times, it wore thin.

Karen said...

Thanks everyone for sharing your knock knock experiences and feedback! I loved reading all your comments!

I think being a kindergarten teacher is probably one of the coolest jobs in the world (and perhaps being a children's librarian is THE coolest.)