- Swap beds
If your kids are heavy sleepers, carry them into their sibling’s bed and let them wake up in a different room to start April Fools’ on the right foot.
- Frozen breakfast
Put cereal and milk in a bowl and let it freeze overnight. When your hungry kids try to dig in, they’ll get quite the surprise.
- Juice joke
Anyone want juice? When your family tries to taking a sip of this juice, they'll find out it’s really Jell-O.
- Underwear surprise
Swap out their underwear drawer for bathing suits for an early morning prank.
- “Eye” see you
Give your kids a laugh at lunchtime by attaching googly eyes to, well, everything.
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Sweet trick
- Honk for April Fools'
Let your practical jokers put a sign on your car that reads “My kids are playing an April Fools’ joke on me. Honk and wave at me!” This joke is even funnier if they get to take a ride in the car with you.
- Bugs in your ice
This oldie-but-goodie prank is easy to make at home with this tip. Add almost boiling water to the ice cube trays and toss in a few plastic bugs. The hotter the water, the more clear the ice will be when frozen.
9. Toilet paper message
Unroll the toilet paper and leave a funny message for the unsuspecting user. A good option: “You’re going to wash your hands, right?” Roll the toilet paper back up and wait to see who ends up getting the message.
- Bath time hoax
Use a Q-tip to put gel food coloring around the inside of the faucet in the bathtub or sink. When the water is turned on, you’ll have colored water! You might want to stay away from red. This is April Fools’ and not Halloween, after all.
- Pillow prank
Just when they thought April Fools’ Day was over, here’s one last prank. Remove the pillows and fill their pillowcases with several partially inflated balloons. When they put their head down to sleep, they’ll realize you got the last April Fools’ laugh. Obviously if you have younger children, you’ll want to take the balloons out of their room before they drift off to sleep... with a smile on their faces
- Toothpaste switcheroo
Surprise your kids this April Fools’ Day with a little toothpaste switcheroo. After breakfast, hand over their toothbrush — but instead of the usual white paste, opt for something white, creamy and…sweet! Cream cheese or vanilla frosting will do the trick; if they use a colored kids’ tooth gel, try using cake decorating gel instead.
- Whoopee!
Put a whoopee cushion under your baby’s high-chair cushion, under the booster seat or car seat cover and see if you get a laugh from the baby, his fart-loving older brother or your hubs.
- Milk shenanigans
Add a few drops of food coloring to the carton of milk; when your child goes to pour it into her glass or bowl of cereal, she’ll get a colorful surprise — bright pink (or blue, or green) milk!
- Cupcakes for dinner
Your kids will think you’re the coolest mom ever — for a moment at least. Bake up mini meatloaves in muffin cups (don’t forget the colorful wrappers). Then “frost” them with creamy mashed potatoes. See how long it takes for your kids to realize that you really aren’t that cool after all.
- Bedtime classic
Borrow a summer camp classic and short sheet your kid’s bed before bedtime — when he tries to get in, you’ll have the last laugh.