Last Updated on August 9, 2024
Like gags for laughs, pranks too make life less boring. On April Fools Day, in particular, hoaxes get to be performed by many people worldwide.
Unfortunately, pranks can easily go wrong and hurt someone mentally or physically. Even the best of friends sometimes cross the line by sharing pranks that either don’t make sense or disrupt someone’s day completely.
But not to worry. In this article, we have compiled a list of the best harmless April fools pranks so you can turn out to be the best prankster when the time comes. Let’s get down to business then.
Warning; sometimes even good pranks don’t get the best reception. If this happens, just be a responsible adult and apologize so you don’t get in trouble. Also, before you pull a prank on anyone, make sure they have a sense of humor and that you are close to remedy the situation in case someone gets overly scared.
RELATED: 41 Creative Prank Websites & Products to Troll Your Friends
Top Harmless Pranks for April Fools Day
Stick air horn under their seats
Office chairs sink a little every time you sit on them. If you secure an air horn right under the seat using sell tape or duct tape, it’s going to blare when they sit on it. Just be close to see how this is going to terrify them.
Toilet paper with no end
You wanna frustrate an office or family member a little-just for gags? Let them spin a toilet paper helplessly looking for the end. You can do that by spraying the edge with hairspray so it disappears and then stick around to see how they lose their cool (haha.)
You Can Never Go Wrong with Googly Eyes
This joke is almost as timeless as the concept of jokes itself. In all honesty, it is a simple prank to pull off. All you need is your fridge full of Tupperware bowls and condiments and a packet of googly eyes. You can easily attach googly eyes to everything that catches your fancy and watch your family marvel at the surprise waiting for them. What’s funnier than having a hundred eyes staring at you when you want some ketchup.
The Never-Ending “Other Door”
This prank is an absolute banger in the workplace. The more doors your workplace has, the better. Attach a sign on each door stating, “The door is broken, please use the other door.” Your co-workers will be trapped in a never-ending cycle of “broken doors” trying to find an escape.
Disruption of Orderliness
This joke is another easy prank to pull off. It could range from simple things like scattering the arrangement of kitchen utensils in the kitchen drawer to changing the location of toilet paper. You’d have family members frantically searching for their favorite kitchen utensil. Seeing as most families keep an organized kitchen drawer, this prank would prove highly effective.
Roar Contest?
This is a funny yet very annoying prank. Post an ad about a roaring contest with a flashy prize pool. After this, put your victim’s phone number on the contact page, and watch their phone blow up with hundreds of roars. Just make sure you put down the ad in time, or your target may have to change numbers.
Apples or Onions?
Caramel apples are an absolute delight to many, but onions aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. This prank is ageless and hilarious. Caramelize some onions and present them as caramel apples. Your guests will be shocked, and humor will fill up the atmosphere. Here’s a recipe to try if you’re interested.
The Great Switcheroo
This prank will work wonders if you have a friend who types on their laptop a lot. This prank demands some technical know-how. What you need to do is switch their “m” and “n” keys and watch them scream due to the countless typos they’d be making. Make sure you let them in on the prank on time before they destroy their keyboards.
“Birthday” Wishes
This is a fascinating yet hilarious prank. Nothing is funnier than getting unwanted birthday wishes and having to explain that it isn’t your birthday. Change their birthday on Facebook to the first of April and watch the unsolicited wishes flow right into their inbox.
Fake Car Note
This is one of the funniest pranks on this list. Leave a note on the windscreen of your victim’s car saying, “Sorry, I hit your car! Call me.” Obviously, you shouldn’t leave your contact details. Just sit back, relax and watch your friend frantically search for the non-existent damage on their car.
The Great Switcheroo
This is one hilarious yet simple morning prank. Easily raid the drawers of your family the night before and switch up their undergarments. Your dad would be surprised to see a catalog of lingerie when he wakes up. Make sure you let them in on the joke on time before your younger brother starts to think a bra is part of his apparel.
The Never-Ending Text Bubble
This is a classy, rib-cracking prank you can pull on almost anyone, especially if they love texting. All you have to do is text your victim a GIF of the typing bubble and watch them impatiently wait for a text that never comes. Here’s a link to download the GIF and get you started on your comedic escapades.
The Egg-cellence of Breakfast
Making fake eggs for breakfast is an art form that has stood the test of time. It is hilarious, nutritious, and sure to score a couple of laughs. Offer to make your family this protein-filled staple food but switch the recipe to a visually believable combination of yogurt and peaches. Still yummy, but not quite what they were expecting. Here’s a simple recipe to get you started.
Undrinkable refreshments
You know how we all crave a drink on a sunny afternoon, right? Guess what; that’s the best time to pull off some fake drink pranks. For instance, drop some Jello cubes in a glass and whip them up to uniformity. Stick in some ice cubes or lemon cuts and a straw. Serve it to your friends and watch them suck on the straw helplessly. Oh my!
Sticky situation
In this age where handwashing is common, it’s pretty easy to mess with your friend’s head. Just pump out the hand wash and refill the bottle with clear glue. Watch them squeeze it out and rub their hands endlessly wondering why the ‘hand wash’ is not evaporating as quickly as always.
Bubble wrap noise
Can you get your hands on bubble wrap paper? Place it right under someone’s office chair, bed or table and let them step on it. The noise from it is going to awaken every fiber of their body while you laugh gleefully. This is a great way to wake someone up on fool’s day. At least you’ll help them not get pranked again in the course of the day by having their guard already up.
Freaky googly eyes
How about setting up a little freak show in the fridge or partner’s packed lunch? Are you up for that? Good. Get as many googly eyes as possible and patch them on every item in the fridge or your lover’s packed lunch so they are all staring back unflinchingly. Tell you what, when your partner or family member opens the fridge or lunch pack, there’s gonna be a few moments of a terror attack.
The Art of Annoying Emails
This prank is particularly annoying as nobody likes unsolicited emails. On the flip side, you’re sure to score a couple of laughs when you see your victim’s reaction. If you don’t have the luxury of time to search for the most annoying newsletters and mail services, you should check out MailBait for your pranking needs. Make sure you have the right email address down, as you wouldn’t want to prank someone you don’t even know.
Dough-Nots
Nothing beats the shock of expecting the glazed goodness of delicious doughnuts only to receive a box of veggies. This prank is very simple, with lots of variety.
You could easily buy two boxes of doughnuts from a store but replace their contents with vegetables. For extra effect, you could leave a note on the box that says, “Enjoy!” Your co-workers would go from ecstatic to annoyed in a matter of seconds.
Fake rats infestation
Can you get your hands on multiple fake rats? Good. Put some in the chair, on the table, on the printer, on the chair handles…just make sure it looks like a rat plague. This can scare the heck out of any adult-even those who don’t scare easily.
Dual remote
Do you want a joke that you can pull far beyond April day? Then here’s one for you. Buy another remote and sit somewhere your friend or partner doesn’t see everything you do and then change the channel. Keep doing this in small bits every day until they complain that the TV has some issues. Then one day let them catch you switching the channel. The surprise and laughter will be worth the few bucks you spent on the remote.
Important message
If your friend at work is in charge of sales, you can prank them easily by leaving an ‘important message’ note on their desk. Inside, write a message that indicates the contact would love a product or service (that they sell). But instead of leaving a relevant contact, use that of a zoo, animal clinic, or animal shelter services. At the end of the letter, use creative names such as Mr. Gazele smith, Chewbacca Leon, or Elle Fante.
Now, watch them make the call and see how they struggle to convince the person on the other end of the line that they left their contact so they would be contacted for an offer. At the end of the call, ask your friend to read the name out loud but attentively. Watch their eyebrows raise in laughter as they realize it was just a hoax.
Balloon room
Balloons are affordable compared to fake rats or fake poop pranks. In this strategy, make sure to blow as many balloons as possible and attach them to the window and the door such that the whole house looks like it is filled with them. Do this from the side they can easily see (or one that they usually come from on their way from work).
If you can fill the whole house with balloons, it will even be much cooler.
Remote is uncontrollable
Does your family member love chilling next to the TV most of the time? Cool. Block the sensor of the remote and watch the show as they struggle to the buttons repeatedly before you come to their rescue.
I-Phony
In this technological century that we’re in, it’s undeniable that many of us are unbelievably attached to our phones. This prank preys on that attachment. If you can get access to your victim’s phone, the Iphoneception site gives a range of playful tricks you can play on them. These antics range from replacing all their app icons with kittens to applying an explosion effect on their apps.
Scary silhouettes
Can you make a scary insect out of paper pieces? Good. Make several and attach them in strategic areas like under the lamp, on the bed, or on armrests. When they flip the switch, sit or lie down, they are going to be supremely startled giving you a few good laughter moments.
“Breakfast” in Bed
It is only right that we close off this list with a prank that has truly stood the test of time. This hilarious antic is always sure to spark some humor on an autumn morning.
You can easily freeze some cereal in a bowl the night before and offer it to your victim in the morning. For extra effect, you could leave a spoon halfway into the bowl before you freeze it. Sit back, relax, and watch your target try in vain to have a scoop of some cereal.
Mess with a computer mouse
Looking for cool April fools office gags? Here’s a good one. Put a tape under the mouse to block the active part. Now, from your desk, watch them grapple to get it working.
Fake snake
Nothing scares many of us like snakes. Go to a dollar store and get a plastic-type, and put it in the fridge, drawer, or even shoes. Be ready to hear some screams go up. This prank is good at home and in a place where you know someone won’t hit themselves or smash into something as they run for their dear lives.
Please hoot and wink
Stick a sign written ‘please hoot and wink’ at the back of your friend or partner’s car. As they go to work or take kids to school, everyone will be honking at them and smiling. When this becomes a thing, they might decide to take a good look at their car or get surprised when you point the sign out later on.
My PC is upside down!
Want to give a coworker a hard time with his or her PC? It’s very easy. Go to their computer and press ctrl alt + up arrow key. The desktop will be upside down. Watch them struggle for a while before advising them to fix it by pressing Ctrl + Alt + down arrow key.
Need another PC gag? Check out the next one.
Nothing won’t click
Head over to your coworker or partner’s PC and take a screenshot of their desktop. Next, make sure to open it in full-screen mode and let it stay that way. Guess what, it’ll be fun to watch them try to click items that won’t click!
Urgent Request at Work
This is another fantastic prank to try at work. It’s a tad risky, though, as it could spiral out of control. It is quite easy to pull off as you can write a note on a co-worker’s table stating, “I need to see you as soon as possible,” then sign it with no name or contact information. Sit back and watch your co-worker scramble looking for the bearer of the message. Just make sure you let the cat out of the bag before it spirals out of control.
There’s a dog in your yard!
Do you have a friendly neighbor with whom you have a good bond? Well, he or she qualifies to be pranked. When you see them, lie that there is a dog on the other side of their yard. When they go to check it out, leave an ‘April Fools’ sign on their lawn.
There’s money inside
There are many safe ways you can get your hands on a fake dollar bill. Cut its corner and attach it to another paper written ‘April Fools’. Put it inside a notebook so that the corner of the bill sticks out. What an awesome way to put a smile on someone’s face!
Cracked phone screen
We all love our phones dearly which is why a cracked screen is enough to spoil anyone’s mood for the rest of the day. And you know what, you can actually make a phone’s screen look cracked by using various free apps. To pull this joke, you must have your target’s phone for a few minutes to install the app.
Blue screen of death
One of the most dreaded colors in the computer world is blue. If the whole screen goes blue, that’s called the Blue Screen of Death. Quite interestingly, you don’t need to kill your buddy or partner’s computer with a virus. Just download a blue wallpaper, run it and wait for them to come back to their PC. The dread on their faces and the realization that they’ve been pranked will be the talk of the day.
Non-lathering soap
Let’s teach you how to make soap useless during shower hours. Just layer it up with nail polish and you’ll have rendered it waterproof. No matter how hard your family member scrubs, the soap will not lather. After a few minutes, pass by the bathroom and shout ‘April Fools’ and advise them to scrub the nail polish off.
You don’t wanna miss trying out the next prank.
Push only, please
Ever wondered why people do the exact opposite of what logic dictates. Do this; print an official-looking sign and write on ‘PUSH ONLY PLEASE’. Put that sign on an evidently door that’s opened by pulling. Sit nearby and see people push it. It’s bonkers. Just don’t take long to let them know it’s April Fools and they might just smile as they depart.
“Cracked” Phone Screen
Nothing beats the agony of thinking your phone screen is cracked. One thing beats that: the joy of realizing the crack is an illusion, masterminded by a simple phone application. Try making the person believe you dropped their phone before laying on the charm to cement this prank. Here is a free app you could use to give a convincing performance.
Don’t Cry Over Spilt “Milk.”
As elaborate as this prank is, it is definitely worth the shock on your victim’s face. Ultimately, you wouldn’t be spilling actual milk on someone’s laptop; you’d just be making them think so. Nothing beats the joy and relief on your target’s face when they realize it’s a prank. Here is a step-by-step guide to starting your humorous antics.
Catch-a-dollar
Would you leave a 10-dollar bill that’s just lying there on the ground? The truth is, most of us can’t. To do this, hook the money on a fishing line or an untraceable string. Place in the way when kids are coming from school or the exact time the mail carrier is about to arrive. When someone goes for the bill, reel it in till they follow it to where you are. Now smile broadly and tell them, ‘sorry, April Fools’
April fools pranks for kids
Tape the remote sensor
One good thing about kids is that they can be fooled easily. Just tape the remote sensor and watch them struggle to turn the TV on after school. If yours is a smartass (pardon the language) then they would probably turn it on using buttons on the TV or even download a universal remote on their smartphones. Either way, it’s a great way to get that ‘aha’ moment with them.
Fake brownies
Let your kids know that when they come from school, a plate of delicious brownies will be ready. But instead print some brown E’s (you get that, right?) and put them on a plate, and serve it to them. You might have to explain the joke to them and watch their facial expressions. Afterward, make sure to produce a real plate of brownies so they don’t get disappointed.
The Magical Remote
I’m sure you’ll all agree that nothing is quite as annoying as a broken TV remote. This prank is the easiest to pull off on this list. All you need is tape and a sense of humor.
You can easily tape the sensors in front of the TV remote and watch your family frantically attempt to figure out what the matter is. For extra effect, you could put the TV on the full volume before deploying your tape-filled prank.
Toothpaste-filled Oreo
Kids have a habit of opening the cookie jar and scooping out Oreos. While it’s important to have real Oreos, place a few fake ones to the top where the cream layer has been swapped with toothpaste. Make sure you are around to stop them after the first nibble.
Meow into the baby monitor
If you have a walkie-talkie or baby monitor, hide one in the kids’ closet and meow into it. They’ll definitely freak out and later frisk the closet for a cat.
Frozen cereal breakfast
When everyone’s gone to sleep, prepare a bowl of milk and cereal. Leave the spoon inside too. Now place the contents in the fridge overnight. In the morning, pour a little milk to the top to cover up icing layers. Upon scooping, your kid will wonder why the cereal isn’t getting scooped. Then come to their rescue with a fresh bowl of cereal and remind them that it was a little prank to lighten up their morning.
You Can Never Go Wrong with Glitter
As the title implies, this is one of the oldest yet effective tricks in the book. Another thing I like about it is its versatility. You could start small with an envelope of glitter or spice it up with an all-out display of grandeur. I’d advise an elaborate treasure hunt with the prize being the biggest box of glitter they’ve ever seen. As I said, it’s a versatile prank, so let your imagination run wild.
Swap cereal
Each of you kids is addicted to a certain type of cereal. What you can do is swap them out or for a spooky feeling, fill one up with a bunch of plastic bugs. Now, sit tight and watch them pour out the wrong content on their plates. Guess what, it will be a fun and memorable moment for you and your kids. Just make sure to get every cereal back to its correct bag.
Wrap up
You don’t have to remain on the sidelines during April fools when everyone is busy pranking each other. We know, it can be scary to pull a prank and it goes bad. But don’t be afraid anymore. Make use of these harmful April Fools pranks for a chance at a good laugh.
Happy pranking!
