21 Mischievous Pranks for Kids and Parents to Pull

As sweet and innocent as they can be, all kids have a naughty, playful side. Sometimes, it can be fun to encourage that side, and a good channel for unleashing their playfulness is through pranks. Of course, you’ll want these pranks to be safe, and there’s no room for mean-spiritedness!

A good prank should leave the pranked person laughing, too! So whether you want to prank your own kid or introduce them to some funny, harmless pranks to pull off themselves, we have suggestions.

So, without further ado, here are some of our favorite pranks for kids!

Food Pranks

Food pranks are a great way to take something tasty and make it hilarious. Everyone loves to eat, so there’s plenty of choices for these pranks, and we’ve chosen the funniest, most delicious options.

1. Pastry Seeds

This first prank is bound to cause some laughs, and it might make everyone a little hungry, too. This is a great prank for kids that are younger.

First, give your child some seeds and tell them to plant them. They can be any type of seed, what matters is what you do the next morning.

Secretly, place some sticks in the dirt, and hang a tasty donut from each stick. Then, call your child over to the plant, and watch their shocked reaction. They’ll probably wonder how the seeds became pastries overnight, and beg to plant more!

The best part about this prank? You can eat donuts afterward.

2. Dirt Dessert

If you’ve ever had dirt pudding with gummy worms, you know it’s a delicious treat. But if someone hasn’t heard of dirt pudding, they’ll have quite a reaction to you eating it!

You probably shouldn’t pull this prank on younger children, since you won’t want them thinking it’s ok to eat dirt… And if your child decides to try this prank themselves, make sure they don’t confuse cookie crumble dirt with the real thing.

3. Picnic Pranks

If you’re planning a picnic, it’s easy to prank your kids with some unexpected food. For instance, if you pack deviled eggs, fill the middle with buttercream frosting. And instead of putting mayonnaise on sandwiches, opt for vanilla pudding.

4. The Not-Drink

After a long day of playing outside, your kid’s going to get thirsty. When they ask for a drink, offer to go inside and get them something. Then, pull out some jello, stick it in a cup, and add a straw. Chances are they’ll mistake the food for a beverage and wonder why it’s so hard to drink!

5. Ice Cream?

Similar to the Not-Drink prank, the ice cream prank doesn’t actually involve ice cream. Instead, fill a bowl with mashed potatoes and add some whipped cream for authenticity. Then sit back and enjoy as your child takes – and promptly spits out – a bite.

Kids, if you want to pull this prank on your parents, do the same thing… but add some fudge for that extra gross factor.

Seasonal Pranks

Some pranks for kids call for a specific environment or time of year. For instance, you can’t pull off snow pranks during the summer, and you can’t surprise someone with water balloons during the winter (or at least, you really shouldn’t!). Fortunately, we have specific pranks for kids in mind to use in each of the four seasons.

6. Leaf Monster

During the fall, chances are you have more leaves than you know what to do with! And while you can use these leaves for several games, you can also incorporate them into awesome pranks.

This fall prank idea is super simple. Rake a pile of leaves, hide inside and wait for your target to pass by. Then, when they’re right in front of you, jump out and say, “Boo!” They’ll have no idea you were in there, and they’re sure to be surprised!

7. Water Balloon Attack

Over the summer, it can be hilarious to surprise someone with a water balloon attack. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that the person doesn’t have any electronics on hand and that they’re not in a hurry to head somewhere important!

Warning: depending on the prankee, this prank could turn into an all-out water balloon war. So if you’re going to surprise someone with an attack, be prepared for them to retaliate!

8. Stinky Flowers

One of the best pranks for kids during spring, this prank takes full advantage of the hundreds of new plants to discover and smell. All you’ll need is to purchase some fake or real plants and douse them in a stinky spray. Then hand the flowers over to your child, and tell them to take a biiiiig whiff!

9. Snow Attack

Ok, this next prank might not go over well with all prankees, and it could also lead to a full-blown snowball fight. Simply sneak up on your unsuspecting prankee, pull back their coat, and drop a handful of snow down their back!

Don’t try this prank if you’re far away from your house – your prank victim will likely be cold, so you’ll want a place nearby where they can warm up.

Makeovers!

Some of the most fun and easiest pranks for kids involve giving an everyday place or object a makeover. You can go for a subtle makeover, in which you alter something a little bit every day, or you and your kids can pull a huge prank involving a larger change all at once. Either way, make sure to use materials that won’t damage property – if you break or destroy something, it stops being a prank!

10. Garden Gnome Invasion

An easy way to give your yard a makeover is by covering it in garden gnomes. Just imagine: your kids go to sleep, and when they wake up, dozens of gnomes are staring at them. It’s part creepy, part funny, and fully unexpected!

Instead of gnomes, you can also use garden flamingoes, or go for a mix of both. Really, you can’t go wrong with adding random ceramic and plastic creatures to your yard – it always makes for a funny prank for kids.

11. Car Makeover

A safe and temporary prank, you can easily put sticky notes all over a car or cover it in wrapping paper without causing any damage and giving your prank victim a surprise at the same time! Just make sure your prankee doesn’t need to leave in a hurry because it’ll take them some time to remove everything!

12. Festive Bicycles

If your kid has a bike, you can easily make it up with streamers, ribbons, and bows. On the flip side, if you have a bike, your kid could easily pull the same prank on you! Either way, make sure to remove the decorations before riding so that they don’t get caught in the wheels.

13. What’s in the Mail?

A fun, easy prank for kids involves putting something unexpected in the mailbox. This item can be almost anything, from a mirror to several small balloons. It’s an especially useful prank for kids who check the mail often since they won’t be expecting it – but if you’re the one who usually checks the mail, you might be the one who gets pranked instead!

14. Silly Sidewalk Chalk

The great thing about sidewalk chalk is that it washes away, so you can write some pretty silly things on your driveway. If you have a spouse or other child who’s not currently home, they’re sure to find it funny when they return.

15. When All Else Fails… Googly Eyes!

Sticking googly eyes all over your house, yard, or car is an easy, funny prank. Kids can easily lead this prank themselves, or you can plan the prank and have them join in.

You can buy large or small googly eyes in a variety of colors and some even come with fake noses and mustaches. Plus, you won’t have to worry about anything getting damaged, and it’ll certainly surprise your prankee!

Other Fun Pranks

We have a few more pranks for kids, all of which are entertaining and easy to pull off. While they might not fit in any one category, they’re still super fun pranks for kids (and adults alike) to enjoy!

16. Superglued Coins

If you and your child have super glue and some spare coins lying around, you have all you need for this next prank. Simply take the coins and glue them outside. Then, watch a passerby try (and fail) to pick them up.

We suggest gluing the coins on a hard surface that’s far away from traffic. Remember, the goal of pranking is to always be safe and fun, which means making sure the location is safe as well!

17. Bug Attack

Seeing a big bug is bound to be shocking, especially if a spider’s staring at you from the bushes, or if there’s a beetle in your picnic basket. Of course, this prank doesn’t involve actual bugs – rather, it involves plastic toy ones, which you can buy in a variety of sizes and colors.

Only attempt this prank if you’re sure it won’t scare your prankee. Some people have a fear of bugs, and it would be awful to turn a funny idea into something upsetting.

You can pull off this same prank with a rubber snake – but again, make sure the focus is on laughter, not fright. People are scared of snakes, too, and we don’t want anyone getting angry!

18. Bubble Fountain

This trick only works if the person has a fountain, and if they do, it’s really funny. Go to the fountain, add soap to the water, and watch the bubbles swarm. Make sure to only do this if your friend’s fountain is away from grass – we don’t want the soap hurting their soil!

19. Dyed Water

If you have food dye, you can easily change the color of the water that comes from your water hose, which will be quite a surprise for the next person using it. We’d advise using colors like green or purple, and be careful about what sort of dye you use – some colors and brands could stain the grass.

20. Hide and… Where are You?

You should probably only try this prank with older kids, and it’s important to attempt it when you’re near your own house. The prank is simple: play a game of hide-and-seek, but don’t try to find the hider. Instead, play on the swings, draw with chalk, or sit in the grass and wait. Soon, the hider will come out of hiding, wondering where you’ve been.

21. Fake Dog Poop

Ok, this final prank is a little bit… icky, but it’s bound to get some laughs. You can buy fake dog poop online or craft it yourself at home. Whichever type you use, scatter it in front of your porch or in your backyard – choose somewhere your kids (or your parents) are bound to see it.

Conclusion

There are so many funny pranks for kids, and you and your child will have a great time pulling them off. Whether you plan these together or try them on one another, you’ll be laughing, bonding, and thinking of new pranks to try next. Always make sure to be safe when pranking, and don’t prank someone who doesn’t want to be pranked. The best pranks leave everyone laughing – and if you heed our advice, the pranks on this list will do just that!