Okay, I know celebrating April Fool’s Day in the library isn’t for everyone. It’s not really my thing, either, TBH. I can never come up with good pranks, my timing is endlessly terrible, and my Poker face leaves much to be desired.
I also know teachers and librarians who worry about mean pranks or pranks that get out of hand. I have mad respect for those feelings, too. Times and people can be sensitive, and nonsense in the library might not be worth it for many. And some classes simply get out of control when there is too much fun.
But if you are inclined to do something fun in the library for April Fool’s Day, here are some tips and ideas.
First, a few “Don’ts” of April Fool’s Day in school. These should be common sense, but alas, they need to be said anyway. Because sometimes we just don’t think, and that includes me.
Even though I don’t “do” April Fool’s Day, I once had the idea to pretend I sliced off my thumb with the paper slicer (not for April Fool’s, just to prank fellow teacher friend). She was always worried I would do that because I “sliced” so quickly. A little ketchup, a bit of a hot dog… hilarious, right?
Wrong. Ultimately, I didn’t do this prank because, when I thought about it for a minute, I worried she might literally pass out from the shock. Though this was almost 20 years ago, I am still so glad I didn’t do go through with this prank. It could have been bad. I did tell her about the idea and that I had decided not to do it, and she thanked me for not doing it.
So before you execute your April Fool’s Day prank, PLEASE stop to think for a minute.
Before I get into my ideas, I want to start with a brief list of what NOT to do at school for April Fool’s Day…
So these are pranks I’ve seen shared on social media or that have actually occurred in schools where I work. Always, always know your audience! To me, these seem harmless enough, but be sure that any pranks you do are funny and not harmful or anxiety-causing.
Die-cut some brown E’s. Tell students you made them some brownies, then hand out the brown E’s. I like the idea of afterward, really sharing some nut-free brownie treats with students. I’ve also heard of this done with little blue bears with Es on their bellies (blue bear-Es), followed by real blueberries.
Have students research Loop Lirpa (April Fool, backward). Today’s students might not fall for this, but this was a joke my 4th grade teacher played on us. In today’s age of internet, I would imagine Loof Lirpa would not be as difficult to find and expose as a joke.
Use the day to discuss fake websites and disinformation. Show websites like Tree Octopus or All About Explorers, or show this video from Common Sense Media.
Choose a couple of library sections and switch the signage.
Create a word search, but none of the words are actually in the search. You can find several of these on TPT, including free “joke” word searches like this one or this one. (This one could cause some student anxiety – always know your audience!)
Put large googly eyes on display books that have faces on them.
Read a storytime book, but read it backwards. Or skip pages. Or read it upside down.
Use a dictionary or thesaurus as a read-aloud.
Turn the books on a prominent display backwards or upside down.
Use the day to talk about your library’s joke book section. Give students time to read jokes to each other or to the group.
These are some books I’ve seen recommended on Learning Librarians Facebook group this week. I also added a few silly favorites of my own. Each book cover will take you to my Amazon Affiliate link, which gives me a small commission if you make a purchase.
