April Fools’ Pranks and Jokes

Get that whoopie cushions out! Here are some classic pranks for April 1. Tip: You need to be nearby when you’re doing the prank so you can say, “April Fools!” or they might be a little confused!

April Fools’ Pranks to Do at Home

1. Dump out the salt from the kitchen shaker and replace it with sugar.
2. Put a whoopie cushion under one of the couch cushions.
3. Change the time on every clock in the house by one hour.
4. Cover the remote sensor with a piece of tape or remove the batteries. It will drive the TV watcher crazy!
5. Place bubble wrap under an area rug for an instant surprise.
6. Unscrew the shampoo bottle and place plastic wrap over the hole. Washing their hair will never be so difficult.
7. How about plastic wrap covering the toilet? That’s a good one, but it can also be messy!
8. Fake poop—in the car or on the kitchen floor—is always a good laugh!
9. Short sheet a bed. This is an oldie but goodie that just takes a few minutes. Remove the top sheet and then lay it back upside down so the part at the head of the bed is now at the foot of the bed. Then, go to the head of the bed and tuck the top sheet into the corners under the mattress. Then grab the untucked end of the top sheet from the foot of the bed and fold it up, back down on itself, in half. Remake the bed!

April Fools’ Pranks for Young Kids

Pranking can be a fun activity to undertake with kids because it helps teach them the difference between good-natured humor and mean humor.

1. For young kids, putting little signs on each others’ backs is a simple prank that will crack them up.
2. Wear wigs and funny glasses. When daddy’s “sleeping,” funny mustache or glasses on his face. Or, let them draw on his face (with washable markers).
3. Place googly eyes on everything in the fridge. It will totally freak them out when they go to grab a snack.
4. Put some frosting on your youngster’s toothbrush—although they might like that better than the toothpaste.
5. Wrap some baby carrots in Tootsie Roll wrappers and watch as their treat turns into a healthy snack.
6. When your kids are fast asleep, switch them into the other’s bed for a confusing wakeup. (Not recommended for light sleepers.)
7. Stuff toilet paper into the front of their shoes and watch them struggle to put their shoes on in the morning.
8. Got a kid with a screen addiction? Switch the language setting for their favorite device!
9. We have our own April Fools’ recipes, too. This April Fools’ Day, perhaps you’d like to try growing your own Easter eggs or chocolate M&M plants?

How to Prank Your Friend or Sibling

Plan ahead and have your prank fit into the normal flow of the day. NEVER do anything harmful. It’s about bringing a laugh to someone’s day. Also, pick someone with a good sense of humor!

1. Wrap your friend’s car or teacher’s car in plastic wrap so they don’t realize it at first. Do the whole car or just their driver’s door if you don’t have time.
2. Using toilet paper, cover trees, classrooms, or a door frame! Or, cover everything in a room with aluminum foil, including the furniture, supplies, doors, and walls. (You’ll need to clean it up!)
3. Everyone can bring a watermelon to school so that the entire school is covered in watermelons. (Then, have a watermelon party afterward!)
4. When your friend or teacher leaves the classroom, grab some plastic wrap and draw fake crack marks on their computer screen. When the teacher comes back, say, “Oops, I dropped your laptop and cracked it”.
5. Change seats with a mate every time your teacher turns their back. (Plan this in advance!)
6. Order googly eyes from Amazon and place them all over the school, including chairs, walls, clocks, books, and even the bathroom stalls with your friends. You’ll have to arrive early!

Which idea do you like the best? We welcome more ideas! Please tell us your best April Fools’ ideas, especially if you remember a good one from growing up. 

See some real pranks that happened throughout history and how April Fools’ Day started!