So you have a mischievous streak - welcome to the club! There is just something so deeply satisfying about setting up the perfect prank. From the build-up to their prank reaction - it’s just *chef’s kiss*.
Every prankster has their own preferences when it comes to selecting their next target. Family, friends, and strangers - you have your pick of the litter. But of all the people you can prank, you cannot deny the fact that pranking your parents is a rite of passage.
It takes great skill to pull off a worthwhile prank without revoking any of your at-home privileges. Just think about all the pranks gone wrong like this Reddit post about a man, his prosthesis, and one rogue cousin. Yikes.
If you are going head to head with your parents during April Fools Day or any other day, you need all the help you can get. Ownage Pranks is more than happy to step up.
How To Pull A Prank On Your Mom and Dad
There are two main challenges in pranking your parents. The first is getting them to fall for it. Your parents, no matter how strict or imposing, had a life before you. You don’t know what games they played with their siblings or the antics they pulled in school. You might have some idea, but never the full extent. How do you know if they’ve seen it before? What if they are a prankster themselves?
You need to come up with creative prank ideas. Make an effort to think outside the box. However, keep it a harmless prank; they are still your parents after all, or else, get ready to sleep outside the house.
The second challenge is managing the aftermath of the prank. Pranks are messy. They play with your expectations, feelings, and environment. One wrong move can set off a chain of consequences. You don’t exactly want to give your parents a reason to punish you, especially when you live under their roof.
There are only a handful of pranks you can pull without getting in trouble. Learn what they are and stick to them. The easiest way to do that is to establish clear boundaries.
Your parents don’t like being startled? Don’t depend on loud sounds and jumpscares.
They don’t like dealing with messes? Steer clear of glitter and goo.
They hate wasting food and materials? Stick to prank calls.
When it comes to pranking your mom and dad - it’s all about knowing the bits they can appreciate. You want them to enjoy the prank. If they are good sports about it, it can become a great bonding experience.
Here are our top pranks to play on your parents:
Prank Call Ideas For Parents
Stay out of striking range with prank calls. Here are some prank call ideas you can try on your parents.
Lost Phone
This prank call is self-explanatory. Call your parents with your mobile phone and tell them you lost it. You will get an earful before they realize you are calling them with your original number. While the exchange might be heated, they won’t stay mad for long. No harm, no foul.
Jail Time
Prank your parents by calling them from “jail.” Everyone is entitled to their 1 phone call, so make it worth their while. Write a script for a generic collect call. Look for voice soundboards online and let it read the script out loud when your mom or dad answers. When the call script ends, wait for a bit, then give the best performance of your life. Ask them to bail you out and see what happens next. Make sure you catch everything on tape!
Ownage Pranks has a prank call app you can use to make some of these calls. We also have free voice soundboards you can use to add texture and dimension to your bit.
To learn more about making the perfect prank call read our blog: How To Prank Call Someone: Step-by-Step Instructions.
It’s All In The Phrase
Let’s start off with some good, wholesome fun. Take everyday phrases and turn them on their heads. These are pranks even kids can try:
Bathroom Emergency!
Given how troublesome plumbing problems are - you are sure to get your parents running when they hear you say these lines.
Water’s Coming Out Of The Bathroom!
Line-up water bottles exiting your bathroom. You can have them in a single file, or you can mimic a puddle with water bottles. When you are done with the water bottles, call or text your parents about the problem. When you are done with the water bottles, call or text your parents about the problem. Not the most hilarious joke out there, but then again, it’s the worst.
The Toilet Is Smoking!
Another bathroom emergency you can call your parents for is a smoking bathroom! The classic one is all about toilet paper. You need two unused rolls of toilet paper on top of the lid for the eyes. Then you need an empty toilet paper roll between the lid and the toilet seat for the cigarette.
If you have a creative streak, you can take a bit of toilet paper and add embellishments. Maybe add extra for eyelashes or hair under a cap to complete the look. Whatever you add, remember that it should always be funny.
Remember! Do not waste the toilet paper! That is a sure way to get them angry, and why would you want that on April Fools Day?
Kitchen Conundrum
You can take your witty quips to the kitchen as well. Try these simple pranks!
There’s A Leak In The Sink!
This joke was probably best done in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - but you can use it here as well. Take an onion leek and leave it in the sink. Tell your mom or dad about the “leak” in the sink, and that’s it! If your parents love bad dad jokes - this should be hilarious as well.
A Butterfly In The Microwave!
Butterflies and birds have a way of getting into unexpected places, and no place can be as unexpected as your microwave. Create this unique occurrence with a stick of butter. Make its wings out of colored paper and toothpicks. Skewer them to the piece of butter and put it inside the microwave. Call your parents and see their reaction!
Remember! Do not turn the microwave on. If you think they would try to turn it on, take all the necessary precautions. Only use microwave-safe materials to make the wings.
It’s Not What It Looks Like!
Another pranking classic to fool people into thinking Thing A is Thing B. Swap things around and see if they find out it’s a prank all along. Try these prank ideas out!
Family Photos
Slowly replace your family photo on display with a fake photo. Take it one frame at a time and see how long it takes before your parents notice that the pictures have someone else. When they do realize it, see what tipped you off. Would it be the family photos in the living room? Or the one in the master bedroom?
For the best results, select someone who is considered an inside joke in the family.
There Is Something In The Water
Put a thin layer of food coloring on the underside of your kitchen or bathroom faucet. Make sure it isn’t visible from the top of faucet or the sides. It should only be where the water comes out. When your parents try to wash their hands or brush their teeth - they are in for a surprise. The water will run with whatever color you pick for a while.
A major part of this prank is selecting the right color. You can go with red food coloring and make it seem like blood is coming out of the taps. It can be perfect for Halloween.
Or perhaps go with brown. Old pipes and minerals turn the water a rusty brown. No matter what conclusion they jump to - it isn’t going to be good.
Another good color to pick is bright green for toxic waste. If you live in a place near a factory - it will be more believable. After all, green water looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie.
Among all the options you have, the most believable will be the brown water. There are so many records of brown water coming from the taps. It is such a common plumbing problem. If your parents are hard to fool, it should do the trick.
Whose Phone Is This?
I think you could only succeed with this harmless prank if anyone in your household has the same phone as your parents. It would be best to copy your parent's lock screen display to pull this prank perfectly. Now, get your parent's phone and replace it with a similar phone. You know how every parent gets mad at their child for forgetting their phone's passcode- get ready to hear it! Just make sure the phone won't get disabled after too many tries.
Also, you can do this using a fake phone that looks identical to your parent's phone. However, you can easily get caught with this one as fake phones don't really work!
Sugar In The Salt Shaker
Another classic prank is putting sugar in the salt shaker and vice versa. The swap is easy to pull off, and the results are hilarious. Have you ever seen a sleepy adult drink coffee and salt in the morning? It’s not a pretty picture, but it is definitely a funny one.
Remember! You can take this prank and try other look-alikes. Just make sure you avoid toxic materials. There might be an accident when you fill the other bottles.
Coke Vs. Sprite
If your parents love Coca-Cola soda, this is the perfect prank. Switch the contents of your Coke and Sprite bottles. Take a bit of soy sauce (if you don’t plan on drinking it) or brown food coloring (if you don’t want to waste the soda) and tint the liquid. Make sure the colors of the soda match, then put it in the fridge. During dinner, wait and see if they notice the difference.
These pranks only scratch the surface of what you can attempt. There are so many other things you can try. If you need help creating the perfect prank call, because let’s face it - it’s probably your best bet, work with Ownage Pranks! Request a prank call, and we can help you create a Hall of Fame-worthy prank call!
Happy Pranking!
