Even if you're not much of a prankster (usually a prank would be the last thing I'd think of to do), April Fools' Day is a chance to show your kids that you really do have a sense of humor. I've found 10 pranks that are not dangerous, mean-spirited or complicated. They're just lots of fun and are sure to get your kids (or you) laughing. And that's a good thing.
1. Stick googly eyes to everything in the fridge before you go to bed on Sunday night (Fun for EP Kids). The milk, broccoli, ketchup, you name it, will be staring at your kids when they open the fridge in the morning.
2. Line all of your child’s stuffed animals up at the bathroom door, waiting for their turn on the potty. One stuffy should already be on the pot. I would add one thing to this Stuffed Animals in a Line prank from Chocolate Cake Moments: Saran Wrap over the toilet seat!
3. Tell your kids it’s Opera and Ballet Day (eHow), and that everyone in the family can only communicate in song and interpretive dance. You need to tell them this in song and dance, of course, and keep it up all day.
4. Make a prankster lunch, complete with a big black ant on your child’s sandwich (My Mix of Six).
5. Hide a whoopee cushion under your baby’s seat. Ensuing laughs from your older kids courtesy of 10 Hilarious April Fools' Day Pranks to Play on Your Kids on ivillage.
6. Print out this Chore Camp brochure from Spoonful and tell the kids you’ve registered them for the whole summer. Really sell it!
7. Dig out the baby monitors and hide the receiving one wherever the kids are playing. Then figure out ways to creep them out using the other monitor. Kids Activities Blog suggests shrieking, “Someone is watching!” Yep, that will seriously creep them out.
8. Tell your kids you’re having brownies for a special treat after dinner and bring out a tray of Brown E’s (Lesson Plan). You may want to have some actual brownies on hand for after the prank.
9. For dinner, prepare a delicious-looking Meat and Potato Sundae from Family Fresh Meals.
10. Then follow it up with Baked Potato Ice Cream Sundaes from Martha Stewart. Your family will be so confused.
After you’ve pranked to your heart’s content, share some of the Top 100 April Fools' Day Hoaxes of All Time from Museum of Hoaxes with your older kids. They’ll get a kick out of it!
