March 27, 2025 • 15 mins
Looking to level up your April Fools’ Day game? In this episode, we dive into the world of family-friendly pranks that will leave everyone laughing (and no one crying). Whether you’re a seasoned prankster or a first-time joker, we’ve got you covered with ideas for every skill level. Plus, we explore the history of April Fools’ Day, share listener stories, and discuss tips to keep your pranks lighthearted and fun.
Love this episode? Subscribe to our podcast and leave a review (please)! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @thegenxcouple for more. Don’t forget to share this episode with friends or family who might also like it.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, I'm Robin and I'm Chris together. We're the Gen X couple
(00:23):
Hey guys take two hello everyone
I don't know if that counts because we started it but there was like a gap before I said hey guys
And I didn't like that there was dead air so it counts we started
We restarted almost immediately, so I'm not sure if that really counts down it
Fault my fault because I hesitated. I don't know why I
(00:47):
Just want to apologize real quick in advance if my voice sounds a little wonky. I've had a cold the past week
I had laryngitis for a better part of what three or four days
So I didn't even have a voice but now I have a voice but I can hear that I sound
Minorly sick still so if you hear that super sorry and we're actually batch recording today
(01:08):
So there's gonna be another episode after this which you're gonna hear me apologize again for
But today we're gonna dive into the wonderfully wacky world of April Fool's Day because of course that's coming up
quick this episode is gonna bring you some
Lighthearted mischief to your home and we've got a treasure trove of family-friendly pranks for April Fool's Day
(01:32):
So whether you're pranking your kids your partner or even your co-workers
We've got you covered with some clever
Harmless and hilarious ideas, so let's get into it because who doesn't love a good laugh, right?
Right and never wonder where the stay at pranks and practical jokes comes from
Well, we're gonna let you know so grab your whoopee cushion and your fake spiders because we're about to find out
(01:55):
So let's start way back in the 1500s when Europe decided to shake things up with drumroll, please a
New calendar
I am so sorry about that. That's the laryngitis army
So yeah, if you missed it, I said a new calendar before the Gregorian calendar we use today
(02:17):
Most people followed the Julian calendar
New Year's Day was celebrated around the end of March or early April
But in 1582 Colt Gregory the 8th introduced the Gregorian calendar and New Year's Day
Officially moved to January 1st. Some people however either didn't get the memo
Because remember there were no emails back then or they simply just refused to switch
(02:42):
So cue the confusion those who stuck with the old calendar became the butt of jokes
People would send them on fake errands or try to trick them into believing something outrageous
Song familiar you guys. That's right. Some historians believe these pranks were the humble beginnings of April Fool's Day
So basically April Fool's started because people didn't check their emails
(03:03):
Let this be a lesson for everyone always read the memo
Another popular theory comes from France. Remember those folks who kept celebrating New Year's in April?
The French started calling them April fish. Why fish you may ask?
Apparently young gullible fish are easy to catch and pranksters would take paper fish to people's backs as a joke and
(03:26):
Voila the French tradition of we saw in D. Avril. I probably said that pretty good. I was gonna say I probably just butchered that
That's my seventh grade French coming out a little bit. That's perfect for us when we go to Paris in a few months
I'll be able to say April fish easily
(03:47):
So the French tradition of we saw in D. Avril was born and to this day French kids still sneakily stick paper fish on each other
And you thought your kids fake ketchup spill was clever
So we're gonna fast forward to the 18th century England where April Fool's Day spread like wildfire
The British loved their humor drives it may be but they added their own twist in
(04:12):
Some regions pranks could only be played until noon if you tried fooling something after that you were the fool a
Prank curfew is that genius or is it buzzkill?
I think it's genius because you know, we go to bed early and I'm gonna be done by prank before seven. That's fair
So today April Fool's Day is a global
(04:35):
Phenomenon from hummus pranks at home to elaborate stunts pulled by major companies
It's a day to laugh be silly and maybe question everything you hear
Every time someone says phenomenon. I think of that Muppet song manana
Do do do do do do don't you know you put it
(04:57):
So now it's in everybody's head sorry guys
Do you remember when tackle Bell announced that it was buying the Liberty Bell? Yes
When Google claimed to launch a search feature for smells those were classic
Those were hilarious and as you plan your pranks this year keep it fun and light-hearted
No one wants a prank that ends with tears or broken furniture and if you need ideas we got you covered
(05:23):
April Fool's Day begins as soon as the first alarm goes off. So why not make the morning memorable?
Here are some breakfast pranks that are sure to get your family laughing or
Scratching their heads. Maybe the first one is a frozen cereal surprise. Here's what you need
cereal milk a
Bowl and a freezer and here's what you do the night before you pour your cereal milk into a bowl and place it in the
(05:48):
freezer and serve it up like
Snowmoo in the morning
Imagine your kids trying to dig there to their cereal and realizing their spoon is stuck
It's a harmless surprise. That's hilarious to watch
The next idea is to color changing milk and all you need is a little food coloring
You add a few drops of food coloring to the inside of a cereal box bag
(06:11):
And when your family pours the milk into the cereal the color will change magically or you could also use it for your Dr.
Seuss green eggs and ham very true very true. I didn't we
Do that once for so the leprechaun come or used to come to our house when the kids were little news to set a trap
Yes, yeah, we did that we did we made green milk one year
(06:34):
So how about serving the kiddos juice that isn't juice I have to clear my throat. I'm super sorry
It's down there and jitis is been rough this week
So yeah, how about serving your kiddos juice that isn't juice for this one?
You will need some jello and some clear cups
So make the jello in clear juice cups the night before and then serve it with a straw and watch their confusion as nothing comes
(07:01):
Oh, that's a good one and another idea is an egg siding switcheroo
For um for this you will need yogurt peaches and toast
You're gonna make a fake fried egg by placing a peach slice on top of a dollop of yogurt
Serve it with toast and see if they notice. Oh, they'll notice I guarantee you and
(07:22):
Oh, look at the two of us. It's like a TB ward over here or something
That was a good one though. So another
I don't even know where I was I have an outline. What was it? Oh, yeah, so we're out of breakfast
So now the breakfast is out of way. Oh my god, the two of us should we record this or just leave it?
(07:43):
One more for good measure, okay
And so now that breakfast is out of the way, let's move on to some pranks that are perfect for the rest of the day
Home is where the heart and the hilarity is here's some fun pranks
That you can pull throughout the day to keep everyone on their toes
Yeah, so make some soap that doesn't sud or suds is it sud or suds and suds
(08:08):
I don't know. It doesn't sound right when I say it, but okay. We'll say suds
What you'll need for this one is some clear nail polish and a bar of soap
So coat the soap with the clear nail polish the night before so when someone tries to lather up nothing's gonna happen
Pro tip make sure there's another alternative soap handy
Because washing our hands is important. Yes, and this next one is I like to call stuffed shoes
(08:34):
You'll need some tissue paper or extra socks for this one
You stuff tissue paper or socks into the toes of your family member's shoes when they try to put them on
They're baffled by the sun size change
Another good one is called the shower head surprise and you will need some food coloring for this one
If you unscrew the shower head and add a few drops of food coloring into it and then screw it back on
(09:00):
Just wait for the colorful water surprise to hit the next person hilarious
Although maybe don't do blue or red because that stains. Yeah, especially the blue
But maybe like yellow and I hope none of our kids are listening to this podcast
Do this prank on us. They're getting it
Now let's talk about some pranks you can take on the go which are perfect for school or work
(09:24):
Right. April Fool's Day doesn't have to stop when you leave the house
Here are some clever pranks you can pull at school or the office
The first idea we have is to create some keyboard chaos
What you need for this one is some small sticky notes
And you place a sticky note under every key on a keyboard and add a funny message like april fools
(09:45):
Uh malfunctioning most can also be pretty funny and all you need is some tape
Cover the sensor on the computer most with some tape and then watch as your target tries to figure out why it's not working
Yes, another harmless idea would be to stick googly eyes on everything inside someone's binder or notebook
(10:05):
You can get a bag of them at the Dollar Tree. So it's an inexpensive and cute prank
These pranks are perfect for bringing some joy to an otherwise normal work or school day and they're easy to clean up too
And as the day winds down, it's time to wrap up your april's fool's fun with some evening pranks that everyone will remember
(10:26):
So similar to the idea we had with the malfunctioning mouse at the office
You can do the same thing with your tv remote place clear tape over the remote sensor to make it unresponsive
And another fun idea, especially if you have younger kids would be a bedtime balloon
Bonanza, oh, let's say that again bedtime balloon balloon
(10:48):
bonzana
It's bonanza
Oh my god, feel so bedroom with balloons while they're uh, while they're at school
And it's fun and surprising way to end the day. How did you say it?
What is it? Bonzanza?
Say it again. Whatever. I said it the right way. Whatever
(11:10):
Oh christian, this is why we love you
Before we wrap up, let's talk about a few tips to make sure your pranks land well
So make sure you keep it harmless
Avoid pranks that could cause harm damage or major embarrassment. You don't want to do that to anybody because that's just mean
Know your audience
Tail your pranks to your family's sense of humor because you don't know who doesn't have a sense of humor and you just
(11:37):
You know, you want to make sure you're having fun with it and not offending anybody
Be ready to clean up always have a plan to undo your prank
And finally expect payback
Don't be surprised if your friends or family turn the tables on you
In payment in repayment of your pranks
But before we let you guys go one last thing we want to touch on was how to avoid being the target of pranks on April Fool's Day
(12:04):
Yes, very important very important
Whether you're the victim of a fake spider on your desk or the classic plastic wrap on the doorway gag
We've all been there
but this year
This year you're going to stay one step ahead of the pranksters
First you need to identify the prankster in your life. Is it your kids?
Your co-worker you pranked obsessed best friend or maybe your spouts. You should know who they are
(12:30):
Definitely because these are the people most likely to strike watch for suspicious behavior
Are they grinning a little too much? Do they keep disappearing into the kitchen with tape or scissors?
Are they whispering with others while glancing your way?
If you answered yes to any of these you might already be in their crosshairs time to activate defense mode
And one of the best ways to avoid pranks is to flip the script beat them at their own game by acting like you're planning something big
(12:57):
Start casually dropping hints like oh, you never you'll never guess what I have in store for April Fool's Day
And this will leave them so focused on dodging your prank that they might forget about their own
Pranksters thrive on catching you off guard. So get up early
Then usual on April 1st the earlier you wake up the more time you have to scope out potential traps
(13:19):
Check your toothpaste for food coloring or hot sauce additions
Your desk chair for whoopie cushions your coffee cup for salt instead of sugar. Okay, that one is kind of mean that one is mean
Remember villains is your best?
Bill village
Vigilans is your best friend
(13:40):
And morning walkthrough of your house could save you a lot of surprises
Another great stat strategy now. You're rubbing off on me another great strategy is to stay suspicious of
Everything on April 1st the motto is trust no one if someone hands you a brownie ask yourself
Does this person ever bake if they compliment you too much wonder?
(14:02):
What's the angle here? And if you're feeling bold just call them out most pranksters will cave under pressure
Yes, and here's a pro trip play the fool tip
We're in a rough time today you guys
I know you want to play the fool before anyone else can prank you do something silly like walk into the room with toilet paper
Stuck to your shoe or pretend you're already fallen for a fake prank
(14:25):
The pranksters will think the job is done and move on and you just dodged a bullet
Here's the bottom line you guys avoiding pranks on April Fool's Day is all about staying alert
thinking ahead and maybe throwing in a little humor of your own
Or you know you could just take the day off and hide under a blanket until April 2nd. No judgment here
So thanks for tuning in today. And if you got a funny any funny prank stories or ready yet tips for avoiding them
(14:52):
Send them our way. Yeah, it could be like a bun zanza of emails in the ring box
And don't forget to like subscribe and share this episode with anyone who's tired of being the butt of every
Every April Fool's joke and remember if it's too good to be true on April 1st. It probably is
Next week we have another interview with an amazing local author for you guys
(15:17):
And spoiler alert. He's also Chris's brother. So make sure you tune in for that because he
Actually give a really good interview and he has some like really good tips for authors
So until next time see you later alligator in a wild crocodile
Hi, I'm Robin and I'm Chris together. We're the Gen X couple
(00:23):
Hey guys take two hello everyone
I don't know if that counts because we started it but there was like a gap before I said hey guys
And I didn't like that there was dead air so it counts we started
We restarted almost immediately, so I'm not sure if that really counts down it
Fault my fault because I hesitated. I don't know why I
(00:47):
Just want to apologize real quick in advance if my voice sounds a little wonky. I've had a cold the past week
I had laryngitis for a better part of what three or four days
So I didn't even have a voice but now I have a voice but I can hear that I sound
Minorly sick still so if you hear that super sorry and we're actually batch recording today
(01:08):
So there's gonna be another episode after this which you're gonna hear me apologize again for
But today we're gonna dive into the wonderfully wacky world of April Fool's Day because of course that's coming up
quick this episode is gonna bring you some
Lighthearted mischief to your home and we've got a treasure trove of family-friendly pranks for April Fool's Day
(01:32):
So whether you're pranking your kids your partner or even your co-workers
We've got you covered with some clever
Harmless and hilarious ideas, so let's get into it because who doesn't love a good laugh, right?
Right and never wonder where the stay at pranks and practical jokes comes from
Well, we're gonna let you know so grab your whoopee cushion and your fake spiders because we're about to find out
(01:55):
So let's start way back in the 1500s when Europe decided to shake things up with drumroll, please a
New calendar
I am so sorry about that. That's the laryngitis army
So yeah, if you missed it, I said a new calendar before the Gregorian calendar we use today
(02:17):
Most people followed the Julian calendar
New Year's Day was celebrated around the end of March or early April
But in 1582 Colt Gregory the 8th introduced the Gregorian calendar and New Year's Day
Officially moved to January 1st. Some people however either didn't get the memo
Because remember there were no emails back then or they simply just refused to switch
(02:42):
So cue the confusion those who stuck with the old calendar became the butt of jokes
People would send them on fake errands or try to trick them into believing something outrageous
Song familiar you guys. That's right. Some historians believe these pranks were the humble beginnings of April Fool's Day
So basically April Fool's started because people didn't check their emails
(03:03):
Let this be a lesson for everyone always read the memo
Another popular theory comes from France. Remember those folks who kept celebrating New Year's in April?
The French started calling them April fish. Why fish you may ask?
Apparently young gullible fish are easy to catch and pranksters would take paper fish to people's backs as a joke and
(03:26):
Voila the French tradition of we saw in D. Avril. I probably said that pretty good. I was gonna say I probably just butchered that
That's my seventh grade French coming out a little bit. That's perfect for us when we go to Paris in a few months
I'll be able to say April fish easily
(03:47):
So the French tradition of we saw in D. Avril was born and to this day French kids still sneakily stick paper fish on each other
And you thought your kids fake ketchup spill was clever
So we're gonna fast forward to the 18th century England where April Fool's Day spread like wildfire
The British loved their humor drives it may be but they added their own twist in
(04:12):
Some regions pranks could only be played until noon if you tried fooling something after that you were the fool a
Prank curfew is that genius or is it buzzkill?
I think it's genius because you know, we go to bed early and I'm gonna be done by prank before seven. That's fair
So today April Fool's Day is a global
(04:35):
Phenomenon from hummus pranks at home to elaborate stunts pulled by major companies
It's a day to laugh be silly and maybe question everything you hear
Every time someone says phenomenon. I think of that Muppet song manana
Do do do do do do don't you know you put it
(04:57):
So now it's in everybody's head sorry guys
Do you remember when tackle Bell announced that it was buying the Liberty Bell? Yes
When Google claimed to launch a search feature for smells those were classic
Those were hilarious and as you plan your pranks this year keep it fun and light-hearted
No one wants a prank that ends with tears or broken furniture and if you need ideas we got you covered
(05:23):
April Fool's Day begins as soon as the first alarm goes off. So why not make the morning memorable?
Here are some breakfast pranks that are sure to get your family laughing or
Scratching their heads. Maybe the first one is a frozen cereal surprise. Here's what you need
cereal milk a
Bowl and a freezer and here's what you do the night before you pour your cereal milk into a bowl and place it in the
(05:48):
freezer and serve it up like
Snowmoo in the morning
Imagine your kids trying to dig there to their cereal and realizing their spoon is stuck
It's a harmless surprise. That's hilarious to watch
The next idea is to color changing milk and all you need is a little food coloring
You add a few drops of food coloring to the inside of a cereal box bag
(06:11):
And when your family pours the milk into the cereal the color will change magically or you could also use it for your Dr.
Seuss green eggs and ham very true very true. I didn't we
Do that once for so the leprechaun come or used to come to our house when the kids were little news to set a trap
Yes, yeah, we did that we did we made green milk one year
(06:34):
So how about serving the kiddos juice that isn't juice I have to clear my throat. I'm super sorry
It's down there and jitis is been rough this week
So yeah, how about serving your kiddos juice that isn't juice for this one?
You will need some jello and some clear cups
So make the jello in clear juice cups the night before and then serve it with a straw and watch their confusion as nothing comes
(07:01):
Oh, that's a good one and another idea is an egg siding switcheroo
For um for this you will need yogurt peaches and toast
You're gonna make a fake fried egg by placing a peach slice on top of a dollop of yogurt
Serve it with toast and see if they notice. Oh, they'll notice I guarantee you and
(07:22):
Oh, look at the two of us. It's like a TB ward over here or something
That was a good one though. So another
I don't even know where I was I have an outline. What was it? Oh, yeah, so we're out of breakfast
So now the breakfast is out of way. Oh my god, the two of us should we record this or just leave it?
(07:43):
One more for good measure, okay
And so now that breakfast is out of the way, let's move on to some pranks that are perfect for the rest of the day
Home is where the heart and the hilarity is here's some fun pranks
That you can pull throughout the day to keep everyone on their toes
Yeah, so make some soap that doesn't sud or suds is it sud or suds and suds
(08:08):
I don't know. It doesn't sound right when I say it, but okay. We'll say suds
What you'll need for this one is some clear nail polish and a bar of soap
So coat the soap with the clear nail polish the night before so when someone tries to lather up nothing's gonna happen
Pro tip make sure there's another alternative soap handy
Because washing our hands is important. Yes, and this next one is I like to call stuffed shoes
(08:34):
You'll need some tissue paper or extra socks for this one
You stuff tissue paper or socks into the toes of your family member's shoes when they try to put them on
They're baffled by the sun size change
Another good one is called the shower head surprise and you will need some food coloring for this one
If you unscrew the shower head and add a few drops of food coloring into it and then screw it back on
(09:00):
Just wait for the colorful water surprise to hit the next person hilarious
Although maybe don't do blue or red because that stains. Yeah, especially the blue
But maybe like yellow and I hope none of our kids are listening to this podcast
Do this prank on us. They're getting it
Now let's talk about some pranks you can take on the go which are perfect for school or work
(09:24):
Right. April Fool's Day doesn't have to stop when you leave the house
Here are some clever pranks you can pull at school or the office
The first idea we have is to create some keyboard chaos
What you need for this one is some small sticky notes
And you place a sticky note under every key on a keyboard and add a funny message like april fools
(09:45):
Uh malfunctioning most can also be pretty funny and all you need is some tape
Cover the sensor on the computer most with some tape and then watch as your target tries to figure out why it's not working
Yes, another harmless idea would be to stick googly eyes on everything inside someone's binder or notebook
(10:05):
You can get a bag of them at the Dollar Tree. So it's an inexpensive and cute prank
These pranks are perfect for bringing some joy to an otherwise normal work or school day and they're easy to clean up too
And as the day winds down, it's time to wrap up your april's fool's fun with some evening pranks that everyone will remember
(10:26):
So similar to the idea we had with the malfunctioning mouse at the office
You can do the same thing with your tv remote place clear tape over the remote sensor to make it unresponsive
And another fun idea, especially if you have younger kids would be a bedtime balloon
Bonanza, oh, let's say that again bedtime balloon balloon
(10:48):
bonzana
It's bonanza
Oh my god, feel so bedroom with balloons while they're uh, while they're at school
And it's fun and surprising way to end the day. How did you say it?
What is it? Bonzanza?
Say it again. Whatever. I said it the right way. Whatever
(11:10):
Oh christian, this is why we love you
Before we wrap up, let's talk about a few tips to make sure your pranks land well
So make sure you keep it harmless
Avoid pranks that could cause harm damage or major embarrassment. You don't want to do that to anybody because that's just mean
Know your audience
Tail your pranks to your family's sense of humor because you don't know who doesn't have a sense of humor and you just
(11:37):
You know, you want to make sure you're having fun with it and not offending anybody
Be ready to clean up always have a plan to undo your prank
And finally expect payback
Don't be surprised if your friends or family turn the tables on you
In payment in repayment of your pranks
But before we let you guys go one last thing we want to touch on was how to avoid being the target of pranks on April Fool's Day
(12:04):
Yes, very important very important
Whether you're the victim of a fake spider on your desk or the classic plastic wrap on the doorway gag
We've all been there
but this year
This year you're going to stay one step ahead of the pranksters
First you need to identify the prankster in your life. Is it your kids?
Your co-worker you pranked obsessed best friend or maybe your spouts. You should know who they are
(12:30):
Definitely because these are the people most likely to strike watch for suspicious behavior
Are they grinning a little too much? Do they keep disappearing into the kitchen with tape or scissors?
Are they whispering with others while glancing your way?
If you answered yes to any of these you might already be in their crosshairs time to activate defense mode
And one of the best ways to avoid pranks is to flip the script beat them at their own game by acting like you're planning something big
(12:57):
Start casually dropping hints like oh, you never you'll never guess what I have in store for April Fool's Day
And this will leave them so focused on dodging your prank that they might forget about their own
Pranksters thrive on catching you off guard. So get up early
Then usual on April 1st the earlier you wake up the more time you have to scope out potential traps
(13:19):
Check your toothpaste for food coloring or hot sauce additions
Your desk chair for whoopie cushions your coffee cup for salt instead of sugar. Okay, that one is kind of mean that one is mean
Remember villains is your best?
Bill village
Vigilans is your best friend
(13:40):
And morning walkthrough of your house could save you a lot of surprises
Another great stat strategy now. You're rubbing off on me another great strategy is to stay suspicious of
Everything on April 1st the motto is trust no one if someone hands you a brownie ask yourself
Does this person ever bake if they compliment you too much wonder?
(14:02):
What's the angle here? And if you're feeling bold just call them out most pranksters will cave under pressure
Yes, and here's a pro trip play the fool tip
We're in a rough time today you guys
I know you want to play the fool before anyone else can prank you do something silly like walk into the room with toilet paper
Stuck to your shoe or pretend you're already fallen for a fake prank
(14:25):
The pranksters will think the job is done and move on and you just dodged a bullet
Here's the bottom line you guys avoiding pranks on April Fool's Day is all about staying alert
thinking ahead and maybe throwing in a little humor of your own
Or you know you could just take the day off and hide under a blanket until April 2nd. No judgment here
So thanks for tuning in today. And if you got a funny any funny prank stories or ready yet tips for avoiding them
(14:52):
Send them our way. Yeah, it could be like a bun zanza of emails in the ring box
And don't forget to like subscribe and share this episode with anyone who's tired of being the butt of every
Every April Fool's joke and remember if it's too good to be true on April 1st. It probably is
Next week we have another interview with an amazing local author for you guys
(15:17):
And spoiler alert. He's also Chris's brother. So make sure you tune in for that because he
Actually give a really good interview and he has some like really good tips for authors
So until next time see you later alligator in a wild crocodile
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