Best April Fool Pranks

This prank is one of the best for a roommate or for a spouse because it can be easily done without any advance planning. Wait until your victim gets into the shower, then sneak in and take all of his or her clothes and the towel. This will be a big surprise, but it's fairly harmless.

This is one of the best pranks to play in an office because it is easy and effective. If your co-worker uses an optical mouse, place a piece of electrical tape over the sensor. If it's a roller-ball mouse, remove the ball and keep it in a safe place. However, you may want to keep an eye on your victim and stop him before he actually calls tech support.

This is also a good office gag because it can be done with no preparation and is sure to get a laugh. If you have to work on April Fool's Day, you can liven things up by leaving a co-worker a message stating, "Mr. Lyon called." Include the phone number to the local zoo.

Put salt on the victim's toothbrush and then just sit by and wait. It certainly won't taste minty fresh in their mouth when they are trying to brush their teeth! This is one of the best pranks to pull at the end of the day on someone who thinks they may have escaped all of the April Fool's activities.

Drop hints that you're planning a great April Fool's prank and then do absolutely nothing. Watch the victim peer carefully around corners, test every chair before sitting down, and not let his lunch out of his sight. The better your acting skills, the more you can watch the paranoia grow. This is one of the best ways to prank people with very little effort.

Select a small area and wrap everything, from chairs and computer monitors to pencils and notepads, in aluminum foil. The foil-covered objects create an impressive visual spectacle. It's also a nuisance to the person who has to unwrap everything without causing any permanent damage to his or her possessions. This gag is best used at the office, but it could also work at home by covering a computer desk or dresser. If you're going for something big but relatively harmless, this works well.

A small prop can be all you need to create a quick and easy April Fool prank. You can find fake spills featuring everything from spilled nail polish to melting ice cream bars. While you won't win any creativity points with whoopee cushions, plastic bugs, or fake vomit, the moment of shock they provide can still be worth it. This is one of the best jokes to pull on someone who is fussy about things looking clean and neat.

Food pranks can really make an impact. Put salt in the sugar container, or add an unexpected dash of jalapeño to a sandwich. The reaction will be priceless. You do need to be careful of food allergies when making substitutions, so some food pranks aren't always appropriate. This is one of the best gags to pull on someone from a distance. Pack their lunches the night before, and by lunchtime they'll know you got them.

This is a classic prank that almost always works. All it requires is a rubber band. Wrap a rubber band around the button on the spray nozzle on your sink and set the spray head so that it is facing the person at the sink. Ask someone to get you a glass of water or just wait until your hapless victim needs to use the tap.

With this prank you'll suffer a little too, but if you're a morning person or you tend to stay up late, it won't be too bad. Set all the clocks in the house ahead 3 or 4 hours. Tape a sign that says "April Fool's! It's 3 a.m." to the door or window beneath the blinds near the breakfast table. Wake everyone up, start eating breakfast, then ask someone to open the blinds. This is the best prank to pull on a whole family or house of roommates, as everyone is bound to be surpirsed at the same time.

If you're hosting a dinner party or have guests, you can pull this gag off on many people at once. Make cupcakes that look like delicious sweet treats, but are actually made from meatloaf with mashed potato frosting. Imagine the surprise when someone bites into one! Just make sure not to target any unsuspecting vegetarians with this gag.

This is one of the best classic pranks that will always get a laugh. Leave a dollar on the floor and find a hiding place nearby. When your targets walk by, see the dollar, and reach down to pick it up, loudly rip a piece of cloth. They'll probably reach back to see if they ripped their pants.

On March 31, purchase a lottery ticket for someone. On April 1, buy another lottery ticket with the winning numbers from March 31. Switch the new ticket for the old one, then wait for the recipient to check the numbers. She probably won't match up the dates first, so she'll think she's won. This gag is one of the best to pull on the avid practical joker who might find it funny, rather than get angry.

This prank is enjoyable because you can use it all day long. Use a magnet or double-sided tape to attach a metal traveller's coffee cup to the roof of your car and drive around town as if you've forgotten your morning coffee there. You'll get a chuckle out of the ways people try to let you know it's up there and in danger of falling off.