Today, people choose to play pranks for April Fools' Day on family members, friends and co-workers. As humorist Mark Twain once wrote, "April 1st: This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three-hundred and sixty-four."
Small Pranks
These pranks are for those who want to celebrate the spirit of April Fools' Day but don't have the time, resources or commitment for a full-scale prank.
At home, give someone a surprise shower by putting a rubber band or clear tape around the handle of the kitchen sink sprayer. When someone turns on the water, they'll get soaked. Of course, the classic stunt of substituting sugar for salt makes everyone smile at dinnertime.
The office might be the best place to pull good pranks. Try messing with some of the office supplies. Get them searching for a pen that works after you remove all the ink tubes from every pen in their desk collection. Make everyone wonder what happened to their chairs when you arrive a little bit early and adjust all the office chairs to either high or low. Head to a good friend's cubicle and rearrange everything on the desk, from the pencil holder to turning the calendar to a different month. Another good prank is to change all the labels on their office phone so that when they try to speed dial someone, it's always the wrong number.
Big Pranks
These pranks for April Fools' Day require a little more planning and more of a commitment from the prankster to carry them out.
Change your appearance to be something startling. Purchase fake tattoo sleeves that look as if you've had each arm elaborately tattooed and see what friends and family think. Confuse children by carefully carrying them to a different bed in the night, then play innocent in the morning. Purchase any variety of joke soap (available at most novelty stores) and leave it in the shower. When the unsuspecting family member tries to lather up, they'll get funny colors all over their body. Break out a box of Oreo cookies where you've carefully exchanged the creamy center with toothpaste.
At work, take things to a new level with the heavy box prank. Gather together three or four empty boxes and tape them shut. Write on the sides of the boxes, "Heavy" and "100 lbs." and other warning labels. Place the boxes in an inconvenient location, such as right in front of the copy machine and watch everyone, especially the self-styled strongman types who try to pick it up, maneuver around for the day. For office buildings or conference rooms with two entrances, make up two signs that say "Please use other door." Place them on each door, and watch for confused visitors. Leave a note with a message to call back a Mr. Harry Lyon, and include the number for the local zoo.
Have some fun with the car of a friend, family member or co-worker. Simply get hold of someone's keys and move their car to a different parking place. While you're inside, turn the air and music on full blast and turn the wipers on before shutting the car off. Think how surprised they'll be once they locate the car. They'll think the prank is over until they put the key into the ignition.
Famous Pranks
Take a lesson from some of the greatest April Fool's pranks of all time:
 | Learn more about all the April holidays that are celebrated at this time. April isn't just about April Fools' Day, although that holiday livens up the mood after a long winter. |
 | Teaching children about the environment is possible by organizing Earth Day activities for kids. Educational and fun Earth Day celebrations are the first step in creating a generation that is compassionate and concerned about the planet. By helping children participate in Earth Day celebrations, no matter how big or small, they can help spread the word that the stewardship of the planet is a job for everyone. |
 | There are many ways to celebrate Earth Day, and it's important to know the history of Earth Day, and educate those around you as well. |
Learn where this silly holiday originated with a brief history of April Fools' Day. Whether you are the prankster or the gullible one who falls for a gag, you are sure to be one of millions who are part of some kind of April Fools' Day prank on this lighthearted holiday. |
Why is Arbor Day so important? While Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902) served as the Secretary of Agriculture under President Grover Cleveland, his most important legacy is the creation of Arbor Day. Today, all 50 US states and many countries around the world formally recognize the holiday, which highlights the value of trees in communities and the importance of planting them. |
