Before we share our fun April Fools’ prank ideas, let me share one you should not do. A couple of April Fools ago, when my children came down for breakfast, I said, “There’s no school today!” Their eyes grew wide, and their sweet faces lit up. So you can imagine how much of a heel I felt like after I said “April fools!” They both about cried.
So, to save you from that type of mistake, try these 9 fun April Fools’ pranks your kids will love (and you’ll love how easy they are to pull off)!
1. Cold Bowl
Freeze a half-full cereal bowl of water overnight. On April Fools’ morning, pour your child’s cereal on top and add some milk. Hand your child the bowl and a spoon, and watch what happens next!
2. Moving Target
Tape a piece of fishing line to the back of a $1, $10, or even $20 bill—the bigger the denomination, the more irresistible! Place the bill on the ground just outside your front door. When your child spots it and bends down to pick it up, you (sneakily hiding nearby) give the thread a quick tug, pulling the bill out of reach and leaving your child hilariously puzzled.
3. Switcheroo
Move your children’s clothes around—socks in the underwear drawer, underwear in the shorts drawer—you get the idea.
4. Ice, Ice Baby
Just before your children slip into their school shoes, put a plastic bag filled with ice in the tip of their shoe.
5. Not Best Dressed
Greet your children on April Fools’ morning dressed with crazy clothes, crazy makeup or crazy hair. Act like you are going to walk out the door looking just like that. Then say “April fools!” By the way, being a silly mom doesn’t need to be reserved only for April 1.
6. Big and Little
If your children are little, give them the big utensils at breakfast—a serving spoon instead of a teaspoon, a huge dinner plate, and a large (plastic) cup. If your children are older, give them the smallest utensils you can find!
7. Mixed Bag
Switch the bags from two different boxes of cereal. (Hey, we said these fun April Fools’ pranks were easy to pull off!)
8. Sweet Surprise
Cut brown “E”s out of brown construction paper. Then, tell your children you made them brownies. Make a big
deal out of setting down a big plate of brown “E”s. (Have a real pan of brownies ready, too!) While you eat the real brownies, tell some fun April Fools’ Jokes or these Spring jokes to keep the good times rolling.
9. Pasta Tree
Hang cooked spaghetti from a bush or tree. Tell your kids your “pasta tree” is finally blooming.
