Got Ya!

Making your kids laugh is fun. (they might think you’re weird but that goes along with the territory) And April fools Day is a great day to go for it!!!!!  :))))))) 

Today, April Fool’s Day, is a day for fun and laughter – and you’ll agree, we REALLY need some fun and laughter.  Along with the typical tricks we play on co-workers or spouses, I thought I’d share some fun ideas to “get the kids involved.”  I can remember one year that Jackie and I actually moved the girls stuff around into other rooms including all of the pictures off the walls while they were sleeping, so that when they woke up they were in “another room”! The girls  loved to prank us as well.  One year they buttoned all our shirts together in the closet!  That certainly made for an interesting morning, when I was trying not to wake up Jackie before work!

The art of a good prank is to surprise someone with an unexpected event that will cause a reaction that immediately turns positive when they realize it is a joke. Pranks should be harmless – both mentally (doesn’t embarrass or cause stress) and physically (shouldn’t hurt the person or property around them).

Here are some fun, silly and harmless pranks you can pull on the kids.

  1. Tape the light switch so they can’t flip it. For younger kids, used colored tape. For older kids, clear tape molded to the shape of the switch is best. Make them wonder why the light is not moving!
  2. Decorate a sponge as a piece of cake. Coat a sponge with icing, and let it sit out on the counter. See if your kiddos can resist taking a bite.
  3. Have a note or short story appear in the toilet paper As they pull on the roll, the message pulls out, toward them. You need tape, toilet paper, and an unknowing participant.
  4. A little scare never hurts… Dig out the old baby monitor, keep the “baby” side with you, and put the adult one where your kids are. You can whisper as they are alone in a room, or as they do something innocuous, shriek at them, “Someone’s watching!”
  5. Make these meatloaf cupcake muffins. They will look like delicious cupcakes, so the kids will think they are getting dinner for dessert! (Maybe have a few actual cupcakes waiting in the wings for dessert). Why would this be considered a prank?  It sounds delicious to me!
  6. Short sheet your kids’ beds! My grandmother did this to me once when I was growing up. I climbed into bed, and only had a foot or two of sheets.  I re-made my bed, laughing the entire time!
  7. This one’s a little scary – hide in the closet with a mask on then call the home phone or their cell phone and ask the kids to go in and get something out of the closet. Then, when they came in, jump out at them.
  8. Pour cereal and milk into a bowl and freeze it. Then, pour a little milk on top to cover up the prank, and then get your camera ready for some confused little faces!
  9. Choose a silly side of an argument and start arguing with your child. Start with something like, “Stop begging!  No matter how hard you fight, I just won’t allow you to go to school.”  It catches them off-guard and then they start automatically arguing the other side. No matter what they say, keep misquoting them and pushing your silly argument. This often works well for bedtime battles, because eventually they are just worn out by the ridiculousness!
  10. Blow up a few extra balloons and remove the pillow from your child’s pillowcase and slip balloons inside.
  11. Put things inside your kid’s shoes – toys, plastic bugs, marbles – whatever is just enough to get them to laugh.
  12. Pretend you are going to work in your PJ’s.  Just come downstairs, tell them you’ve decided to dress differently, and walk out the door.
  13. Put something silly in their underwear/sock drawer – spooky bugs, toys, or anything that will get a laugh.  Tuck it under clothes so when they get dressed, out it pops.
  14. Dress backwards – have someone help you button your shirt or blouse backwards.  Don’t say anything, and when they object, argue a bit that everything’s fine.

I’m sure you can come up with other ideas – just have fun today and get some laughter going inside your house. And email me with your own pranks…pictures welcome, too: SKowalski@khtheat.com