What could be better than some good, clean fun?!
Books
This title has become the classic go-to:
9781489623058
The grandkids have come to stay on the farm, and it just happens to be that most special of days. Fortunately, Grandpa is too smart to believe them when they tell him all the animals are loose, knowing it is just an April Fool's joke...or is it?
9780756976576
Now, doesn't that giant, sprinkle-covered cookie on the cover look yummy? Too bad it's made of...sand! What happens when the tables are turned on this practical jokester?
How about a reading exercise that turns out to be a joke in itself (as well as a lesson in reading directions)? There are several on the internet, here is a fun one from Joy in the Journey that fits any size group of children.
Art
So many options here! Try your hand at:
Hidden Pictures - create your own I Spy collages with magazine cut-outs, or have the kids draw two nearly identical pictures and challenge each other to spot the differences;
Disguises - Can you fool people into thinking you are someone else? Dive into the dress-ups or borrow some of Mom and Dad's clothes, and head out for groceries disguised as someone else.
Painting Parodies - Browse through a book of famous paintings, and see which ones you can replicate at home - with characters and positions, if not in style. Take turns photographing your parodies, and create your own gallery.
Music
Parents, now is your opportunity to introduce your children to that classic songwriter of our times: Weird Al Yankovic. Cruise Youtube for some of his classics, like "Eat It," and talk about what makes a parody funny and memorable. Then pick a song you know well, and see how you can change it up!
Writing
Knock Knock!
Who's there?
Tree!
Tree who?
Tree peeing on your head!
Okay, that makes absolutely no sense, but to a four-year-old it's hysterical. Telling a joke actually requires a fairly good grasp of the language, though. Take a look at some knock-knock jokes or puns, and talk about how the play on words or pronunciation makes them funny, then see if you can come up with your own (bonus points if they make more sense than the example). Stage a stand-up comedy hour in your living room after supper!
Community
The key to a successful April Fool's prank (or any joke) is to make people laugh without being mean. This might be a good time to talk about jokes that aren't safe, or that aren't funny because they hurt someone's feelings. Spreading happy laughter is always a plus, though - what kinds of pranks can you pull that will brighten someone's day?
Here's a favorite gift we have used for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, teachers, etc.: Grab some small pull-top cans of things like vegetables. Do NOT open them with the pull tab, rather open them from the bottom with a can opener. Save the bottom piece. Empty them out (snacks while we work!), and clean them carefully without damaging the original label. When each can is dry, fill it with candy or other treats, then carefully hot glue the bottom back on. Hand them out to friends! They may be a bit puzzled to get a can of mushrooms as a gift, but the actual contents are sure to bring a smile.
Science
How many hoaxes are actually possible? Check out some of those listed at http://hoaxes.org/, and investigate what actually happened. What made them believable? Could they have actually been true? Why or why not? For those that are a bit old, would changing technology make them more or less believable?
Can you use what you know of science to create some practical jokes or tricks?
It's physics!
What about magic? Much of magic is optical illusions. Do a quick search for "optical illusion magic trick", and you can come up with dozens of sites with kid-friendly tricks.
Math
Numbers can be used to create riddles and jokes as well. Check out these titles, or browse through the web sites listed below:
9780807549964
$14.95
Lots of silly math questions can be found in this funny book of riddles and jokes. Children can learn basic math skills while reading about animal sleepover parties, cafeteria food fights, and a boy who made more than 5 million dollars in one month!
9780439443883
$16.95
Greg Tang underscores the importance of four basic rules in problem-solving. Keeping an open mind, looking for unusual number combinations, using multiple skills (like subtracting to add) and looking for patterns, will guarantee any child success in math. In MATH-TERPIECES, Tang continues to challenge kids with his innovative approach to math, and uses art history to expand his vision for creative problem-solving.
Movies/Social Studies
One of the best large-scale pranks was an accident. In 1938, a radio dramatization of the book War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells was so realistic, people across the US thought it was real! People panicked!
The radio recording may be hard to come by, but you can still find the 1953 movie version to watch. As with the ideas under the science section, talk about what made it so easy to believe at that time. Depending on the age of your kids, you could compare that scare with the January 2018 incoming missile scare that Hawaiians went through. Talk about people's reactions, good and bad, and about how a scary situation can affect life choices and perspective. (Or, if your kids are way too young for such conversations...talk about things that may scare us but aren't real!)
Cooking
Make brown E's!
(from athriftymom.com - more fun ideas there!)
Or, disguise something healthy as something not-so-much - caramel covered onions, for example, or veggies in a doughnut box! (I would hate to waste an onion myself, but my kids would be perfectly happy with the veggies overall).
If you want to make a fun dessert everyone will enjoy, what better cookie for a humorous holiday than Snickerdoodles?
Other Web Sites
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-posts/allie-magnuson/april-fools-day-a-foolproof-primer-on-classroom-laughter/
http://coolsciencelab.com/math_magician
http://www.math-play.com/math-magician-games.html
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