April Fool’s Day pranks are popular in Europe and North America, but no one really has a clue how they began or why!

The first recorded April Fool’s Day prank took place in London in 1698, where pranksters created a fake annual lion-bathing ceremony. As you can imagine, giving lions a bath sounds like risky business – think of how much cats hate water – but that’s because it wasn’t true. Visitors to the city would gather at the Tower of London every year and fall for this hoax! Surely they would have caught on to the prank by the third or fourth time?

Now we use April 1st to play practical jokes on our friends and family, as pulling off a good April Fool’s Day prank can give you some serious bragging rights with your friends! Are you all pranked out and need some inspiration? Check out this monster list of pranks!

1. The Cracked Phone Screen!

Print out a photo of a badly smashed phone screen and size it to your prank target’s phone model. Use tape to stick onto the screen and wait for them to notice and then breathe a sigh of relief!

2. Minty Oreos!

There is one sneaky ingredient that you can replace Oreo cream filling with that will seriously ruin the taste. Carefully take the cookie apart, scrape off the cream filling, apply toothpaste, and put the cookie back together. Then, hand them out to your friends and wait for their reaction.

3. Pillows Stuffed With Balloons!

Blow up some balloons and put them into pillowcases. Swap them out with your family’s pillows and wait for their reaction when they get ready for a good night’s sleep!

4. There’s Something in the Water!

If you really want to confuse people at home, grab some food colouring and with a cotton swab, apply it to the inside of your kitchen tap. Use a crazy colour like pink or green!

5. Would You Like Salt With Your Coffee?

This is the best April Fool’s Day prank because people always fall for it! Replace the sugar with salt and give your parents a salty surprise in the morning with their cup of coffee.

6. Morning Cup of Jelly?

If someone in your home enjoys a nice refreshing drink of juice in the morning, you can replace it with some jelly! Once they reach for the jug, they’ll wonder why there’s no juice coming out.

7. The Morning Moustache!

This is a classic April Fool’s Day prank, especially if you have someone at home who is a heavy sleeper. Draw a funny moustache using washable markers – that is very important – and expect some big laughs at the breakfast table!

8. Blunderpants!

Swap all your grownups big pants with your own and wait for their confusion when they’re getting ready in the morning. Trade boxers or briefs with your dad and he’ll be doing a little dance or be convinced he became a giant overnight!

9. Unicorn Ice!

Sneak an ice cube tray out of the freezer and drip some food colouring into the tray, then fill it carefully with water. The next day, ask everyone if they’d like some magical unicorn ice cubes.

10. Sauce Prank!

Remove the lid of a squeezy bottle of ketchup then put a square of sticky tape over the hole where it comes out. Screw the lid back on and everyone will be confused why they can’t squirt tomato sauce all over their chips.

11. Remote Chaos!

Remove the batteries from the TV remote and hide them. But first, put the TV on your favourite channel and ensure no other electronic devices nearby have the same batteries. This is sure to confuse everyone in the living room! Relax and enjoy your show!

12. Inside Out!

Get into the coat cupboard in your home and turn all of the jackets on the hangers inside out. This will give your parents a laugh – but be prepared to put them all back the way you found them!

13. The Shoe Stuffer!

Stuffing shoes with cotton balls is another blam prank. The prankee’s first thought will be that their feet grew overnight or that their shoes shrank! Reassure them that it’s just cotton wool and their feet and shoes have remained the same size.

14. Yellow Rubber Duckie Invasion!

Get a few tiny yellow rubber ducks and place them in different areas of the house or classroom. Hide them in hard-to-find places and you have yourself a prank that keeps on giving for weeks to come. It’ll drive your family quackers!

15. This Is Alarming!

Grab every alarm clock in your home, set them for different times, and hide them in separate areas of the house. Important: be sure to do this prank on a Saturday and not on a work or school day!

16. You’ve Been Framed!

Remove the current family photos around the house and replace them with some silly ones from old albums. You can also just flip the current picture and put it back into the frame for a quick and easy prank!

17. The Brick-fast Bowl Prank!

Replace your cereal with a some chunky Lego. It’ll have the same weight and ‘shake’ to the cereal box. Watch your prankee’s face as they’re presented with a very fun bowl of plastic bricks instead of food! Remember to replace the Lego with the cereal or they’ll be pranked again! And again!

18. Glitter Surprise!

Fill a few envelopes with glitter and give them to your friends. Or, send them anonymously in the post a few days before April Fools! This can be messy but in the best possible way, but maybe offer to help with the vacuuming later!

19. Bugging Out!

Fake bugs around the house are a classic prank because they always catch people off guard. Your parents are likely to fall for this prank, especially if you toss one out casually as they walk past you. Add to the surprise factor by making a shriek as you lob it towards them.

20. Snakes In a Tin!

They say this is the oldest trick in the book because no one can resist a tin of beans. When they grab the mysteriously pre-opened tin, a rubber snake pops will be waiting to greet your hungry friend.

21. Toffee Onion!

These are very sneaky and will be very disappointing for your prankee. Put onions on a wooden stick and cover them with chocolate, then leave them in the freezer. Be sure to watch for their reaction when they get a mouthful of chocolate-covered onions!

23. Bubble Wrap Bath Mat!

Take a sheet of bubblewrap and cut it to the shape of the shower mat in the bathroom. Place it under the mat while one of your family members goes in for a shower and listen at the door for a popping surprise!

24. Frozen Toothbrush!

This prank is a classic! Fill an ice cube tray with water and lie someone’s toothbrush inside, so the bristles are submerged in the water. In the morning, get the frozen toothbrush and pass it to someone when they’re about to brush their teeth before leaving the house! Tell them it’s a cool prank!

25. The Pizza Delivery Prank!

You’ll need a clean pizza box for this one – be sure to keep one aside from a takeaway and play the waiting game. Tell everyone in the house you’re treating them to a slice of pizza, and when they open the box, they’ll see your drawing and realise there’s no pizza after all!

26. Computer Mouse Prank!

If you have a desktop computer in the house, chances are you’ll have a mouse like this. Cover the red sensor on the bottom with a small piece of paper and they won’t be able to use it. When they turn it over to inspect what’s wrong, they’ll see your April Fool’s message and will be relieved they don’t have to go to a computer repair shop.

27. The Broccoli Tree Prank!

Get a piece of broccoli and peg it onto a low-hanging branch – no climbing! – and ask everyone at home why the tree is suddenly growing broccoli. A prank that is also part of your five-a-day. Five pranks, that is!

28. The Robot Grape Prank!

If you’re helping make someone’s packed lunch, wrap some grapes in silver foil and tell them you’ve bought some robot fruit – but they’re not allowed to look until lunchtime!

29. The Light Switch Prank!

With a small piece of sticky tape, you can stop a light switch from being turned on or off. It’ll take them a few seconds to realise what’s happening and by then, you can hide around the corner and ask them what’s happening.

30. Bubblewrap Shoes!

Carefully stick some bubblewrap to the soles of someone’s shoes. When they put them on and walk about, they might get a shock and wonder where all the tiny popping sounds are coming from!

31. Toilet Paper Prank!

Place two toilet rolls on the seat and a bit of paper in there to make a tongue. Tell everyone the toilet has turned into a monster and wait for the groans!

32. The Gravy Shower!

You need a grown-up for this one – and one who lives in the house! Get them to undo the shower head and put some gravy granules in there, and fasten it again. When someone goes to take a shower, they’ll briefly be showered in delicious gravy and will feel like they’re part of a Sunday lunch! Shout to them not to worry, as they’ll be clean as a whistle in a few seconds.

33. Unsoapable Soap!

With the help of a grownup, get some cheap, clear nail varnish from a shop – don’t use someone else’s as it may be one of those expensive brands – then carefully paint a bar of soap and let it dry. When someone comes to use it in the bathroom, they’ll be confused as to why they can’t get a lather going!

34. Sponge Brownies!

This is a classic prank you may have heard of. Get a square sponge and cover it with chocolate spread. Offer it to someone who loves chocolate spread and brownies and laugh as they realise they’re nibbling a sponge.

35. The Fly Prank!

Act like there’s a fly buzzing around in the kitchen and pretend to swat it with a newspaper. Say something like, ‘I’ve got it!’ and take a raisin from your pocket and show them from a distance. When they express their admiration, eat the raisin and watch everyone look shocked! Make sure it’s a raisin and not an actual fly.

36. The Unfamiliar Language Prank!

This is a fun and educational prank. Learn a few phrases in a different language – say things like ‘Bonjour!’ if you want to say something in French or ‘Leben ist kein Ponyhof’, which is ‘Life is no pony farm’ in German. Confuse your family or friends by only talking in different languages. Unless they speak French and German, and they’ll continue the conversation.

37. The Ol’ Autocorrect Prank!

If someone in your family uses an iPhone and always type the same phrase during a text conversation, like ‘love you’, this is the prank for you! Go into their settings, tap General, then Keyboard, then Text Replacement. To swap the phrase to a funny sentence, type in the phrase and add, then shortcut. Replace it with something like, ‘Let’s get pizza!’ and later on, send them a message and find out what’s for dinner! To reverse the prank – and this is REALLY important – tap Edit, tap the ‘remove’ button then tap delete. Tap done to save your changes.

38. The Text Prank!

On April Fools’ Day, reply to any texts you may receive with facts about dogs. After a fact, add another text saying ‘To stop receiving #DOGFACTS, reply with STOP’. When they do, reply saying ‘Thank you for subscribing to #DOGFACTS. Would you like another?’. They might react by saying no, so reply with more dog facts. It’s educational for everyone involved!

39. The No-Shampoo Prank!

Swap a bottle of shampoo for an identical empty one. Fill the empty one with water, so the weight feels the same. Hear the confusion from the bathroom when your prankee can’t work out why they can’t wash their hair. If they’re running late, be sure to tell them where the full bottle is!

40. The Pencil Prank!

With the help of a prank-loving grown-up, get some clear nail varnish and paint the tip of someone’s pencil. Watch as they try to write something down and nothing happens!

41. The Fake Poo Prank!

Get a fake poo toy and put it on someone’s bag. Simple, but effective.

42. Tormentos!

This must be done in the garden and only if your intended prankee is wearing dark clothes. Freeze some Mentos sweets overnight and ask your prankee if they’d like a cold glass of cola. Pop the Mentos ice cubes into the drink and play the waiting game. When the ice cube begins to melt, it’ll turn your garden into a frothy firework!

43. Cereal Pranker!

Pour cereal and milk into a bowl and put it in the freezer over night! Then wake up your grown-up for a special breakfast prepared by their kind and caring child! They won’t notice it’s frozen until they try to get their spoon in the mix. Then tell them to chill out!

44. The (F)art of Pranking!

Put a whoopee cushion under a cushion and wait until someone sits on it. Fake farts are never not funny! Come to think of it, real farts are funny too!

45. The Pet Letter!

Pretend your family pet has written a letter asking for more treats. Use your opposite hand to make it all the more believable.

46. Disappointing Brownie!

Cut out the letter E from a piece of brown paper. Ask your family if they’d like a plate of brownies. They’ll expect a delicious cakey snack but they’ll literally get a brown E. Genius!

47. The Fake Snake!

Get a toy snake and hide it in your grown-up’s underpants drawer. Wait for a scream in the morning before revealing it was a massive prank. Savage!

48. The Upside Down Prank!

Don’t worry, this has nothing to do with that monster in Stranger Things. Gradually begin to turn all the framed photos in your house upside down. If anyone says anything deny all knowledge. See how many you can do before someone notices!

49. The Cheetos Prank!

If anyone is feeling peckish, why not offer them some cheesy Cheetos to curb that hunger for a bit. When no-one is looking, swap the snacks for some baby carrots – they’re the same size and colour. Get ready to see the look on their faces. It’s a healthy joke, too!

50. The Inky Sofa Prank!

Colour in and cut out an ink splot to leave it on your grown-ups most prized soft-furnishing! Get ready for a blood-curdling shriek!

51. The Fake Plant Prank!

This is a prank for any green-fingered family members. Carefully swap their real plants with fake ones and watch as they water them for days without realising they’re pouring water on some plastic! Remember to water the real plants, though.

52. The Sweet Dream Prank!

This one might not strictly work as April Fool’s Day jokes are supposed to take place before midday, but this prank will really take people by surprise. Fill someone’s pillow with a few balloons and wait for the screech as they pop when someone is trying to get comfortable and have a good night’s sleep!

53. The Jelly Key Prank!

Get a grown up to help you make a bowl of jelly and hide a big key inside the mixture as its beginning to set. Leave a clue by the front door as to where the key is hidden and sit back and wait for the treasure hunt to begin. 

54. The Floating Pen Prank!

Use clear tape to suspend objects, like a pen or a mug, in mid-air, and watch as your friend tries to figure out how they’re defying gravity. They might think you’re a kind of wizard or something.

55. The Mirror Message Prank!

Write messages on the mirror with soap or toothpaste for a fun surprise when your friend gets ready in the morning. Your message will magically appear when the mirror steams up after a shower or a bath. Don’t make the message too creepy or it might be more frightening than funny!

56. The Bubblewrap Loo Seat Prank!

Hide a wad of bubblewrap under the toilet street so it makes a loud pop when someone sits down to plop. Wow, that rhymes!

57. The Static Shock Prank!

For this prank, why not rub a balloon on your head and then touch your friend to give them a harmless static shock. It’ll make for a hair-raising April Fool’s prank!

58. The Fake Bug Prank!

Cut out a picture of an insect or spider and hide it in the pages of a school book or someone’s novel. They’ll get a scary surprise. Don’t do this if you don’t particularly like insects or spiders because you’ll only scare yourself!

59. The Cracked Window Prank!

For this April Fool’s Day prank, use a few strips of clear sticky tape to create a fake crack on your front window. Whoever spots it will get a massive surprise!

60. The Wet Sneeze Prank!

For this prank, all you’ll need is a wet hand. It’s as simple as that. When you’re chatting to your friend, pretend to sneeze, and as you’re mid-atchoo, flick some water on their face and hear the absolute disgust as they run off to wash the fake watery snot off their face.

61. The Frozen Cereal Prank!

April Fool’s Day pranks should be played before midday, so place a family member’s cereal bowl in the freezer overnight for a crunchy and frozen breakfast. Very cool!

62. The Fart Throne Prank!

It wouldn’t be an April Fool’s Day prank without a big farting noise during breakfast. Place the a Whoopee cushion under someone just as they’re about to sit down and enjoy their slice of toast and wait for a huge guff sound! 

63. Another Gross Pretend Dog Poo Prank!

Create some fake dog poo by using melted chocolate or a wet, mashed up toilet roll tube and hold it out in front of a family member or friend and ask if they saw the dog who did it! Absolutely disgusting.

64. The Remote Control Joke Prank!

This is a fun prank to play just as someone is about to settle down to watch their favourite TV programme. Put a small piece of sticky tape over the TV remote’s sensor and watch as your family member gets frustrated trying to change the channel. Don’t leave it too long because they might miss the show!

65. The Milky Prank!

Cut out a piece of white paper to create a puddle of spilled milk on a table, desk or floor. Watch your family or friend’s reaction when they try to clean it up.

66. The Fly Sale Prank!

Do you have a fly that’s having a long rest on your window sill? Turn this prank into a business opportunity by creating a ‘Fly For Sale’ sign and placing it in your front window. 10p is a bargain for a new pet, right?

67. The Celebrity Phone Call Prank!

Give a family member or a friend a phone call, and pretend to be a celebrity or important person and see how they react. Bonus points if you can keep a straight face! Extra bonus points if you can make it to the end of the call without laughing. Even more bonus points if they tell you about it later on.