April Fools' Gift Roundup
by Phoebe Assenza and Katrina Hayday Wester
This April 1, give them the necessary tools for major laughs and minor scares.
Remote Control Tarantula
We’ve already covered why this is a great toy for any day of the year, but its gag value deserves reiterating. It’s a simple concept: a remote-control, creepy, giant spider your grandchild can have crawl up on an unsuspecting sibling. How is that not funny?
Price: $21
For ages: 6 and older
Available at: Amazon.com
Edible Mustaches
Fake mustaches are one of the oldest gags in the book, but they’re undergoing a bit of a renaissance among younger folks. There’s even a generation of kids that are getting the iconic ‘stache tattooed on their index fingers. We recommend a safer, edible version like these soda-pop flavored gummy mustaches.
Price: $8
For ages: 5 and older
Available at: FredFlare.com
Fake Banana Peel Bathroom Treads
No real danger here — no loved ones could actually slip on one of these banana peels. In fact, these bathroom treads function in just the opposite manner. The decals work in potentially slippery situations, such as on tile floors, showers or bathtub basins. The Warhol-esque design looks cool too.
Price: $13
Ages: All
Available at: ShopFosters.com
Billy Bob Fake Teeth
No April Fools’ Day is complete without a set of terrifying teeth. These Billy Bob plastic grills are available in a variety of dental neglect. They’ll only fool family members for a split second, but grandkids will also love them for cracking up random strangers in line at the grocery store, in traffic, etc.
Price: $10
Ages: 8 and older
Available at: FakeTeeth.net
Food On Floor/Food In Mouth Bib
April 1 is the perfect day to start instilling a healthy sense of self-deprecation in your grandbaby. This humorous bib riffs on their messy eating practices, with a fake scoreboard of where their food lands.
Price: $12
For ages: Infant
Available at: FlyingPeas.com
Self-Inflatable Whoopee Cushion
The sound of passing gas is endlessly hilarious for most kids, and there’s no better way to achieve such a sought-after punch line than with the classic whoopee cushion. We didn’t think there was a way to improve on its traditional design, until we found this self-inflatable model. When your grandchildren have only one day to pull pranks, they can’t waste time blowing up the cushion themselves.
Price: $5
For ages: 6 and older
Available at: Amazon.com
Baby Tattoos
You can pull one over on your own kids next time you’re called on to baby-sit their new infant. These removable baby tattoos are a safe way to momentarily scare the bejesus out of them when they pick her up. Few things are funnier than seeing a tiny tyke sporting a gnarly pirate tattoo.
Price: $5
For ages: Infant and older
Available at: BlueQ.com
The Encyclopedia of Immaturity
Are your grandchildren uninspired this April Fools’ Day? Or are they simply looking for new tricks to add to their repertoire? The Encyclopedia of Immaturity is an exhaustive how-to detailing all pranks, practical jokes and other gags grandkids take such delight in. At the risk of irritating others, the book covers everything from how to say “poop” in 14 different languages to how to make a marshmallow blowgun. This essential manual could possibly take them through their college years.
Price: $20
For ages: 8 and older
Available at: Store.Scholastic.com
Bridger Mountain Man Coyote Fur Hat
Why should the joy of pranks be limited to the 18-and-under set? If you’d like to pull one over on your grandchild in a slightly lavish, over-the-top way, here’s one of your best options. First, let your grandchild to believe that you’ve bought him or her something extra special, maybe the big-ticket item that’s been on their wish list for some time. Then, wrap up the Bridger Mountain Man Coyote Fur Hat real pretty. Finally, get a kick out of the look on your young one’s face when he or she sees what’s actually inside.
Warning: This joke might be lost on PETA-member grandchildren or genuine mountain men in the making.
Price: $200
For ages: As soon as they're old enough to appreciate a semi-cruel joke
Available at: Cabelas.com
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