Ever wonder why we celebrate April Fool’s Day, where it originated from, or how it is celebrated around the world? Can’t think of a good April Fool’s prank to play on your kids? If you answered yes then you have come to the right place. Check out these April Fool’s Day Facts and Pranks for Kids. Parents check out the fun pranks at the end of the article.
What is April Fool’s Day?
April Fool’s Day is not a national holiday but it is celebrated in the United States and other places in the world. It is a holiday during the Spring season. it is celebrated on April 1st. April Fool’s Day is a day for practical jokes. Parents, teachers, kids, grandparents, friends, and other play tricks, pranks, or practical jokes on each other. April Fool’s Day is a fun day but why do we celebrate it and where did it come from? Find out below
April Fool’s Day Facts for Kids
The exact origin of April Fool’s Day is unknown however the most popular theory has to do with a change of a calendar. It is believed that April Fool’s Day may have started in France when Pope Geirgery XIII changed the calendar to the Gregorian Calendar. In France, before 1582 the new year started on April 1st. It was changed to January 1st in 1582. Some of the people there did not know about the change and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1st. Those people were considered “April Fools.”
Other people believe that April Fools came from the Roman Festival of Hilaria, a celebration of the god Attis. The Festival of Hilaria was held on March 25th and was a Roman day of laughing and telling jokes.
Some people believe that April Fools came from Sizdah Be-dar. Sizadah Be-dar has roots in Zoroastrian (an ancient Iranian religion) belief that laughter and joy symbolize throwing away bad thoughts. Sizdah Be-dar began around 536 BC. Iranians play jokes on each other on Sizdah Be-dar the 13th day of the Persian New Year which is celebrated on April 1st or 2nd.
April Fools Day Around the World
April Fools is celebrated in many countries.
In France, April 1 is called Poisson d’Avril meaning April Fish. The countries of France, Italy, and Belgium people celebrate April Fools by trying to stick paper fish on someone without them noticing then yell April Fish in their language.
In Scotland, April Fools is called Hunt-the-Gowk Day. A day of pranks and jokes.
The country of Denmark celebrates April Fools on May 1st and is called Maj-Kat.
In Portugal, they celebrate April Fools by throwing flour in friend’s faces.
In Spanish-speaking counties such as Spain and Mexico, April Fools is celebrated on December 28th the Day of Holy Innocents.
Funny April Fools Day jokes and pranks parents can play on their children:
The night before April Fools day put googly eyes on everything in the refrigerator. The kids will open the refrigerator in the morning and be very surprised.
Toilet paper everything in their room while they are at school or if your real good you can do it while their sleeping. If you don’t want to do the entire room toilet paper their beds or dresser.
The night before April 1st, pour some milk into a cereal bowl and put it in the freezer for the night. In the morning take the bowl out of the freezer fill it with cereal and more milk. When they put their spoon in they will notice they can’t. It will be hysterical watching them try and figure out what is happening.
Do the cereal change up. Take two boxes of cereal and change the contents inside. When they pour the cereal it will be different.
Weird Milk! Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the milk. When the kids go to use it, it will be green, blue pink, or whichever color you use.
Mash Potato Mix Up- Add some food coloring to your children’s mash potatoes. They get a kick out of some purple or green mash potatoes.
Rising Pancakes! Add quick-acting dry yeast to the pancake batter. Have the kids help make the pancakes. While they are cooking the pancakes will rise and get bigger and rise and get bigger. Your kids will be watching in wonder trying to figure out what is happening,
This one is good for little boys. Pour some baking soda into the toilet. When your little guy goes to use the bathroom in the morning it will fuzz up.
Underwear line! Safety pin 7-10 pairs of your child’s underwear. Then put them back in their drawer. When your child goes to get dressed in the morning and pulls one pair of underwear out the rest will follow.
Make a small hole in an apple. Stick a gummy worm in it. While your kids are eating the apple they will notice the wormy surprise.
April Fools Pranks for the Classroom
April Fool’s Day is the perfect day for teachers to have a little fun with their class. Check out these fun pranks below
Texting Shocker:
In the age of technology, it’s pretty hard to keep children from their devices. With this prank, your students will think twice before pulling their phones out in class ever again. For this prank, you will need an old cell phone that is not being used anymore or broken and a glass of water. You will also need a student to help.
The Prank: The day before April Fools pick out a student to help with the prank. Explain that you plan on pranking the class and to keep the information to him/herself. Ask the student to report to class early the next day. When the student comes to class give them the broken cell phone. Tell the student to continuously take out the phone to text and to follow along.
During class give the student 2-3 warnings about pulling out the phone. Next time he/she pulls the phone out grab it and dunk it in the glass of water on your desk. Watch your student’s faces, they will drop to the floor.
Fake Assignment
At the start of class as the students to hand in an assignment that you never gave them. It could be a report, paper, or project. Watch as they look in horror that they don’t have the assignment.
Test Time
When class starts tell the students to get ready for their test, then start handing out papers. Write something like April Fools or Gotcha on the paper. Another way to do this prank to actually give the students a pop quiz.
You can either make it ridiculously hard then announce that it doesn’t count or ask crazy questions unrelated to anything they learned in class.
Box of Donuts
This one is great for elementary school students. Bring in a Dunkin Donuts box but instead of donuts fill it with vegetables like carrots or broccoli. Announce to the class that they are getting donuts after lunch. After lunchtime open the box and reveal the box of vegetables. April Fools.
Room Change
Before class starts face all of the student’s desks backward. When they enter the class they will look perplexed.
Where did the chairs go?
While your students are at lunch remove all of the chairs from the room. When they return to class they will wonder what happened and where to sit. Don’t say a word just start teaching. Watch what happens.
We hope you enjoyed these April Fool’s Day Facts for kids!
