As teachers, we are always in danger of getting pranked by our students. Elementary students, middle school kids, and high school students love playing jokes on one another, as well as innocent adults in their lives, so now it's time for us and our fellow teachers to have a little April fool's fun!
From light-hearted pranks to innocent tricks teachers can set up in minutes, we have all the April Fool's day prank ideas you'll ever need. So get ready to shock and awe with our list of 20 fun pranks for teachers.
1. Computer Ghost
This April Fool's Day joke needs a little assistance. Ask a fellow teacher to send messages to your home screen when you give them the signal (via text or email). The messages could say "This is the ghost of Room __" "Get out while you still can!". Your curious students will be surprised and eager to uncover the mystery of the ghost in your computer.
Learn more: Vim Buzz
2. Classroom Switch
For this morning prank, move your materials and personal items into another teacher's classroom so yours is empty. Don't tell your students, and see how long it takes them to realize you're not coming to the regular class.
Another variation for this prank is to switch classes with another teacher, so when the ever-texting high school crowd walks into your class, they look up and see another teacher. They will think they walked into the wrong class and will turn around!
Learn more: Squarehead Teachers
3. Turning the Tables
As teachers, we sometimes have to confiscate things from our students that may be distracting or inappropriate. One sure-fire way to drive your kids mad is to use their gadgets and toys in front of them. This works well with most grade levels. Some objects you can try this with are phones, small games, and toys.
Learn more: Tes
4. Little Lies
Tell your class it's the perfect time for sharing and you want to tell them some personal information about yourself. Think of some creative lies to tell about yourself, your heritage, and your hobbies. See their reactions as you say "your brother went to the moon.", "you have a pet goose." or "you're actually 18 years old.".
Learn more: Tes
5. Name Swap
If your classroom uses name tags on the desks, go in early and switch all the students' names. See if they notice when they come in, and if not when they raise their hand, call them by the name on their desk. When they make a weird face, point to the name and shrug. They will think one of their classmates switched their name until all the students notice everyone's names are mixed up.
Learn more: Squarehead Teachers
6. Brownie "E"
This delicious classroom prank involves some baking. First, use a cookie cutter and a brownie mix to make some capital letter "E" brownies. Then cut out some "E" shapes with paper and use leftover brownie pieces to make two fake brownie plates. Cover all three of the plates and when your students go to grab a brownie they will first uncover paper, then tiny pieces, then finally the actual brownies.
Learn more: Organized 31
7. Mute Yourself
This harmless prank is great for elementary school kids! Once all the students come into the classroom and sit down, begin the lesson like normal, but when you open your mouth to say words no sound comes out. Move your mouth in the shape of the correct words so your students think their ears are plugged or something is wrong before they realize it's you being silly!
Learn more: Squarehead Teachers
8. Tongue Twister Time!
Write down a long list of tongue twisters and use them instead of regular sentences for as long as possible. Your students will giggle and try to understand what you are saying. This funny prank works best if the phrases you use are related to your lesson plan. If you can incorporate relevant information into your riddles your students will be even more eager to figure you out.
Learn more: Think, Grow, Giggle
9. Costume Change
This April Fools joke is simple but classic. Bring a change of clothes to school, it can be similar to the clothes you're wearing or drastically different depending on the reaction you want from your students. Halfway through the class, excuse yourself to use the restroom and go change outfits. When you come back see which students notice and what they say.
Learn more: Vim Buzz
10. April Fool's Day Word Search
This fun holiday word search is filled with prank-inspired words like "hoax", "mischief", "jest", "hoodwink" and more! See if your students know all of these words and how they can be used to talk about the holiday and jokes.
Learn more: Puzzles to Print
11. Lirpa Loof Bird!
These mysterious birds actually don't exist! "Lirpa Loof" is actually "April Fool" spelled backward, but your students don't know that. Give them a description of what this bird species looks like, what they eat, (you can make it absurd like they only eat mini marshmallows), and what they sound like. Take your class outside and have them look for these non-existent birds with food and bird calls. When none can be found, tell them the joke and see their unamused faces!
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
12. Krispy Kreme?
This simple donut prank is a favorite for teachers. Watch as your eager students rush to grab some delicious donuts and open the box to find healthy snacks! Oh no! You can put any foods inside you think your students will be shocked to see.
Learn more: Ellison Education
13. Fool's Gold
If you're an Earth science teacher this one is perfect for you! If you're not, you can also go ask the science department if they have any pyrite laying around. Place the piece on your desk where all your students can see it. Tell them you were trekking over the weekend and you found this rare mineral, and it's worth a ton of money! Tell your students you are rich now and this is your last day teaching....April Fools Gold!
Learn more: Science Lessons that Rock
14. Faux School Lunch Menu
If you or someone you know is in charge of printing the lunch menus for the week, get ahold of the original print and make some creative changes for this lunch menu prank. For Monday's lunch, say it will be "fried frogs and grasshopper fries", and Wednesday can be "salted fish biscuits and onion ice cream". Leave some of the days normal so it looks more believable. Your students will panic and call home for their parents to bring them food.
Learn more: The Gifted Gabber
15. Math Mayhem
If you are a math teacher, you can have some numbers fun for April Fool's Day. Spend the class confusing your students with incorrect answers to basic problems, strange new concepts, and rules that don't work. Your students will try to follow in the beginning, but it shouldn't take long before one of them calls you out.
Learn more: Undercover Classroom
16. Leap Year Prank
For this sneaky prank, tell your students that this is a leap year, so for the month of April, your classes will be 2 hours long instead of 1. This works better with younger students who will believe something like this. You can give your students a humor lesson while also seeing which students are happy and which are sad about the news they are staying an hour longer in your class.
Learn more: Squarehead Teachers
17. Pop-Up Folder
Here's a super-fun prank your kids will flip over! Connect your computer to the projector and create some folders on the top of your desk named "teachers who might be spies" or "names of my students who have superpowers". These will be displayed on the big screen and your students will freak out thinking you have classified information about everyone at the school.
Learn more: Squarehead Teachers
18. Tiny Chairs
This harmless joke works in an Elementary school where you have younger and older students in classrooms and there are different sized chairs. Coordinate with another teacher (maybe preschool or kindergarten) and switch out your students' normal-sized chairs for tiny ones. They will come into the class to take their seats and laugh at how short they are.
Learn more: Squarehead Teachers
19. No Food, Sorry!
To cause a little middle school mayhem, before your students come into class, write on the whiteboard that the cafeteria ran out of food so there is no lunch break today. Tell your students that class will continue through lunch and you have additional work/assignments for the extra time. Hehe!
Learn more: Squarehead Teachers
20. Surprise Test
We love to see the look of panic in the eyes of our students (when it's part of a joke!). When they come into class tell them you have a surprise exam prepared for them. Tell them this exam will be worth half of their grade and see them sweat before you shout "April Fools!".
Learn more: Best Message
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