April Fools' Day

Happy couple laughing in a list of April Fools' pranks to play on your wife
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15 April Fools’ Pranks To Play On Your Wife, If You Have No Fear

Have fun, but watch your back.

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If you don't typically celebrate April Fools’ Day, this is the year to start. After all, if you've never pranked your wife before, she will be completely unsuspecting, which guarantees that the end results will be even better. These ideas for April Fools' Day pranks to play on your wife vary in how much effort they require, but are all sure to get a little “ha,” or maybe even a fully satisfying belly laugh, depending on how good of a sport your wife really is).

Now, this isn’t an endorsement of April Fools’ pranks on wives that could wind up hurting someone's feelings, damaging anyone's property, or causing any long-term discomfort. Obviously. Let’s be real: April Fools' pranks should be all in good fun, and it should be obvious to both the pranker and prankee. To that end, here’s a carefully curated list that, while guaranteed to get on your spouse's nerves, are less likely to backfire than many popular others.

That being said, one quick disclaimer: Proceed with these April Fools’ Day pranks on your wife at your own discretion. We take no responsibility if you end up on the couch tonight. Oh, and be warned that your wife will be seeking revenge, so sleep with one eye open.

1

Surprise confetti

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If you have ceiling fans in your house, this prank may be perfect for you. I personally run very hot and the first thing I do when I enter a room right now is flip on the ceiling fan. If your wife does the same, look no further.

Pick up a few packets of confetti from a local party supply store. When your wife is gone, grab a ladder (or chair, if you're tall) and carefully sprinkle the confetti on the blades of the ceiling fan. Next time she turns the fan on, she will get an unexpected confetti shower (and you'll get a good laugh). Just be aware that you're definitely going to be in charge of the clean-up.

2

Poppers on the toilet seat

Want to give your wife an April Fools’ prank fright? Put Fourth of July poppers under the toilet set ever so gently. Then when she goes to sit, she’ll trigger them to pop, sending her shooting into the air. You may never live this one down and that’s why it’s such a great idea.

3

Chocolate covered cotton balls

This one is a classic that even your kids can get in on. If you have some time alone in the kitchen, melt down some chocolate and then, a la covered strawberries, coat a handful of cotton balls in the sweet mix. Then surprise her with a box of chocolates she’ll never forget.

4

Photo swap

This funny photo swap will have her doing a double-take. First, decide who you want to star in your household photos. Pick a celebrity that has a special meaning to your marriage. Figure out how many pictures (and what sizes) you'll need to print. Finally, when your wife is out of the house or sleeping, swap out every family photo with your new and improved celeb prints. See how long it takes for her to notice.

5

Car switcheroo

OK, this April Fools’ prank on your wife is dependent on her going into the office, but if she does, it’s perfect. After she’s arrived at work, show up shortly after and move her car to a totally different parking space. She’ll be baffled to find her car not where she parked it after work.

6

The cliff hanger text

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Is there anything worse than the rush of adrenaline you get when you receive a text that says “we need to talk.” Yes, actually there is: when you get a text like that, and the sender suddenly goes radio silent. Curiosity (and a mind filled with worst-case scenarios) really can kill the cat.

So, naturally, this is a great prank to play on your lovely spouse. Send your wife a text that you know will intrigue (read: worry) her to the point of becoming frantic. “I have something I need to tell you,” is a good one. Simply send, and wait for her to spin out. Send the response “April Fools!” once you've decided she can't take the anticipation any longer.

7

Chain of underwear

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Have you ever seen that magic trick where a magician tugs on the end of a colorful scarf and it seems to just keep going and going and going? This is the general idea for this prank. Just be warned that you'll need to get a little crafty!

Grab a needle and thread and head to your wife's underwear drawer. Very carefully, so as not to damage any of her clothing, run the needle and thread through each pair of underwear so that they all become attached in one long chain. Put the newly-created chain back in her drawer, so that when she grabs for a pair of underwear in the morning, she'll end up with 20.

8

Colorful toothpaste

Do not, I repeat, do not try this prank at home in the morning if your wife is in a big hurry to get somewhere. It's hilarious, yes, but she will be so angry that she's going to be late that neither of you will end up laughing. Trust me, you only want to try this prank in the evening, or if your wife has a slower-paced morning.

To do this, simply put a few drops of food coloring in the top of your tube of toothpaste or directly onto her toothbrush. When she adds a bit of water and starts brushing, her lips and teeth will turn the color of the food coloring. After she completely freaks out, make sure to let her know that eventually (thanks to a few brushes and some mouthwash), everything will return to its normal color.

9

Everyone’s watching

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This one is so easy yet so funny. Go to a local craft store and pick up a few bags of stick-on googly eyes. When your wife is gone or asleep, stick them on everything. The fridge is a great spot, but why stop there? Put them on her toiletries, on framed family photos, and so on. She'll crack up when she sees everything she owns staring back at her.

10

Make her everyday items sticky

With a small tub of vaseline, do a little smear of it on top of everything she uses or opens each day. Her toothbrush handle, her car keys, the bottle of coffee creamer — just enough to make it feel gross and weird.

11

Lost wedding ring

My husband has a habit of misplacing things, and it drives me absolutely nuts. If you're the same way, take it up a notch by losing the most important accessory you own: your wedding ring. Tell your wife you've looked for it all day, and you can't seem to find it anywhere.

If you really want to see her blood boil, this is the cherry on top. Note that I cannot take any credit for this, because my husband was the mastermind who originally pranked me this way. When I asked him where he last had his wedding ring, he casually said, “I'm not sure. I always take it off when I'm not with you.” Cue the screaming.

12

Language barriers

When your wife puts her phone down, use it as an opportunity to change her phone's language. On the iPhone, simply go to Settings, General, and then Language & Region. Select whichever language strikes your fancy and change her settings. Once the language is set, put her phone back where you found it. Even better? Once she notices that she can't read a thing on her phone, ask to see it. Spend a few seconds clicking around, and ask what the issue is. If your wife is gullible, see if you can convince her that it's all in her head.

13

Not-so-sweet treat

First, pick one of her favorite treats. If she's got a sweet tooth, use a donut box. If she's got a thing for fast food, a cheeseburger or chicken fingers box works well, too. Fill the box with something way less exciting, like a veggie tray or bland granola bar. Then, just sit back and watch as excitement turns to sadness when she discovers there's no treat at all.

(Pro tip, coming from a woman who has cried over forgotten fries and yelled at my husband for eating the last brownie: I'd highly recommend having the actual promised treat hidden away somewhere to make things right post-prank.)

14

Highly-anticipated

When Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” he wasn't talking about April Fools' Day... but it totally applies. If you really want to torment your wife, simply have her think you've got amazing pranks lined up.

Drop hints that you're going all out this April Fools’ Day. You can explicitly tell her you've been brainstorming clever ideas, or have her overhear you telling someone else that. The shiftier and more mischievous you act leading up to April 1, the better. Your wife will be looking over her shoulder all day, and you don't even have to do a thing.

15

Make her a revolting cup of coffee

Bring her a cup of coffee in bed, but make it cold so when she’s expecting a nice hot cup, she gets a big disgusting slurp of gross cold coffee.

Easy and fun, these tricks will make April 1 a little more exciting. Although, bear in mind, you could be the next victim after you’ve pulled one of these April Fools’ pranks on your wife.

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