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Get Ready for Hijinks, Pranks & Silliness This April Fools Day!

Get your joke book out and plan your pratfalls and pranks because April 1st, better known as April Fool’s Day, is the time once a year to celebrate by playing good-spirited tricks on friends and family. Funny enough, despite its worldwide popularity, this holiday has a long history but mysterious origins. One of the earliest possible explanations goes all the way back to 1508 when French Poet Eloy d’Amerval referred to a “poisson d’avril,” or “April Fool.” Although, translated, this actually means “April’s Fish”!

Another account relates this knee-slapping holiday to the European shift in the 1580’s from using the Julian calendar to the Gregorian one. For many people, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1st. After this changed to January 1st, people still celebrating New Year’s Eve in the springtime were teased for being an “April Fool.”

However this silly, hoax-filled holiday got its start, it’s a great excuse to act foolishly. Keep scrolling for videos, activities, and crafts to celebrate this April Fool’s Day! We hope they tickle your funny bone.

The Science of Funny

Why Being Funny is Good for Your Family

Grades PreK-3
Joking around with your kids can benefit nearly every aspect of their development. Here are some tips to tickle your kid’s funny bone and crack them up at every age.

NOVA scienceNOW | Hippocampus Humor: Comic Science

Grades 6-8
Learn about the hippocampus, a part of the brain that stores memories, in this video from the Comic Science series of NOVA scienceNOW. And learn a nerdy hippocampus joke, too!

The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers | Robert Lynch

Grades 9-12
Meet evolutionary anthropologist Robert Lynch in this video profile from NOVA’s “The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers.” Robert studies the evolutionary function of laughter and why we’re attracted to people with the same sense of humor. In his spare time, he’s also a stand-up comedian: he says he’d be a fraud if he couldn’t make people laugh. 

Activities, Crafts & More

Funny Books for Kids

Grades PreK-4
There’s nothing like a good laugh! We aim to please with this selection of funny books for kids ages 0-9 that’ll have you laughing out loud. Whether it’s a giant pickle stuck in a roof or a writerly duck who tricks a farmer (again!), the unexpected situations and hilarious stories will bring you a smile.

Silly Sentences Home Activity | Martha Speaks

Grades K-2
Cut up newspaper headlines and use the words to make your own silly sentences with this Martha Speaks activity for the whole family. Get ready for glue and giggles!

More Ridiculous Magic | Camp TV

Grades K-5
Learn what a spoof is and several magic tricks in this funny New Victory Theater video from Camp TV. Using humor and creativity, teaching artist Sarah Petersiel shows us silly ways to amaze our friends with magic tricks.

Quick Draw: Black, White, & Red All Over: Panda | Cartoon Academy

Grades K-8
In this Cartoon Academy Quick Draw, Pittsburgh cartoonist Joe Wos draws his take on the classic joke: what’s black and white and red all over? Tune in to see how Joe brings this joke to life through his unique cartooning style! Keep your kids laughing after the video with a Silly Folded Drawing activity.

Laugh-o-Graph – The Electric Company | PBS KIDS Lab

Grades 1-3
Create a laugh graph to rate your child’s favorite jokes and figure out which one is the funniest. This activity from The Electric Company will help children master graphing, data collection, and analysis.