Fun April Fools’ Day Jokes Kids Can Play on Their Parents

These days, kids could get in big trouble for April Fools' Day pranks at school. Instead, they should turn this once-a-year gag fest on their parents. There are plenty of ways to effortlessly get Mom or Dad. Like putting a rubber band around the kitchen sink sprayer. Watch what happens when they fill the morning coffee pot.

Speaking of coffee, if they take their coffee with a spoonful of sugar, switch it out with salt. Depending on how necessary coffee is for them to feel human, have a backup cup (with real sugar) waiting for them, once they spit out that first April Fools' Day sip.

On March 31, well after Mom or Dad has gone to sleep, sneak into their room and reset their alarm. If it's portable, like their phone, go the extra April Fools' Day mile and hide it so they have to search. In the dark. In the middle of the night.

While they're still at work on April 1, remake their beds. But this time, tuck the bottom of the sheet into the top end of the bed. Then fold back the sheet so that, with the comforter for blanket on top, it appears to be a nicely made bed. Stick around for bedtime and listen to them try to figure out why their feet can't slide all the way down.

Buy a cheap pack of hair extensions that match your mom or dad's color and length. Sneak into their room in the middle of the night and scatter them around their pillows. When you hear the confusion the next morning, pop in and ask, "What's wrong with your hair?" After the sobs subside, tell them, "April Fools!"

Nothing says "gotcha" like cleaning the house. Top to bottom. Dusting and everything. Get it done before they get home from work. Act as if you don't know what they're talking about when they freak out. Then tell them you decided to take on this responsibility from now on. When they weep with gratitude, unleash your most obnoxious "April Fools!"

While your parents sleep, turn pictures, knickknacks and other display items upside down. Or remove artwork and images from all the picture frames. If they're minimalists, then go in the coat closet and turn all the jackets inside out. Rearrange the furniture. Remove all the couch and chair cushions.

Like short sheeting — only weirder. Stuff cotton (or small socks) into the toes of their favorite shoes. They'll think their feet grew overnight or that their favorite pumps shrunk in the closet.

Get a box of safety pins and get to work on creating a chain of underwear for Mom or Dad. Safety-pin every pair of undies in the drawer together. When they pull out one, they'll pull out them all.

Buy a pack of their favorite underwear in a smaller size. Replace as many as you can. Listen to them grumble about overnight bloat. Then hit them with "April Fools," and hand them a cup of coffee with "sugar."

This one's quick: Put a small piece of tape over the remote's sensor. When Mom can't fire up Netflix and yells about just having changed the batteries, shrug and say, "Maybe it's broken. Or maybe it's April Fools!"

If you can't find tape to cover the sensor, just pull out the batteries. On all the remotes. Let them bemoan the quality of electronic goods these days. Then watch them open the back. Be ready with the working batteries — you don't want this to end the night's entertainment. But make sure you get in a solid "April Fools'!"

If someone asks you to bring them a new roll, bring them duct tape instead. Or replace the toilet paper with rolls of duct or masking tape. Or remove all the toilet paper in every bathroom altogether.

Cover their car with sticky notes. Or if that's too much, cover the bathroom mirror, the back of their bedroom door or the inside of the shower door. If you're really ambitious, spell out "April Fools'!"

Freak Dad or Mom out by "freezing" their computer. Take a screenshot of their desktop and then leave the image open. Let Dad punch at the keys and bemoan shoddy electronics and his need to get a new computer before walking over, clicking the X, asking why he's freaking out and dropping a cool "Happy April Fools, man."

Download an image (or app) that makes your phone or tablet appear shattered. Set it to your home screen, and then work up some fake tears. Run screaming that your phone or tablet is ruined. Beg them for a replacement immediately. Let them lecture you for as long as you can take it. Then interrupt with "April Fools!" Follow with a hug and kiss, if you really got them worked up.

An oldie but goodie: Remove the cap of their favorite shampoo. Cover with a small piece of plastic wrap. Replace the cap. Listen for howls of frustration the next morning when they think they're out of shampoo.

Dab the edge of the kitchen sink faucet with food-safe color gels, and see if they notice that they just poured themselves a glass of pink water. Or put a couple of drops of green in the bottom of their orange juice glass. Watch as they gag on their new brown drink.

Clip out images of random celebrities or funny animals, and insert them into all the frames around the house. It might take a few days for someone to notice. But it's never too late to say "April Fools'!"

It's the prank that never gets old: Strategically place plastic spiders, cockroaches and snakes around the house (coffee mug cabinet, toaster oven, on top of the cereal boxes), and wait for the screams. In the case of creepy crawlies, more is more. Even once they realize it's an April Fools' Day joke, you've still got them paranoid. They'll be seeing icky critters that aren't even there.