These witty April Fools' jokes and one-liners will keep you laughing all day long!
40 April Fools’ Jokes to Make Everyone Laugh
Updated on Mar. 06, 2025
They say laughter is the best medicine, but they failed to include a disclaimer that this excludes those who are the brunt of the joke. If you’re like me, you prefer to spend April Fools’ Day hiding from everyone you know in order to avoid the inevitable embarrassment the day brings—but this doesn’t mean you can’t have a few laughs on your own. That’s why we rounded up some of the best April Fools’ jokes that are hilarious and at the expense of no one—unless you want to try them out on one of your friends.
So if you’re looking to skip out on April Fools’ pranks this year, celebrate April 1 with these funny (and punny) jokes and one-liners instead. Many are kid-friendly (same with these April Fools’ pranks for kids) and will have your friends, family, co-workers and loved ones laughing all day. Happy April Fools’!
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Funny April Fools’ jokes
1. Why was the donkey annoying his friend?
It was April Mules’ Day.
2. What is a prankster’s favorite toy?
Silly String!
3. Why did the computer go to therapy on April Fools’ Day?
It had too many bugs messing with its head.
4. How is April Fools’ Day like a huge open mic night?
Millions of people go out of their way to demonstrate how unfunny they are.
5. Why was the calendar so scared on April 1?
Because it knew it was about to be fooled.
6. Why did the chicken cross the road on April 1?
To prank the drivers into thinking it was lost.
7. Why didn’t A and C prank their friend?
They just letter B.
8. What’s the April Fool’s lucky card in the deck?
The Joker.
9. April Fools’ Day is the favorite holiday of which animal?
The silly goose!
10. What do you call a realistic prankster?
A practical joker.
11. Which day is the worst to propose on?
April Fools’ Day.
12. A couple of pranksters broke into the local police station and stole all the lavatory equipment.
A spokesperson was quoted as saying, “We have absolutely nothing to go on.”
13. Who needs April Fools’ Day when your whole life is a joke?
April fools.
14. Who needs a day for the fools?
I’m surrounded by them all year.
15. I’m going to pull an April Fools’ Day prank on my landlord by not paying rent.
Just kidding—rent isn’t due today!
16. Why was everyone so tired on April 1?
Because they just finished a long 31-day March.
17. Babies born on March 31 are the easiest to prank on April Fools’ Day.
They were literally born yesterday!
18. Joke’s on you, April Fools’ Day.
I can be fooled any day of the year.
19. April Fools’ Day is a great day to pull pranks.
Except on me, if you’re smart.
20. What’s the biggest difference between Thanksgiving and April Fools’ Day?
On one you’re thankful, and on the other you’re prankful.
21. Why can April jump so high?
It’s spring!
22. How can you tell when April is happy?
It has a little spring in its step.
23. How did the skeleton know that April showers were on the way?
He could feel it in his bones.
24. What do you call a sunny day that follows two rainy April days?
Monday.
Punny April Fools’ jokes
25. Why do eggs like April Fools’ Day?
They love practical yolks.
26. What monster plays the most April Fools’ jokes?
Prankenstein.
27. Did you hear about the guy who swapped the labels on the pumps at the gas station?
It was an April Fuels’ joke.
28. Which day of the year do monkeys like best?
The first of Ape-ril.
29. What’s a stepladder’s favorite holiday?
April Stools’ Day.
30. What did April Fools’ Day say after it won an award?
Prank you.
31. What’s one bone a prankster doesn’t want to break on April Fools’ Day?
The humerus.
32. What do you say when it’s raining chickens and ducks on April Fools’ Day?
It’s fowl spring weather.
33. What do you call a hammer bought on April 1?
An April tool.
34. When shouldn’t you plant spring flowers?
When you haven’t botany.
35. Why don’t eggs play April Fools’ pranks?
They might crack each other up.
36. Why did the math book look sad on April Fools’ Day?
Because it had too many problems.
37. What did one pencil say to the other on April Fools’ Day?
“You’re drawing too much attention to yourself!”
38. Why was the broom late on April Fools’ Day?
It swept in too late.
39. What’s a skeleton’s least favorite room in the house on April Fools’ Day?
The living room.
40. Why did the coffee file a police report on April Fools’ Day?
It got mugged.
Additional reporting by Kelly Kuehn.
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has been telling jokes for more than 100 years, curated and reviewed over the last 20 years by Senior Features Editor Andy Simmons, a humor editor formerly of National Lampoon and the author of Now That’s Funny. We’ve earned prestigious ASME awards for our humor—including comical quips, pranks, puns, cartoons, one-liners, knock-knock jokes, riddles, memes, tweets and stories in laugh-out-loud magazine columns such as “Life in These United States,” “All in a Day’s Work,” “Laughter Is the Best Medicine” and “Humor in Uniform,” as well as online collections such as short jokes, dad jokes and bad jokes so bad, they’re great. You can find a century of humor in our 2022 compendium, Reader’s Digest: Laughter, the Best Medicine. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
