Of a humorous nature...

My children understand the question-answer format of a joke.

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To get to the other side.

What they don't understand is the concept of a joke. The idea behind it. Which is, of course, to be funny. Their jokes tend to lack this essential element. However, they are well versed in the etiquette of a joke- specifically, that after the joke is told, it is polite to laugh. Or cackle uproariously at the top of one's voice. Whatever.

After I gently suggested that maybe she doesn't understand what a joke is supposed to be, Imogen offered to tell me "her best joke". I listened attentively.

"How do you make a house talk?" she said.
"I don't know, how?" I said.
"Throw a stick at it!" she said, and laughed. Genevieve laughed (Genevieve is the perfect audience). I didn't laugh.
"I don't get it," I said.
Imogen frowned at me. "That's my best joke," she said.

Tonight, in the car on the way home, I was talking to Jeremy while the girls played in the back. During a lull in our conversation, Imogen spoke up.

"Mommy, I like to trick people," she said smugly.
"Oh really?" I said.
"Yep, like this," she said. She held out two fists. "Pick one!" I twisted around in my seat and tapped her left hand. She opened it to reveal a button. There was a pause.
"I don't get it," I said.
"It works with Genevieve," she said.

A moment later she was trying again. "Pick one!" I tapped the left hand again and this time it was empty. "HAHA!" she laughed triumphantly.
"I don't get it," I said again.
"I tricked you!" she said.
"Was there a button in the other hand?" I asked.
"Yes," she held it up.
"Then it's not a trick. I just chose the wrong one. What's the trick?" I said.
There was a long pause. "Well... it's a trick because... it would have been in this hand.... but it... wasn't..." she said.
"Oh..." I said. "That's not really a trick."