April 2011 Parent Zone

27 Mar

Jokes & Hoaxes

It’s spring! That means the perfect time to gear up for April Fools’ Day, the one day of the year you can be silly—just because. You can play tricks on your kids or encourage them to play (nice!) pranks on each other. Maybe you could have a family joke night, and have each family member learn to tell their own joke or riddle.

Here are some other ways to celebrate the funniest month:

Go trick-or-treating around your neighborhood; rather than asking for candy, tell jokes or give out homemade cookies at the doorstep.
Have a white elephant gift exchange—let each family member pick inexpensive and humorous gifts at the dollar store and exchange with each other.
Have breakfast for dinner, or even dinner for breakfast.
Take turns reading, acting out, or making up funny stories together.
Play a favorite family game in a new way—start at the end, play with made-up rules, or combine two games to make a new one.
Talk about one of the most famous hoaxes ever: Orson Welles’ adapted radio broadcast of H. G. Wells’ book, “The War of the Worlds.” Afterward, make your own martian or alien trap.
Make a fake family newsletter to send or email to extended family members; be sure to include lots of made-up information and funny jokes!

Whatever you do, make sure that no one feels like they’re being teased or made fun of, and that it’s all in good fun.

Other Links to Explore

April Fools’ Day Pranks
http://www.aprilfools.com/

April Fools’ Day Crafts
http://familyfun.go.com/april-fools-day/april-fools-day-craft-pranks/

April Fools’ Day Crafts for Kids
http://www.ehow.com/list_6145104_april-fool_s-day-crafts-kids.html

History of April Fools’ Day and Joke Inventions
http://inventors.about.com/od/articlesandresources/a/April_Fools.htm

The Hoax Files—The Truth Isn’t Out There
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/hoax1.html

Great Books!