Have you been scheming for months to create the perfect plan for April 1st? Or are you more of a last minute, whoopee cushion kind of person? No matter where you fall on the practical joker scale, these April Fools’ pranks can offer up some inspiration.
The best April Fools’ pranks walk the line between lighthearted and panic, just the way Johnny Cash intended it. They’re not too lame, but they also don’t cause lasting damage. To a person’s psyche or their belongings. Although that ugly armchair could use a push towards retirement.
Now, no one knows exactly why we celebrate April Fools’ Day on April 1st, but one theory is that it dates back to the Roman Empire. So when in Rome, do as the Romans do by giving your friends, family members, and coworkers the prank of a lifetime.
Fighting and conquering countries is so overrated, anyway.
April Fools’ Pranks To Do At Home
1. Drawer Swap
Stay up late the night before April 1st and switch the location of all the kitchen drawers. If the insomnia is really kicking in, go ahead and do the cabinets too.
It may seem simple, but nothing is ever simple when you just can’t find a spoon for your ice cream.
2. Kitchen Sink Sprayer
Put a piece of clear tape on the handle of the sprayer at the kitchen sink and wait for someone to be blasted by water. You can also use a rubber band, but it will be more noticeable.
As a side note, it is very easy to forget you did this and spray yourself by accident. We’ve had to change twice already today.
3. Replace Photos
Gradually replace framed photos around the house with photos of Steve Buscemi, or any stranger, celebrity, or animal. Huh…Aunt Jackie does resemble a llama!
4. Googly Eyes In The Fridge
There’s no one in the world that is above some googly eyes. They say to watch what you eat, but really what you eat should watch you. This just got weird, right?
5. Giant Teddy Bear April Fools’ Prank
Get the giant stuffed bear, remove the stuffing, insert a (live) human body, and wait to terrify someone.
Warning: this may have an unexpected effect after seeing Cocaine Bear.
6. The “Toilet Is Smoking” Prank
Take two rolls of toilet paper and put them on top of the lid for eyes. Then, place an empty roll between the lid and the seat.
Next, yell “The toilet is smoking!” and wait for someone to come running in a panic. This is what the road to the Oscars looks like, folks.
7. Mailbox Surprise
Play a prank on whoever gets the mail every day by putting a toy snake, or spider, or a tiny dinosaur into the mailbox.
But we suggest that you wait to put your surprise in the mailbox until after the mail is delivered. The mail person has enough nonsense to deal with since your neighbor got that yappy chihuahua.
8. Delivery Day
Is someone always getting on to you about how much stuff you order? Save up those boxes for a few weeks, then on April Fools’ Day set them all out by the front door and wait for them to get home and talk about all the amazing deals you found.
Bonus – you may just get to play an unintentional joke on porch pirates.
Good April Fools Pranks Over Text
9. Fun Cat Facts
Send automated fun cat facts to your friends through the Cat Facts app. The best part? You can view their replies as well!
And if they don’t bother to engage the random cat fact messages? Send them NicCage facts instead. They will bend to your will eventually!
10. Autocorrect Fail
Want to really frustrate someone? Change the shortcuts in their phone. Switch up it’s/its, their/there/they’re, and you’re/your in their shortcuts. Or just change something as simple as “no” to “yes.”
The options are endless, but the confusion is…also endless. This works especially well on those who are out of touch with technology. Sorry, Nanna.
11. OMG Fake Out Text
Text a friend “OMG” and nothing else. Eventually, move on to other topics without ever addressing the “OMG” moment.
This will definitely get them back for that time they said they had something to tell you and then said never mind. Not that you’re still hung up on that…
12. “Ghost” Them
Did you know there are apps that can add faux ghosts to your pics? Well now you do, and it’s available on both Android and iOS.
Use your best acting skills from your improv group to pretend like you don’t see it as they start to freak out. But don’t invite them to your next improv show. That’s way scarier.
Easy April Fools Pranks
13. Computer Mouse Prank
It doesn’t get much simpler and harmless than putting a piece of tape on the bottom of a computer mouse, rendering it completely useless. Unless you work in IT. In that case…sorry?
14. Rubber Band Prank
Whatever will make them the most frustrated to not be able to access – their phone, the TV remote, a bottle of wine – wrap it in hundreds of rubber bands. Watch them struggle to set it free. Laugh at their pain.
And then maybe go talk to someone about why that brings you so much joy.
15. Make Anything Voice Activated
It’s not really a stretch that something can be voice-activated these days. Which makes this prank simple, but also easily believable.
Even better if you print off fancy-looking directions, laminate them, and place them by the electronic.
16. The No Prank Prank
Short on time or heavy on laziness? A little innocent psychological warfare never hurt anyone. Which is probably not true at all, but we promise this prank is pretty harmless.
Hype up April Fools’ Day to the people closest to you, telling them all about the pranks you have planned and so on. When the day actually arrives, do absolutely nothing but stare at them randomly and smirk.
They’ll be waiting anxiously for pranks that never come. *insert lazy evil laugh here*
17. Use Other Door
This is a super easy office prank. Tape a sign on all of the doors that reads “Broken, use other door.”
It may not take too long for them to figure it out, but only after they’ve wasted at least a few minutes of their day. Not that they were going to do any work with those minutes, anyway.
18. Bubble Wrap
Grab some bubble wrap (save it up from all those packages you get!), and place it underneath an area rug or underneath the toilet seat, or anywhere that someone might walk or sit.
It’s like a slightly more appropriate whoopie cushion. And possibly a new ASMR trend!
19. Pasta Back Crack
Do you regularly ask your partner or friend to pop your back? Then this will be even more unsuspecting since it’s not out of your normal routine.
Put a piece of uncooked pasta (Rigatoni seems to be a fan favorite) in your mouth and when they go to pop, bite down on it. Nothing is as classy as making them think they broke your spine.
20. Nicolas Cage Browser
This Chrome extension replaces every single image on every single page with a different photo of Nicolas Cage. Just be warned that this is an April Fools’ prank for most…but an absolute dream for others.
April Fools Pranks For Kids
21. Leave Them A Bathroom Note
This is one of the easiest April Fools’ pranks for kids. It requires little effort and they’ll love it. Just unroll the toilet paper a little, write a funny joke on it, and then roll it back up.
Best used on kids who are potty trained. And who can read. We’ll get you next year, Baby Jim!
22. Make Them Some “Brown Es”
Tell your kids you made them a batch of brownies – meaning, brown letter Es – and then revel in their unhinged confusion as they realize just what you mean.
Chocolate has never tasted so much like construction paper before. We are not to be held responsible for any Children of the Corn-type situations.
23. Frozen Breakfast
If cereal is your kid’s go-to breakfast, do a little prep the night before. Pour the cereal and milk into a bowl and then set it in the freezer.
It might take a little extra work for them to get through breakfast that morning. So make your partner in charge that day, and it’s a two-for-one prank! Happy holidays?
Easy April Fools Pranks For Family
24. Fill The Cabinets With Ping Pong Balls
Get as many ping pong balls as possible and fill the cabinets with them. Then sit back and wait until someone comes to open them. Easy, chaotic, and an instant flashback to your beer pong glory days.
25. Water Cups Prank
For this April Fools’ prank, all you have to do is fill up a bunch of cups with water, and place them precariously around the house. This can work just about anywhere — surrounding a bed, in front of a front door, or blocking the path to the bathroom.
And of course, keep things eco-friendly by using all those tumblers you keep buying. You knew you’d find a use for them!
26. Brussels Sprout Cake Pop
This is often done as a lollipop, but that seems a bit too obvious to us. So go the extra mile and turn those Brussels sprouts into delicious-looking cake pops.
The jokees may not love it, but at least it’s not a caramel-dipped onion. We’re not that cruel.
April Fools Pranks For Teachers
27. Rickroll Your Students
There are a few pranks that somehow never get old, and Rickrolling is one of them. If you’re a high school teacher or a college professor, send your students a link called “Final Exam Answers” or something equally enticing.
Instead, they’ll get serenaded by Rick Astley. And that’s what we call higher education.
28. Teacher Switch
Join forces with another teacher and swap places. You can completely swap everything from your room to theirs or the subject you’re teaching. Or you can dress like them and go by their name and vice versa.
Swapping bodies is probably off the table though. Unfortunately, this isn’t Freaky Friday.
29. Word Search Prank
Depending on the age of your classroom, give your students an activity such as a word search that has none of the words they’re searching for. If anything, it’s a great way to keep them occupied for a while. Not that you would use this downtime to watch the latest Bachelorette episode or anything…
Ashley is a Nashville unicorn (born, raised, and based), queer, vegan, and dedicated to leaving a positive impact through her life, work, and her website, Wild Hearted.
When she's not writing, she's traveling, reading a book, trying not to kill her houseplants, worshiping her dog, or having an existential crisis. Follow her on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter, and LinkedIn
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