It is that time of the year again, April Fools’ Day! A day dedicated to jokes, the 1st of April is great for having fun with those around you. This year, we have April Fools’ Day prank ideas that the whole family can try out. Suitable for children and adults, whether they are the jokesters or the targets of the jokes, they are guaranteed to have the whole family laughing.
In this blog, we will share:
- Where April Fools’ Day comes from
- Food-related pranks
- Scary pranks
- Harmless pranks that are still funny
Where Does April Fools’ Day Come From?
The origins of April Fools’ Day aren’t quite known. There are many stories and theories about the day, including that it started in France in 1582 when there was a change from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, which placed the start of the new year taking place on the 1st of January as opposed to the 1st of April. However, this change did not pick up quickly and many still celebrated the start of the new year on the 1st of April, which resulted in them being branded fools and having pranks pulled on them. Another theory links the day to the ancient festival of Hilaria which took place in ancient Rome. During this festival, people would dress up in costumes and mock one another.
Despite not having 100% surety of where this day comes from, it is celebrated across the world, with individuals, businesses and organisations alike taking part. Of course, a huge holiday based on jokes can have its downsides but when done right, it can be a fun day for all parties involved. According to Psychology Today, it is important to be aware of the impact jokes can have on an individual or community to avoid causing misunderstandings.
5 Food Pranks
As with all pranks and jokes, food-related pranks can earn a good laugh from both sides when done right. The most important thing to consider is that the target does not have any food intolerances or allergies when doing this. If you don’t have all the yummy supplies needed for these food-related April Fools' Day prank ideas, check out our Food and Drink coupon codes for deals to save when shopping.
1. Frozen cereal - Who doesn’t love a bowl of cereal in the morning? Give the cereal-lover at home a surprise by serving them frozen cereal! Add cereal, milk and a spoon to a bowl, and place the bowl in the freezer. On the morning of April Fool’s, set it out and watch their shock.
2. Chocolate covered vegetables - For this prank, you will need chocolate and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower or even cherry tomatoes. Melt the chocolate and pour it over the vegetables. Let them dry and voila! To add some flair and make the prank more convincing, you can use sprinkles to decorate the “treats”.
3. Sponge cake - Similar to the chocolate covered vegetables, this prank presents a sweet exterior but a surprise interior. This prank needs a sponge or sponges, frosting and sprinkles. Cover the sponge in frosting and sprinkles, set it out on a plate with a fork and watch as your target tries to dig in!
4. Easter egg surprise - With Easter approaching, Easter eggs (and an Easter egg hunt) are a must and one of the best pranks you could play is to wrap grapes in Easter egg foil. You can also boil a few eggs and put your artistic skills to the test by painting them.
5. Surprise drinks - This is a funny prank to pull on someone who enjoys having a cup of coffee, tea, juice or milk. Here are three fun ways to give someone a surprise drink:
- Prepare orange jelly, pour it into a glass and place it in the fridge to set. Once it has set, offer it to someone as a glass of orange juice.
- Add a little food colouring to an already opened bottle of milk. When someone pours it, they will be in for a surprise when they pour a glass of blue, green, red or orange milk.
- Make a cup of coffee or tea and place it in the freezer. Take it out in the morning and leave it to slightly defrost so that it looks like a liquid.
3 Scary Pranks
Pranks to scare others are a core part of April Fools’ Day. “When planning a prank to scare or surprise someone, it’s important to ask yourself if they will find the prank funny after the initial shock,” says Marylyn Ncube. You don’t want to make fun of any phobias they may have or cause distress. Here are some scary April Fools' Day prank ideas that won't cause too much trouble:
1. Bug out - Buy toy bugs such as spiders, ants and cockroaches. Place them in visible spots around the house or near your target’s belongings. Head over to your nearest toy store or place an order online and use Toy coupon codes for savings.
2. Ghost picture - This one will require some editing skills and maybe some printing. Edit a ghost into the background of a picture that your target is in. Depending on how they react, you can pretend not to notice anything or play into it and act scared as well.
3. Morning surprise - Get creative by decorating a pillow or even ordering a custom-made pillow with a funny image on it. Quietly place the pillow next to the sleeping target’s face just before they usually wake up. When they wake up, the first thing they will see is a weird-looking pillow. Browse our Gift coupon codes for deals to save on custom pillows.
5 Harmless but Funny April Fools’ Day Prank Ideas
There are plenty of pranks that you could play on those around that won’t cause any harm and will earn plenty of laughs. Here are 5 more April Fools' Day prank ideas that children and adults can try out:
- Rearrange the cutlery drawer or even hide a few utensils. A fun one would be to leave one of each utensil. Be sure to supervise children to ensure they do not hurt themselves with knives.
- Unscrew tomato sauce bottles, shampoo bottles and other commonly used bottles, place plastic wrap around the openings before closing them. When someone goes to use them, nothing will come out.
- Using temporary markers, draw a moustache on your sleeping target.
- Stuff tissue into the insides of your target’s shoes. When they go to wear them, their feet won’t fit and they will wonder if their shoes have become smaller.
- Place sellotape on the TV sensor or remote sensor to disrupt the signal and make it difficult to turn the TV on or change channels.
Happy April Fools’ Day!
We hope that these April Fools’ Day prank ideas will have you and your family laughing, as well as make your day more enjoyable. Remember to browse Love Coupons for deals that can help you save on supplies for your pranks.
