Within the New Zealand educational system early childhood education is perceived from a sociocultural approach and children’s rights agenda, with the philosophical standpoint that children are competent and capable members of society (Ministry of Education,1996;2017). From this sociocultural approach, teachers are encouraged to implement the systematic ‘notice, recognize and respond’ to support children’s learning through engaging in their interests (Carr, Lee & Jones, 2004). This presentation explores how teachers notice, recognize and respond to children’s effective displays in everyday interactions. We will begin the discussion by exploring children’s crying, and how teachers respond through verbal directives, rather than soothing or embodied assistance. Such responses afford participation frameworks that prompt children to comply to directives through embodied actions, supporting independence and framing the child as competent and capable (Bateman, 2021). We will then explore together newer data of children’s laughter through video clips of children talking about their Christchurch earthquake experiences and research involving refugee children, where we will discuss possibilities of links between laughter and resilience.