April Fool's Day Pranks to Play on Students

April Fool’s Day is always a fun day, but sometimes a fun prank can be hard to pull off on students. Most teachers will try to convince them they have a pop quiz, but students are immune to such tactics. If you tell them they have a quiz, they’ll simply assume they’ve forgotten about it.

If you want to have some fun with your students, here are some creative and friendly pranks to try this April Fool’s Day. If you teach older kids who switch classes, your best bet is to do a different prank for each section, or the joke will get out.

1. Pick Up the Pencil

Glue a few pencils to the ground and insist that students pick their pencils up. Watch as they fight to pull the pencil off of the floor. (Hint: You can use either warm soapy water or nail polish remover to pry the pencil up when you are ready).

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2. Whole School Shuffle

This one is going to take the whole school to pull off. Before students arrive, switch classrooms with a neighboring teacher and start the day like normal. Watch the students try and figure out what is going on.

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3. Say Nothing

If you teach older students who switch classes, use this prank on your first class. When the students come in write a message on the board that you have lost your voice (you can really build up to it by acting hoarse in the preceding days). Act out the class using charades and making the students figure out what you are saying. At the end of the class, smile and tell them in a loud clear voice to have a nice day.

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4. Change Your Clothes

This will work no matter what age group you teach. Bring several sets of clothes with you and randomly change your outfit throughout the day. In a nonchalant tone, say that you have no idea what they are talking about when they ask why you changed.

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5. Do Nothing

During the days and weeks leading up to April Fool’s Day, tell students that you have the best prank ever planned and that no one is going to see it coming. Remind them at every chance you get. For example, if they are rambunctious one day, tell them to just wait until April Fool’s Day when you get them back. Then on April Fool’s Day sit back and watch them wait in anticipation for what it is going to be — all day long, while you do absolutely nothing.

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Bonus Prank for Your Fellow Educators

6. Not So Baked Goods

Empty a small box such as a cereal box and make sure all sides are sealed. Pick up several canisters of icing from the store and thickly apply it to the box so that it looks like a sheet cake. Place the cake in the teacher’s lounge before anyone gets there and then watch as the teachers try and “cut the cake.”