Welcome, fellow pranksters! April 1st is just around the corner, and it’s the perfect chance to have some lighthearted fun with your family. Whether you want to surprise your kids, amuse your partner, or just share a good laugh together, these ideas are all funny, harmless, and totally family-approved.
So if you’re looking for April Fools’ pranks for kids and parents that won’t cause chaos, you’re in the right place.
In a Nutshell: Looking for easy April Fools’ pranks your kids can do at home? This list highlights the funniest, safest, and most kid-friendly ideas — from frozen cereal and cracked-screen wallpapers to harmless food swaps and silly tech tricks. Everything here is simple, low-mess, and perfect for families who want lighthearted laughs on April 1st.
Quick Picks: Easy April Fools’ Pranks Kids Can Do on Their Parents
If you just need the fastest ideas, here are the classics that always get a laugh:
- Frozen Cereal — Freeze a bowl of cereal overnight and serve it like nothing’s wrong.
- Cracked Screen Wallpaper — Set a cracked-screen image as the phone background for a harmless scare.
- Tape Over the Mouse Sensor — A tiny piece of clear tape makes the mouse mysteriously “stop working.”
- Hard-Boiled Eggs in the Carton — Swap a few raw eggs with hard-boiled ones and watch the confusion.
- Fake Moldy Bread — Dab green food coloring under a slice to make it look spoiled.
- Jello-Mold Office Item — Hide a small household item in Jello for a classic gag.
- Vinegar Ice Cubes — Freeze vinegar in ice cube trays and sneak a cube into a drink.
- Whoopie Cushion — Simple, timeless, and guaranteed laughs.
- Gummy Worm Apples — Poke gummy worms into an apple for a surprise “infestation.”
Best Pranks for Younger Kids (Ages 4–7)
These ideas are super simple, gentle, and easy for little ones to pull off:
- Whoopie Cushion Surprise — A timeless classic kids love.
- Switch the Shoe Stuffing — Add a sock or tissue inside a parent’s shoe so it feels too small.
- Fake Bug in a Cup — Place a plastic bug under a clear cup with a note saying “DON’T LIFT!”
- Brown “E’s” — Bake a tray of paper E’s under foil and announce brownies.
- Upside-Down House — Kids flip books, stuffed animals, or picture frames upside down.
- Switch the Cereal Boxes — Pour the cereal into the wrong box.
- Color-Changing Milk — Put a drop of food coloring on the bottom of their cereal bowl (milk turns color instantly).
💡Looking for more giggle-friendly ideas? Check out our full roundup of Funny Kids Jokes (family favorites!).
Best Pranks for Older Kids (Ages 8–12)
These ideas work well for kids who can handle a little planning and love acting out the moment.
- Frozen Cereal Bowl — Freeze cereal and milk overnight for a solid breakfast surprise.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs in the Carton — Swap raw eggs with boiled ones for a funny cooking fail.
- Fake Moldy Bread — Add a dab of green food coloring under a slice to make it look spoiled.
- Jello-Mold Office Item — Hide a small household item in Jello for a classic gag.
- Vinegar Ice Cubes — Freeze vinegar and drop the cubes into drinks for a silly shock.
- Soap That Won’t Lather — Coat a bar of soap with clear nail polish so it refuses to suds.
- Surprise Sink Spray — Wrap a rubber band around the sink sprayer so it soaks the next user.
- Drawer Switcheroo — Swap kitchen or desk drawer contents to confuse the whole family.
- Balloon-Filled Pillowcases — Stuff pillowcases with balloons for a bouncy bedtime surprise.
- Confetti on the Ceiling Fan — Sprinkle confetti on top of the fan for an unexpected shower.
- Fake Hair on the Pillow — Scatter fake hair extensions to spark a brief moment of panic.
- “Lost Phone” Prank — Tape a parent’s phone under a chair and call it for a confusing ring-around.
- Broken Remote — Remove the batteries so the TV mysteriously won’t respond.
- Out-of-Shampoo Prank — Place plastic wrap under the bottle cap so nothing comes out.
Best Tech Pranks for Tweens (and Tech-Savvy Kids)
These are super simple, totally harmless, and get big laughs from older kids:
- Frozen Desktop Screenshot — Screenshot the desktop and make it the wallpaper.
- Tape Over the Mouse Sensor — A small piece of tape stops the mouse from working.
- Cracked Screen Wallpaper — Set a cracked-screen image as the phone’s background.
- Language Switch — Change a device or TV to another language (and know how to switch it back!).
- Autocorrect Chaos — Change common words to funny phrases on a parent’s phone.
- Random Alarms — Set random alarms throughout the day.
- Muted TV Prank — Lower the TV volume to zero and hide the remote.
- Fake “Lost Phone” Call — Call from your own phone and claim you’ve lost it.
Full List of 50 Easy April Fools’ Pranks for Kids to Do on Their Parents
1. Cracked Phone Screen Prank
Download a cracked screen image or app and set it as your parent’s device wallpaper. Hand them their phone casually and watch their shock! Reveal the truth with a cheerful “April Fool’s!”
2. Whoopie Cushion Whopper
Hide a whoopee cushion under a chair or pillow. Wait for someone to sit and enjoy the surprise sound!
3. Broken Remote Prank
Remove batteries from all remotes and hide them. Add a note inside a remote saying, “April Fool’s!” for extra laughs.
4. Frozen Cereal Prank
Freeze a bowl of cereal with milk the night before. Serve it for breakfast and watch them try to dig in!
5. Broken Mouse
Place clear tape over the sensor of a computer mouse. Enjoy their confusion as they try to fix it! Write “April Fool’s!” on the tape for a fun reveal.
6. Food Swap Prank
Trick your family with foods that look normal but taste completely unexpected! Choose a food or drink to replace with something that looks similar but tastes different. Prepare everything beforehand to avoid suspicion.
Ideas to Try:
- “Orange Juice” Surprise: Water + mac and cheese powder.
- Whipped Cream vs. Mayo: Swap mayo for whipped cream on desserts.
- Fake Diet Coke: Mix soy sauce and Sprite.
- Wasabi Avocado: Replace avocado with wasabi on toast.
- Teriyaki Hot Chocolate: Serve teriyaki sauce in a mug.
- Vinegar Ice Cubes: Add frozen vinegar to drinks.
Pro Tip:
Keep pranks safe and allergy-free, and have real treats ready to smooth things over!
7. Salty Coffee Prank
Start the morning with a surprise – Swap sugar with salt in the sugar bowl or packets. Watch their surprise as they take a sip of their salty coffee!
8. Toothpaste Cookies Prank
Replace Oreo filling with white toothpaste and reassemble. Offer as a snack and enjoy their minty surprise!
9. Lost Phone Trick
Lost Phone Trick
Tape their phone under a chair or couch and then call it. Watch as they search for the ringing device!
10. Frozen Computer Prank
Frozen Computer
Take a screenshot of their desktop and display it fullscreen. Enjoy their confusion as nothing responds!
11. The Classic Soap Trick
Coat a dry bar of soap with clear nail polish. They’ll be so frustrated as they can’t lather it up!
12. Dirty Water
Dab brown food coloring on the faucet tip. Watch their reaction to the “dirty” water!
13. Out of Shampoo
Place plastic wrap under the caps of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash bottles. Enjoy the knowledge that they will struggle to get anything out!
14. Upside Down House
If you have a parent who is very particular about the way the house is decorated, this is the perfect April’s Fool’s prank for them. Turn objects upside down—clocks, books, picture frames—even hang photos upside down on the walls for a fun twist.
15. Scary Spiders
Draw a spider on toilet paper or hide fake bugs in shoes, towels, or ice cubes for creepy surprises.
16. Surprise Sink Spray
Wrap a rubber band around the sink sprayer handle so it soaks the next person who turns on the faucet.
17. Crazy Alarms
Set alarms to go off at random times throughout the day to drive everyone bananas!
18. Shoes Don’t Fit
Stuff cotton balls into the toes of your parents’ shoes to make them think their shoes shrunk.
19. Habla Español?
Change the TV or cell phone language settings to Spanish, French, or some other foreign language. Just make sure you remember how to switch it back!
20. Hair Loss
Scatter fake hair extensions on their pillow while they sleep to make them think they’re losing hair.
21. Brownie Batch
Serve “brown E’s” cut from brown paper or cardboard instead of actual brownies. Happy “baking”!
22. Moldy Bread
Dab green food coloring on bread slices and hide it under the top slice to fake mold.
23. Jello Mold
This classic prank was made famous by Jim on “The Office”, so it’s one of the best april fools day pranks for a parent who loves that show. Encapsulate a frequently used item (like a stapler) in a Jello mold and let it harden overnight.
24. Bubble Wrap Fun
Place bubble wrap under rugs, bath mats, or the toilet seat for surprise popping sounds.
25. Light Switch Trick
Cover light switches with clear tape to make them unusable, leaving everyone confused.
26. Special Delivery!
Stack empty boxes outside your front door to look like a massive delivery arrived. Watch your family’s reactions!
27. Quick Scare
Hide in a box, closet, or under a blanket and jump out with a loud “April Fool’s!” when they least expect it.
28. Autocorrect Chaos
Change your parent’s phone autocorrect settings so common words turn into ridiculous phrases. “Yes” becomes “No way!”
29. Frozen Hot Cocoa
Make hot chocolate, freeze it overnight, and pour a little hot water on top in the morning. Watch your parents try to sip their frozen drink!
30. Hard Boiled Eggs
Replace fresh eggs with hard-boiled ones in the carton. They’ll be surprised when they go to crack an egg for breakfast!
31. Gummy Worm Apples
Poke gummy worms into an apple so it looks like it’s crawling with critters. It’s a quick “eww!” moment that turns into a sweet surprise.
32. Strangers in Picture Frames
Swap family photos with pictures of celebrities or random people. See how long it takes for someone to notice the “new family members.”
33. Smoking Toilet
Create a “smoking” toilet by placing toilet paper rolls as eyes and a cardboard tube as a cigar. Call everyone in to witness the chaos.
34. Keep a Straight Face
Tell your parents something outrageous—like failing a class—while keeping a completely straight face. Reveal the prank before any panic sets in.
35. “Lost” Phone Call
Call your parents from your phone and claim you’ve lost it. Their confusion is half the fun.
36. Peanut Butter Poop Prank
Put a small glob of peanut butter on the floor to mimic something gross. Then take a quick lick to reveal it’s just a silly prank.
37. Toothpaste Swap
Switch the labels of toothpaste and something unexpected, like anchovy paste. The morning routine gets a whole lot more interesting.
38. Cheesy Deodorant
Replace deodorant with cream cheese and smooth the top for a convincing look. It’s harmless—but very confusing.
39. Confetti Surprise
Sprinkle confetti on top of a ceiling fan. When it’s turned on, everyone gets a surprise shower of sparkles.
40. Mailbox Surprise
Add fake bugs or a toy snake to the mailbox. Your parents will get a quick scare when they go to grab the mail.
41. Kitchen Drawer Switch
Swap the contents of two kitchen drawers. Watch everyone hunt for utensils in all the wrong places.
42. Fake Vomit
Place fake vomit somewhere unexpected, like a bed or car seat. The initial reaction is priceless, followed by relief.
43. Balloon Pillows
Fill pillowcases with balloons so the pillow feels huge and lumpy. It’s a funny surprise at bedtime.
44. Googly Eyes Everywhere
Put googly eyes on the fruit in the fridge or bowl. Every snack suddenly has a personality.
45. Catch the Poo
Stretch plastic wrap tightly under the toilet seat. Use sparingly—this one gets a big reaction.
46. Ice Cube Bugs
Freeze tiny plastic bugs into ice cubes. Add them to drinks for a harmless, silly shock.
47. Short Sheet the Bed
Fold the top sheet halfway down to create a fake bottom. When someone climbs in, their feet won’t go anywhere.
48. Faux Sponge Cake
Frost a clean kitchen sponge to look like a slice of cake. Offer it as dessert and enjoy the confused first bite.
49. Mini Meatloaf “Cupcakes”
Shape mini meatloaves into cupcake tins and frost them with mashed potatoes. It’s a savory twist that looks sweet.
50. Color-Changing Milk
Put a drop of food coloring on the bottom of their cereal bowl (milk turns color instantly).
Psst — if your kids enjoy silly surprises like this, they’ll love our big roundup of Dumb Jokes That Are Actually Funny.
Tips for April Fool’s Pranks
- Choose the right person to for your April Fool’s Day pranks. Find someone who likes a good joke. We don’t want to start any fights.
- Plan ahead if you can. Order the supplies you need to make your prank go perfectly.
- Keep a straight face as long as you can. This is what will really make the prank go well and be hilarious!
History of April Fool’s Day
The tradition of April Fool’s Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. People who didn’t get the news right away — or who refused to accept the new date — continued celebrating the New Year during the last week of March. They quickly became the butt of jokes and pranks by others in their communities.
The custom spread throughout Britain in the 1700s, where people sent friends on silly errands or pinned paper “tails” on their backs. Different cultures around the world have their own versions of playful springtime trickery, though the exact origin of April Fool’s Day remains unclear.
No matter where the tradition began, families have been sharing harmless laughs on April 1st for centuries.
We hope this list of pranks makes your April Fool’s Day memorable for your whole family, and that you make some great memories trying out these silly tricks.
More Family Fun
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
