Times are weird. Things are awful. There’s a deadly pandemic sweeping the world.
But you can still have some (harmless) fun on April Fools’ Day. Let us be super, super, (super, super) clear: Now is the not the time for cruel pranks that risk seriously hurting feelings or causing bodily harm. Honestly, it’s never the time for those sorts of pranks — they’re not funny, they’re mean — but it’s especially not the time right now.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled some fun, easy pranks you can pull off while you’re isolating at home. Have a good time but a reminder: Be kind to one another, take care of your loved ones, and stay inside.
- Sign them up for a weird mailing list
We’ve used this one before, but it’s harmless and funny. As Mashable’s Chloe Bryan pointed out last year, The Ferret Association of Connecticut publishes three regular newsletters.
- The what’s that on your shirt and then zip your finger up to their nose prank
I mean… the name says it all.
- Text a typing dots GIF
Since we’re all keeping in touch digitally, you can prank a friend by sending them a GIF of the dots that indicate you’re typing. They’ll be waiting for a message in perpetuity.
- Use texting auto-replace tool
Here’s another one we’ve walked you through before. Basically you can set up a phone to replace a word — such as “hi” — with anything you choose. Just go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, and get after it.
- Plastic wrap a shampoo bottle
Unscrew the top, cover the hole where the shampoo comes out, reattach the top. Bam, an unsuspecting victim can’t squeeze out a single drop.
- Hide random photos
When I was in high school, my group of friends pranked our favorite teacher by hiding pictures of the actor Zach Braff — my teacher was not a fan of the Scrubs star — all over his classroom. I’m talking dozens of photos of all sizes in all kinds of places. Somewhere in my old high school, there’s likely a random picture of Zach Braff that was never found. Anyway, with everyone isolating at home, you’ve got nothing but time to do this to whomever you may be isolating with.
- Replace photos
Again, as we mentioned before, it can be funny to swap out family photos with other, stranger options. Steve Buscemi is always a favorite.
- Eat pudding like it’s mayo
A simple idea courtesy of BuzzFeed: Put vanilla pudding in a mayo jar and watch in horror as people see you eat it by the spoonful. Maybe try it out on Instagram.
- Tie someone’s shoelaces together
Don’t do this one if the person is a total klutz. But it’s a simple prank that’ll get a small chuckle. (That is, if anyone is still wearing shoes during isolation?)
10. “OMG, look a bear”
Basically be the person who cried bear. Is it dumb? You bet. Will it get someone to run to the window? Maybe. Good enough.
11. Tape the TV remote sensor
A simple, brilliant idea via Bustle. If you tape over a TV remote sensor, you can watch as your mark can’t change the channel.
