50 Easy Pranks For Kids to do on Parents (2025)

Welcome, fellow pranksters! April 1st is just around the corner, and it’s the perfect opportunity to have some lighthearted fun with your family and friends.

Whether you’re looking to surprise your kids, amuse your partner, or simply enjoy a good laugh, I’ve got you covered with April Fool’s Pranks For Kids and Parents that are both hilarious and harmless. These ideas will keep everyone giggling, and best of all, no one will be too angry with you.

So, let’s dive into 50 fun and safe pranks that will leave your family in stitches—no one’s getting into trouble this time!


1. Cracked Phone Screen Prank

A smartphone with a realistic cracked screen resting on a wooden surface.

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

A classic pink whoopee cushion with humorous illustrations and text, used for prank sound effects.

Hide a whoopee cushion under a chair or pillow. Wait for someone to sit and enjoy the surprise sound!


3. Broken Remote Prank

 A close-up of a person holding a remote control, with a blurred TV screen in the background.

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

A blue bowl filled with cereal, strawberries, and a spoon, appearing ready to eat.

Freeze a bowl of cereal with milk the night before. Serve it for breakfast and watch them try to dig in!


5. Broken Mouse

A close-up of a hand holding a black wired computer 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

A glass of orange juice on a wooden table, surrounded by fresh orange slices.

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

A hand sprinkling salt into a cup of coffee, replacing sugar for a 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

Two hands separating an Oreo cookie with a filling that resembles toothpaste.

Replace Oreo filling with white toothpaste and reassemble. Offer as a snack and enjoy their minty surprise!


9. Lost Phone Trick

A man searching under a couch for a misplaced phone in a living room.

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

A green bar of soap with the word "SOAP" engraved on it, ready for an April Fool's prank.

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

Brown-colored water flowing from a faucet into a sink, resembling a water prank.

Dab brown food coloring on the faucet tip. Watch their reaction to the “dirty” water!


13. Out of Shampoo

A wooden bowl filled with shampoo and conditioner bottles next to a hairbrush, suggesting hidden mischief.

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

A quirky yellow house with a roof on the ground and its foundation pointing upward, creating an inverted design.

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

A decorative plate with a smiling emoji and "April Fools" text, set with gold utensils for a playful meal prank.

Draw a spider on toilet paper or hide fake bugs in shoes, towels, or ice cubes for creepy surprises.


16.  Surprise Sink Spray

A shiny kitchen faucet with a sprayer attachment, perfect for setting up a surprise water prank.

Wrap a rubber band around the sink sprayer handle so it soaks the next person who turns on the faucet.


17. Crazy Alarms

A red alarm clock ringing loudly with motion and sound waves depicted.

Set alarms to go off at random times throughout the day to drive everyone bananas!



18. Shoes Don’t Fit

A pair of white athletic sneakers with laces, positioned on a white background.

Stuff cotton balls into the toes of your parents’ shoes to make them think their shoes shrunk.



19. Habla Español?

Text that reads "¿Hablas Español?" with a small Spanish flag illustration, surrounded by pens.

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

A hairbrush covered in loose hair, perfect for a startling prank setup.

Scatter fake hair extensions on their pillow while they sleep to make them think they’re losing hair.



21. Brownie Batch

A large letter "E" cut from brown cardboard, often used in "brown-E" prank jokes.

Serve “brown E’s” cut from brown paper or cardboard instead of actual brownies. Happy “baking”!


22. Moldy Bread

Close-up of bread with green food coloring mimicking mold, ideal for a harmless joke.

Dab green food coloring on bread slices and hide it under the top slice to fake mold.


23. Jello Mold

A bright red gelatin dessert in a decorative mold, sitting on a lace-covered plate.

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

A hand pulling a sheet of bubble wrap, ready for popping fun or pranks.

Place bubble wrap under rugs, bath mats, or the toilet seat for surprise popping sounds.


25. Light Switch Trick

A hand about to flip a standard light switch, great for a prank idea.

Cover light switches with clear tape to make them unusable, leaving everyone confused.


26. Special Delivery!

A cluttered pile of packages on a front porch, perfect for an exaggerated delivery prank.

Stack empty boxes outside your front door to look like a massive delivery arrived. Watch your family’s reactions!


27. Quick Scare

A young woman in a plaid shirt with a startled expression and her hands up in shock.

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

A hand typing on a smartphone keyboard during a text conversation.

Change your parent’s phone autocorrect settings so common words turn into ridiculous phrases. “Yes” becomes “No way!”


29. Frozen Hot Cocoa

A silver mug filled with creamy hot chocolate, surrounded by cinnamon sticks and chocolate pieces.

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

A close-up of a carton holding six fresh white eggs.

Replace fresh eggs with hard-boiled ones in the carton. They’ll be surprised when they go to crack an egg for breakfast!

More Pranks

31. Gummy Worm Apples
Surprise your kids by poking gummy worms into their apple. At first glance, it looks like the apple is infested, but they’ll quickly realize it’s a delicious treat!

32. Strangers in Picture Frames
Swap out family photos with images of celebrities or random people. It’s a hilarious way to see if anyone notices the “new family members” in your home!

33. Smoking Toilet
Create a “smoking” toilet by using toilet paper rolls as eyes and a cardboard tube as a cigar. Then shout, “The toilet is smoking!” for a funny surprise.

34. Keep a Straight Face
Tell your parents something they don’t want to hear—like failing a class—while keeping a straight face. See how long you can keep the prank going!

35. “Lost” Phone Call
Call your parents from your phone and say you’ve lost it. Watch them try to figure out how that’s even possible!

36. Peanut Butter Poop Prank
Place peanut butter in a pile on tile floor to mimic a gross surprise. Then take a lick to reveal the joke!

37. Toothpaste Swap
Switch the labels of toothpaste and anchovy paste. Watch as your victim gets a wake-up call when they brush their teeth!

39. Cheesy Deodorant
Replace deodorant with cream cheese. Smooth it into the container for a convincing look.

40. Confetti Surprise
Place confetti on top of a ceiling fan. When it’s turned on, a surprise confetti shower will greet the unsuspecting victim!

41. Mailbox Surprise
Add fake bugs or a toy snake to the mailbox. Your parents will get a scare when they check the mail!

42. Kitchen Drawer Switch
Swap the contents of two kitchen drawers. Watch your parents get frustrated when they can’t find the utensils they need!

43. Fake Vomit
Place fake vomit in an unexpected place like their bed or car. Their reaction will be priceless!

44. Balloon Pillows
Fill pillowcases with balloons. When your parents go to bed, they’ll be in for a surprise!

45. Googly Eyes Everywhere
Stick googly eyes on all the fruit in the house for a funny surprise every time your family goes to grab a snack.

46. Catch the Poo
Cover the toilet bowl with plastic wrap and wait for someone to use it. Be prepared for a big reaction—use with caution!

47. Ice Cube Bugs
Freeze plastic bugs in ice cubes. Add them to drinks for a harmless but surprising twist.

48. Short Sheet the Bed
Fold the bed sheet halfway up to create a fake bottom. When someone tries to get in, they’ll find their feet stuck!

49. Faux Sponge Cake
Cover a clean kitchen sponge with icing. Offer it as “cake” and watch their confusion when they try to take a bite!

50. Mini Meatloaf “Cupcakes”
Make mini meatloaves and frost them with mashed potatoes to look like cupcakes. Serve them for dinner and watch the surprise!


Tips for April Fool’s Pranks

  1. 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.
  2. Plan ahead if you can. Order the supplies you need to make your prank go perfectly.
  3. 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 annual tradition of April Fool’s Day dates all the way back to 1582, when France changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. People who were slow to get the news continues to celebrate the start of the new year during the last week of March instead of on January 1st. They become the butt of the joke.

April Fool’s Day spree throughout Britan during the 18th century, where people would send their pranks on fake errands and pin fake tails on them.

It’s been celebrated for many centuries across various cultures, but its exact origins are not fully known.


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.

Looking to bring more fun into your daily routine? Discover How to Be a Fun Mom with tips on bonding through authentic activities.


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