18 Wholesome April Fools’ Day Pranks Grandmas Can Play on Their Grandkids

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Ah, April Fools’ Day! I know, I know, it’s silly and sometimes overplayed, but I can’t help but find joy in giving my grandkids a good laugh.

I mean, who doesn’t love a well-planned, harmless prank that brings smiles to everyone’s faces?

Here are 18 April Fool’s Day pranks you can play on your grandkids. They’re just ideas, so feel free to adapt however you want – my favorite is definitely #9!

1. The Grilled Cheese Surprise

Serve up a delicious “grilled cheese sandwich” for lunch, but instead of cheese, use frosting and two slices of pound cake. Watch their eyes widen in surprise when they take that first bite.

2. Cereal Switcheroo

Swap the contents of their favorite cereal boxes, so when they pour their breakfast, they’ll be met with a bewildering mix of flakes, puffs, and loops!

3. Juice Joke

Fill a glass with gelatin dessert, but make it look like their favorite fruit juice. Hand it to them and watch as they try to take a sip, only to find it’s solid.

4. Fake Bug in the Lamp

Tape a paper cut-out of a creepy-crawly bug inside a lampshade. When they turn on the light, they’ll be in for a creepy surprise.

5. Frozen Breakfast

The night before, freeze a bowl of cereal and milk, and serve it up in the morning. They’ll be baffled when they try to dig in with their spoon!

6. Toothpaste Treat

Replace the toothpaste in the tube with frosting, and watch their confusion when they go to brush their teeth in the morning!

7. Short Sheet the Bed

Fold the bottom sheet of their bed in half, so when they try to climb in at night, their feet can’t reach the bottom!

8. Wacky Wardrobe

Secretly swap their clothes around in the dresser, so when they go to get dressed, they’ll be left wondering what happened to their favorite outfit!

9. The Not-So-Hot Hot Dog

Make hot dogs for dinner, but replace the hot dogs with peeled bananas. The look on their faces will be priceless when they take that first bite!

10. Colorful Milk

Add a few drops of food coloring to the milk jug, and watch their surprise when they pour themselves a colorful glass of milk!

11. Soap Trick

Paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish and let it dry. When they try to lather up, they’ll be left puzzled as to why the soap won’t work!

12. Remote Control Confusion

Put a small piece of clear tape over the TV remote’s sensor, and watch them struggle to change the channel or turn up the volume!

13. Balloon Avalanche

Fill their bedroom doorway with balloons, so when they open the door, they’re met with a fun and colorful avalanche!

14. The Mashed Potato Sundae

Serve up a “sundae” made with mashed potatoes, gravy, and a cherry tomato on top. They’ll never see this savory surprise coming!

15. Jell-O Juice Boxes

Empty juice boxes, then fill them with Jell-O and refrigerate overnight. Hand them a straw and enjoy their reaction when they try to take a sip!

16. Fake Spilled Milk

Create a fake milk spill using glue and a plastic cup, and place it on the kitchen counter. Watch them panic, thinking they’ve made a mess!

17. Egg Hunt Prank

Put jelly beans or small toys inside empty eggshells, then “accidentally” drop one on the floor. They’ll be shocked to find something other than egg splatter on the floor!

18. Lopsided Cake

Bake a cake, but deliberately make one side higher than the other. Frost it as if it were a perfect cake and see if they notice the funny imbalance!

And there you have it! Eighteen hilarious, light-hearted, and completely safe April Fools’ Day pranks to play on your grandkids. Remember, the key to a successful prank is a good sense of humor and making sure everyone can laugh about it afterward. So, go ahead and give some of these a try, and let’s create some unforgettable memories with our grandkids.

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