Life

12 April Fools’ Day Pranks That Are Actually Funny

by Brittany Bennett
otsphoto/Shutterstock

Apr. 1 is upon us and if you don't know what that means, allow me to prep you. Pranks and jokes are in the forecast as March turns to April. Be one step ahead of the curve on the first of the month with actually funny April Fools Day pranks so that you're not the fool.

We've have once again arrived at the one day a year where pranks are lurking around every corner. Where every Oreo has probably had its sweet cream filling replaced with toothpaste. It's a day when parents field calls from their children claiming they've just gotten engaged or they're in jail or something that will equally get a parent's heart thumping. But, is wrapping the toilet seat with saran wrap actually funny? Or is it just a mess, a headache and a hygiene issue? My vote goes with the latter.

All is not lost on April Fools Day. Funny things that will actually bring the l-o-l's can transpire. From sincere giggles to belly laughs these are the kind of pranks that are harmless to pull, require little effort, but get a big reward. Which is you, and the person you're pranking, laughing together over something so silly it's funny.

Fill The Granola Box With Skittles

On April Fools' Day swap the cereal box contents with candy, like Skittles, so when your roommate goes to pour themselves breakfast, they get an early dessert. The colorful surprise will have you both chuckling.

Turn The Office Into A Garden

Turn your co-worker's cubicle into an actual garden before they come into work. You won't have enough time to actually grow grass on their desk but you can fill up every inch of work space with soil and potted flowers. Who knows, maybe one of the plants will seed and an actual garden will grow out of their keyboard over time, which is a long game prank and kind of hilarious.

"Chewbacca Roar Contest"

This makes me actually laugh out loud. Inspired by Bored Panda, print out a flyer for a "Chewbacca Roar Contest" at the office with instructions to call your friend's or parent's phone number and leave their best Chewbacca roar. The idea of people calling a number to leave roars on a voicemail has me slapping my knee.

Bug Lamps

Ah, bugs. Some people don't even flinch when one crosses their path while others collapse into a panic. If you know somebody in between these two reactions, pick up some plastic bugs or cut out cardboard cockroaches and tape them to the inside of a lamp. When the lamp gets turned on, the silhouette of the insect will appear. And that'll probably end in a scream-laugh.

Replace "PUSH" With "PULL" On The Office Door

We all do this year round. We all push when the door sign says pull. And we all laugh at ourselves once we realize our mistake. But to make things a little more interesting at the office, change the PUSH signs on the door to PULL and watch as people who follow directions get frustrated and confused for a moment before laughing at the innocent situation we can all relate to.

Leave A Cup Of Water Flipped Upside Down

Fill a glass of water halfway. Put a piece of cardboard over it and flip it over on the counter. Leave a note for your beloved that says "have a great time cleaning this up, thanks!"

Change The Alert Noises On Your Friend's Phone

If you can get a hold of your friend's phone, go to their settings and change all the alert tones to new sounds — like a cat's meow. Say nothing, and as their notifications roll in get a good laugh as they look around confused, thinking there are cats howling nearby.

Change The Netflix Password

If you share a Netflix account with your family or your friends, change the password. It might make your friends roll their eyes in annoyance, but you'll get a good chuckle out of the group text loaded with questions that follows.

Freeze The Milk

The night before April Fools' Day, freeze the milk. Enjoy your morning toast with a laugh as your roommate goes to pour themselves a bowl of cereal and nothing comes out.

Tape The Remote Sensors

When your family or friends go to turn on the TV or open the garage door the tape over the sensor will render the remote useless. Giggle as your roommate walks to different corners of the room trying to angle the remote in the perfect position to get the TV to go on.

Change The Pictures In Your Family's Frames

The night before April Fools' Day, change the pictures in your family's frames to an entirely different family. It's harmless and it'll take a moment for anyone to realize but it'll be a good laugh over dinner.

Mute Everything, Tell Nobody

Turn the volume down in the car. On the TV. On the radio in the kitchen. On the keyboard. Mute everything and tell nobody. Your friends will be so confused as to why nothing is making any sounds when they go to turn one thing on after the other.