girl surprised
If your children are anything like mine, they think that playing a joke on their parents in absolutely hysterical. And if you’re anything like me, you know that getting the opportunity to turn the tables and trick them feels incredibly satisfying. After all the things that parents have to put up with, the first day in April is the one time every year where we can innocently prank our own kids and get the last laugh. So in honor of April Fools’ Day, here’s a round up of 10 fun, kid-friendly tricks that are sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.
1. Upside Down
After the kids go to bed the night before, go around the house and flip as many things over as possible, including chairs, framed photos, toys, or anything else you can come up with. In the morning, your children will be perplexed as to what happened!,
2. Sleeping Swap
As long as they are heavy sleepers, once asleep you can carry your kids and put them into their sibling’s bed and vice versa. For an only child, simply place them on the couch or onto a bed made on the floor. When they wake up in the morning, they’ll be in for quite the surprise!
3. Frozen Breakfast
For an early morning prank, prepare your children’s breakfast the night before by putting cereal and milk in a bowl and letting it freeze overnight. The next morning, take the bowls out and set them on the table, then watch for some funny, very confused reactions when they try to eat their breakfast!
4. Growing Overnight
After your child goes to bed the night before, stuff his or her shoes with toilet paper or tissues. Then wait for the look of bewilderment when he or she struggles to put the “tiny” shoes on the next morning!
5. Drawer Switch
Switch out their dresser drawers, putting their socks where their pajamas should be, underwear where the shirts should be, etc. They’ll do a double take when trying to get themselves dressed that morning.
6. Googly Eyes
This trick is perfect if your children are old enough to get food out of the fridge on their own. Simply take several sets of sticky googly eyes and place them on every visible piece of food or package in the refrigerator: the milk jug, yogurt containers, fruit, etc. When they open the fridge door, your kids will be shocked at all the eyes staring back at them!
7. Toilet Paper Message
In the bathroom, unroll a section of toilet paper and write a funny message for the next user, such as “Happy April Fools’ Day!” or “Don’t forget to flush!” Then roll the paper back up and wait to see who gets to read it!
8. Snack Swap
Take a snack bag of your child’s favorite chips and carefully open the bottom along the seam. Then replace the contents inside with another snack (think putting a few goldfish into a fruit snack package) and tape or glue the bottom back closed. They won’t know what to think when they open it up and reach inside!
9. Sliced Banana
Take a large pin or needle and carefully poke holes into a banana, moving the pin gently back and forth so as to slice the banana from within. Then give your child the fruit and see their expression when they peel it to find the banana already sliced!
10. Stuffed Pillow
For an end of the day trick, take the pillow out of your children’s pillowcase and replace them with several stuffed animals or clothing. Once their heads hit the pillow at bedtime, they’ll know that you got them good one last time this April Fools’ Day.
