Easy April Fool’s Day Pranks to Try This Year

My mom cultivated a very trusting household right from the beginning. She hardly ever lied to us and if she did I never found out about it. She was also super into celebrating holidays. This meant April Fool’s Day became kind of a big deal. The pranks were always harmless, easily reversible, and the punchline came quickly. She never dragged it out till we got upset. She also knew we would turn the prank back around on her the next year.

I find the funniest pranks are the simplest ones. A quick laugh that they will think about the rest of the day. Also small enough that you might be able to pull the same prank on them again in a year.

Here are a few of my favorite super simple pranks. They only need a few supplies that you probably already have access to.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase I’ll make a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

1. Faulty Shampoo Bottle

The Faulty Shampoo Bottle prank is quick to set up and easy to do privately since it just takes minutes in the bathroom. All you need is access to their shampoo or body wash and a little bit of plastic. Cling wrap is great but even a piece of a shopping bag or other plastic packaging would work as long as it’s clear. Twist or pop the lid off the bottle and put a small piece of plastic wrap over the opening and put the lid back on. When they go to use it the plastic will prevent the soap from coming out. If they squeeze the bottle really hard it will probably break the plastic, or they’ll think to open the lid and find the plastic then.

2. Rubber Band Around the Sink Sprayer

The Sink Sprayer Prank is my favorite of all time. Unfortunately, my house doesn’t have a sink sprayer so I can’t even do this one. As those of you who do own sink sprayers know, it usually won’t spray unless the water is already running. So all you have to do is wrap a rubber band around the handle of the sprayer when the water is off and aim it so that whoever turns on the sink next gets sprayed. Warning. It’s super easy to forget you’ve done this one and accidentally get sprayed yourself.

3. Solid Juice

I saw this one in an American Girl magazine a million years ago and it just enamored me. This one is a bit more of a long con to do it right. A couple of weeks ahead of time start making pitchers of juice or kool-aid for the members of your household. Tell them they can get juice from the fridge themselves (this works great for roommates and kids). Then for April Fool’s make a large batch of jello in the juice pitcher. When they go to pour it, it will be solidified. 

Alternatively, if you generally pour the juice for your kids/roommate/spouse made the jello in a cup and then bring that to them. When they try to drink from it, they will realize it’s solid. 

I love this prank because you also get jello. 

4. Short Sheet the Bed

I’ve never short-sheeted a bed, but this one is a classic. It’s super easy if the members of your household already make their beds regularly. If they don’t you might have to get them in the habit of it leading up to pranking them. There are some great videos on youtube explaining exactly how to do it if you’re not familiar.

5. Computer Mouse Won’t Work

I love this one because it’s so easy. All you have to do is put a tiny sticky note over the sensor on the bottom of the mouse. They can jiggle it all they want and it still won’t move. You can add a smiley face or other note on the post-it for more laughs.

6. Shrunken Shoes/Huge Feet

This is another one that I got out of a children’s magazine. You just stuff something up in the toe of your kids shoes and they’ll think their shoe doesn’t fit anymore.

7. TV Remote Doesn’t Work

This prank works best with a small piece of black electrical tape. For the picture I didn’t have any electrical tape so I tried it with clear and it didn’t work. But you get the gist. Cover the sensor on the remote and it doesn’t change the channel.

8. Sew Pockets or Socks Shut

I thought of this at work the other day. It would be really funny to sew the pockets shut on my husband’s jeans. He’d try to put his keys in his pocket and wouldn’t be able to. Of course, I’d leave the stitches loose enough so he could tear the stitching out. 

I also saw online about stitching halfway across a sock near the toe so your foot gets stuck before you reach the toe.

Have you tried any of these? Did they work or are they just funny in theory? What are your go-to April Fool’s Day pranks?