When I was a kid, I thought April Fool’s Day was absolutely hilarious. By second grade, you could count on me to be sneaking (or at least trying to sneak) around the house in the middle of the night before—setting all the clocks ahead, switching the salt with the sugar, or wrapping the toilet in saran wrap. My mom was not always amused, but that didn’t keep me from giggling maniacally. (Come to think of it…that might be part of why she in particular wasn’t often fooled…)
Now that our eldest has gotten to the age of prank appreciation, it’s more fun than ever. If you and your kids enjoy a good joke, you should definitely try one of these super-easy pranks out this year!
There’s a Worm in Your Apple!
For this one, I used a sour gummy worm and a small apple. Using a paring knife, I carved a small hole in the apple and then a sanitized screwdriver to make the hole deeper. I worked the gummy worm into the hole until it stayed somewhat on its own, and slipped it into his lunch along with a note. He came home talking about it, so I’m pretty confident it was a hit.
Oldie-but-a-Goodie — Set Forward the Clock
For this one, you have to now be prepared to get up early yourself, so you might want to clear this with any other adult members of the house. Once your kiddo is up and dressed, break the news to them that it’s APRIL FOOL’S DAY and they’re up an hour earlier than necessary! Take the sting out of the loss of sleep by taking them for a surprise breakfast out before school.
Something’s Wrong with Your Breakfast!
If you’re not up for losing that precious hour of sleep, this prank is fun as well. Just a little bit of food coloring can take you all the way to funny-town. A drop or two of red or blue can provide a surprising shade of milk in your child’s morning bowl of cereal. (This is particularly amusing if your child is coordinated enough to pour their own milk. Just put a few drops of dye in the bottom of the bowl and then pour in their cereal to cover it. Watch their faces as they pour in the milk!)
If a hot breakfast is more your style, scrambled eggs are easily colored as well. This is a great time for a throw back moment with Dr. Seuss and those green eggs and ham.
We’d love to hear about any favorite pranks you’ve played (or plan to play) on your kids (or that they’ve played on you). Happy (almost) April Fool’s Day!
