World Laughter Day 2026

Who doesn’t love to laugh….deep, loud ‘belly’ laughs. The sort that make your sides ache, the tears run from your eyes and you feel helpless but utterly joyful.

The kind of laughter that leaves you helpless, big grin on you face and full of joy. Isn’t that the kind of laughter that brings you closer to your friends and helps you make new ones. When it is done as a physical exercise combined with deep breathing techniques it becomes ‘Laughter Yoga’. Too often we are afraid to step out of our comfort zones to stretch our ‘chuckle muscles’ but the wellbeing effects are enormous.

On Sunday, 3 May 2026 all around the world, it will be time to celebrate World Laughter Day, to embrace the intention to Laugh to promote World Peace and World Health whilst being mindful of all the areas around the world that are fighting wars and conflict

Dr Madan Kataria, founder of the Laughter Yoga Movement that has been in existence for 31 Years started the first World Laughter Day in 1998 and it has now become an annual event.

Laughter Yoga is not a comedy act – in fact it doesn’t rely on humour, jokes or comedy at all. Instead, it enables people to use aerobic, playful exercises that stimulates unconditional laughter by means of role-playing everyday activities – as children would. The exercises bring out the child in participants where it has laid dormant through years of statements that inhibit their exuberance.

Merrie Maggie (Laughter Yoga Teacher) will be holding a special 1-hour session on Sunday 3rd May 2026 at Mary Stevens Park, Stourbridge, DY8 2AB (by the hub Building), for one hour from 11.00 am and it will be absolutely FREE.

For more information see: https://tinyurl.com/yxep62v4

To book your place see: https://tinyurl.com/y9chtrfh