These funny, family-friendly practical jokes will have everyone giggling.
On April 1st, it’s time to gear up for some playful mischief! Whether you’re aiming to surprise your pals, loved ones, or colleagues, we’ve got a bunch of prank ideas that’ll leave everyone chuckling (or scratching their heads) in good fun!
By Amanda Mushro and Sophie Caldwell
April Fools’ Day is the perfect occasion to bond with your family through laughter, jokes, and mild deception.
Whether you’re an experienced trickster or just getting the hang of April Fools’ antics, there are plenty of wholesome pranks that will have your entire family chuckling.
Pull a classic prank like putting whoopee cushions under your couch pillows, or take your hijinks to the next level by placing bubble wrap under the carpet.
Younger kids will be delighted by sweet, silly jokes like putting googly eyes on household items, or replacing family photos with your favorite movie stars.
It’s important to make sure that your April Fools’ pranks remain lighthearted — after all, nobody likes to feel truly tricked. It’s also best to keep the mess to a minimum. Who wants to spend April Fools’ Day vacuuming up the results of a prank?
The best pranks end with laughter all around, from prankster to prank-ee, and these playful practical jokes are certain to delight the whole family on April Fools’ Day.
April Fool 2024: Jokes to Crack
- Here are some rib-ticklers to kick off the day:
- “What do you call a lazy kangaroo? A: Pouch potato.”
- “What did the librarian say to the man looking for books about paranoia? ‘Shh! They’re right behind you.'”
- “Why does Peter Pan always fly? Because he Never-lands!”
- Replace the cream in Oreos with toothpaste and offer them to your friends as a tasty treat. Watch their faces as they take a bite!
- Put a “broken” sign on the office coffee machine and watch everyone panic until they realize it’s just a prank.
- Fill donuts with mayonnaise instead of cream and see if anyone notices the savory surprise.
- Place a few drops of food coloring in the office milk carton and watch as your coworkers pour colorful milk into their coffee.
- Swap out the sugar bowl for salt and wait for the reactions when people take their first sip of salty coffee.
- Put googly eyes on everything in the fridge to give your family a hilarious surprise when they go to grab a snack.
- Set all the clocks in the house an hour early and enjoy the confusion as everyone tries to figure out why they’re so early for everything.
- Cover the TV remote sensor with a small piece of tape and watch as your family members frantically try to figure out why the remote isn’t working.
- Place a fake spider in the shower and wait for the screams when someone goes in for a wash.
- Put a “voice-activated” sign on the bathroom door and enjoy the puzzled looks as people try to get it to open with their voices.
Frozen breakfast
Put cereal and milk in a bowl and let it freeze overnight. When your hungry kids try to dig in, they’ll get quite the surprise.
Swap sleepers
If your kids are heavy sleepers, carry them into their sibling’s bed and let them wake up in a different room to start April Fools’ on the right foot.
Origins of April Fools’ Day
The exact origins of April Fools’ Day are as mysterious as a hidden grin behind a mask. Scholars trace it back to around 1582 when France transitioned from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. In the Julian Calendar, similar to the Hindu calendar, the new year began around April 1, aligning with the spring equinox. However, not everyone got wind of the calendar change, leading to continued celebrations at the end of March through April 1. These unwitting celebrants soon became the targets of pranks and jokes, affectionately dubbed “April fools.”
Juice joke
jello in juice cup
Care for a drink? When your family tries to taking a sip of this juice, they’ll find out it’s really Jell-O.
Underwear surprise
Swap out the contents of their underwear drawer for bathing suits for an early morning prank that’ll get all the laughs.
Honk for April Fools’
Let your practical jokers put a sign on your car that reads “My kids are playing an April Fools’ joke on me. Honk and wave at me!” This joke is even funnier if they get to take a ride in the car with you.
Toothpaste switcheroo
Surprise your kids this April Fools’ Day with a little toothpaste switcheroo. After breakfast, hand over their toothbrush — but instead of the usual white paste, opt for something creamy and sweet. Cream cheese or vanilla frosting will do the trick; if they use a colored kids’ tooth gel, try using cake decorating gel instead.
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