When I see some of the pranks kids play on their parents, I am more than a little relieved that my son is only five years old. His idea of a prank is “when you give someone a fright, Mama.” Oh, if he only knew.
Nowadays, some people spend a fortune pulling off the perfect prank. There are even those making millions pranking others. I’ve come across videos of kids covering their parents' entire kitchen in peanut butter, creating a fake news broadcast convincing their folks there’s a nuclear attack, smashing expensive televisions, faking parental affairs and more. I’ll take a “little” fright over that stuff. Any day…
Not everyone is brave enough to push their parents to the edge. But for those who are, Bored Panda has compiled a list of some of the best times adult children refused to grow up, pranked their parents and made it out alive. We also spoke to an expert about the science behind practical jokes.
#1 Mom Was Worried About My Trip To Detroit, So I Sent Her This Picture
Image credits: mephistophelesjanx
In 1974, panic erupted in the sleepy town of Sitka, Alaska. Once just a big piece of ice, it’s since melted and is now home to just over 8,000 people. Accessible only by air and sea, the place is relatively drama free. But on this particular morning, emergency services were inundated with calls from panicked residents.
They’d woken to a plume of black smoke rising from the Mt Edgecumbe volcano, which lies about 16 miles away. The volcano was considered dormant, having last spewed lava more than 4,000 years ago. So it’s only natural, people would be freaking out.
As they continued to frantically alert firefighters and police, the Coast Guard sent out a helicopter to investigate. But when the pilot hovered over the crater, he noticed something strange. Where was the lava? Upon closer inspection, he saw a huge pile of charred black tires. And then, the words APRIL FOOL spray-painted boldly across the snow next to them.
Proof that some people will, quite literally, go to great heights to pull off a good prank.
#2 That’s The Most Evil Thing I Can Imagine
Image credits: wimax91
The epic practical joke was the work of a local prankster, Oliver “Porky” Bickar. He’d spent three years planning his prank, collecting hundreds of old tires, gallons of kerosene and other equipment. Bickar enlisted the help of a helicopter pilot and some friends. They flew to the volcano, did the deed and casually left.
While he did make international news, “Porky” didn’t get into trouble for his shenanigans because he’d informed police of his plans beforehand. He’d just forgotten to let the Coast Guard know. Oops!
And once the town realized they’d been tricked, most people erupted into laughter.
#3 My Dad Fell Off A 10-Foot Ladder And Dropped Through The Ceiling. I Was Walking By And Caught Him. This Was The Tile He Went Through, And Now His Christmas Present Is Finished
Image credits: ChapmanYerkes
#4 I Got My Grandma A New Apron For Her 90th Birthday. This Was The Moment She Realized What Was On It
Image credits: peekab0o14
As "Porky" proved, a well-played prank can elicit feelings of panic, fear, irritation and even anger in the moment but we will often look back on them afterwards and have a good giggle.
“Pranks can seed inside jokes that friends and groups share and remember forever. They are frequently part of reminiscing, and when recalled decades later, participants are likely to be amused and laugh all over again,” wrote Dr. Kathleen Pike, a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Global Mental Health WHO Collaborating Centre at Columbia University.
#5 For My Holiday Card, I Photoshopped Myself As My Own Awkward Family. Yes, Every Person Is Me
Image credits: Bshuller
#6 I’m Pretty Sure My Mom Will Never Again Ask My Help With Putting Away The Nativity Scene
Image credits: Bighawklittlehawk
Dr. Joseph Polimeni is an internationally recognized expert in the science of humor. In an exclusive interview with Bored Panda, he said people have probably been pranking each other for tens of thousands of years.
“Pranks are a form of humor. In fact, the proposed cognitive structure of humor can be nicely demonstrated inside most pranks. Humor requires two disparate views of one social situation, with at least one view containing a social violation,” he said.
“So, for example, my children, during their grade school years, once planted a plastic mouse in a cupboard to scare their mother. This scenario created two social views of one situation: 1) the perception that a real mouse was in the cupboard and 2) there was just a piece of plastic in the cupboard. The social violation pertains to an attempt to unnecessarily scare another person.”
#7 The Dad Energy Is Strong In This One
Image credits: reuspppp
#8 My Parents Haven't Noticed
Image credits: SanePsycho82
#9 My Brother Replaced A Picture Of Jesus At My Parents' House With A Picture Of Obi-Wan Kenobi As Portrayed By Ewan McGregor. Three Months And Counting Without Them Noticing
Image credits: A-ladder-named-chaos
I asked Polimeni what possessed people to pull someone’s else’s leg. “The possible psychological motivations to invent a prank are varied and unique to each prank. Many pranks could be a gentle reminder that the target of the prank is not as socially powerful as they may portray,” he said. “Humor is often used as a playful way to broach potentially contentious social problems between people. Sometimes a prank is completely innocent and simply a gesture of friendship, solely reflecting a willingness to play.”
Many psychologists agree that practical jokes are a subtle form of “play-fighting” and research shows we tend to prank those we are closest to.
Pike explains it this way: “Pranks are an investment in a relationship and pulling off a good prank takes planning, imagination, and effort.”
#10 I Saw This Apron While Shopping, And Decided To Do A Remake Of My Mother’s Favorite Picture For Christmas. Taken 23 Years Apart
Image credits: Deeplight
#11 My Mom Wanted A Nice Picture Of Me And My Sister For Mother's Day. Well, She's Getting These Instead
Image credits: KevginaTheFrail
#12 My Parents Are Retiring And Want To Travel Full Time. My Brother Sent Them This Suitcase For Christmas
Image credits: dawndollygolden
Pike believes practical jokes can actually be beneficial to families. “When done well, practical jokes connect people and promote a sense of closeness in the relationship," she explained. "When pranks make us laugh together, we are likely to report elevated levels of affection and bonding for one another. The shared moments of surprise and laughter create environments that build trust, break down barriers, and promote teamwork.”
And while we don’t need to be as elaborate as “Porky” and take years to plan them, there are plenty of hilarious and harmless pranks to pull on the people you love.
#13 I Work In Wastewater Treatment. My Parents Wanted A Picture For Their Christmas Cards
Image credits: mags387
#14 Jokingly Sent My Mom A Cutout Of Myself While I'm Studying Abroad. She Seems To Be Entertaining Herself With It
Image credits: EverythingFerns
#15 For The Last 17 Years I've Been Rearranging These Pigs At My Mom's House Into Naughty Poses And Every Time She Notices That I Moved Them, She Puts Them Back
Neither of us have ever said a word to the other about it.
Image credits: the_chosen_ginger
One of my friends has a 23-year-old son who is on a mission to turn his body into a walking work of art. A moving Sistine Chapel, if you will… He currently has 18 tattoos - and counting. And she’s okay with that. Afterall, she also has a few. Albeit only four small ones. When it comes to getting inked, she only has one rule for her grown up child: “no face tattoos or I’ll kick you out of the house”.
Not too long ago, her son went for his umpteenth tattoo. He arrived back home while my friend was in the middle of a (remote) work meeting and flashed his newly inked arm. He’d had the words “Respect, Trust, Loyalty” etched forever into his skin. She silently gestured how much loved it and continued her meeting.
Her son then casually removed his cap, to reveal the words TRUST emblazoned across his forehead in big, bold letters. Needless to say, my friend’s meeting came to an abrupt halt as she flew out of the chair and lunged towards him, shouting profanities that we’d rather not repeat here.
My friend later told me it took her about ten seconds to realize she’d been pranked and another one minute to fully calm down. Today, they laugh about it “all the time”.
#16 Amongst My Dad's Christmas Decorations Is A Set Of Porcelain Angels In A Box Marked "Christmas Angles"
We've giggled about this misspelling for years, so I finally made him the "Christmas Angles" he deserves this season.
Image credits: Thepolomarcos
#17 Whenever I Ask My Dad What Time It Is, He Says "2", Followed By A Brief Pause - "Too Late!" Or "Too Early!", So I Made Him This Clock
Image credits: iliketobuildstuf74
#18 My Parents Left This Photo Frame Empty For Too Long, So I Decided To Fill It
Image credits: Narraboth
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word “prank” has been around since the late 1500s. But back then, it had a much more sinister meaning to what we know today.
The dictionary states: “A prank was once more serious than it is now, not a practical joke nor a piece of mischief but rather some wicked or malicious act. For example, the 17th-century biblical commentator John Trapp described a person’s murder of their brother and sister as ‘lewd pranks’.”
#19 My Mother-In-Law Cherishes All Of The Photos I Send To Her Digital Photo Frame. She Tells Me That She Checks For New Pictures Every Morning. Just Added A New One
Image credits: mmmcake
#20 My Sister's Gift For Our Recently Divorced Mom
Image credits: Artarded_Remote
#21 Still Doing Great On Mother’s Day
Image credits: blazinlow870
Nowadays, a prank is defined as “a trick that is played on someone as a joke”. But experts warn modern pranks can still be sadistic in nature. It all depends on the motivation of the prankster - and the harm caused.
“The more serious prank failures occur when the prankster’s intent is flawed from the start. In these situations, the practical jokes aren’t jokes at all. They are mean-spirited forms of social aggression, bullying, harassment, and exclusion,” said Pike.
#22 Then And Now Pictures I Recreated For A Mother's Day Gift
Image credits: LukeNuts
#23 My Dad Got A New Printer, And Turns Out That It Has An Email Address That You Can Send Stuff For It To Print Out. Decided To Give Him A Little Scare
Image credits: titaniumcobra75
#24 I Bought My Parents A TV For Christmas, But Will Think It’s Something Else At First
Image credits: chicoquadcore
“When humor is used skillfully, it can serve as a non-aggressive reminder that one may have a different opinion or perspective about a certain social question,” said Polimeni.
“However, pranks can often be selfish since they frequently provide a disproportionate sense of pleasure for the creators of the prank, and usually less joy for the target. Having said this, some individuals enjoy the attention, especially if the prank is mostly harmless,” he added.
#25 Finally Got A Picture Of It. There's Another One On The Opposite Side Of The Building
Image credits: LilithMey
#26 My Dad Complains About Doing Dishes, So My Sister Made Him A Dish Sponge Cake For Father's Day
It's regular yellow cake with blueberry and lime.
Image credits: TheCalmPirateRoberts
#27 My Dad Was Adamant That We Not Get Him A Cake For His Birthday, But He Eats Tomatoes Like Candy, So This Is What My Brother Came Up With
Image credits: Kamots66
#28 Gave My Dad A Really Heartfelt Card This Year
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#29 My Mom Put Me In Charge Of The Thanksgiving Centerpiece This Year
Image credits: NOVApls
#30 My Dad Said He Just Wanted Old Pictures Of His Kids For His Birthday. We Gave Him One Extra
Image credits: PrettyDirty
#31 Told My Mom To Cancel Brother’s Senior Pictures Appointment, I Can Do It For Free
Image credits: its_knighttime
#32 I Replaced The Old Family Photo In My Mom's House With This. I'm Still Waiting For Her To Notice
Image credits: aidN
#33 My Dad Is A Huge Golden State Fan, My Husband Is Not. This Is What My Father Woke Up To This Morning After A Raptors Win
Image credits: emdot19
#34 Someone Had To Take The Family Reunion Photo, But To My Credit, You Can Barely Notice The Photoshop
Image credits: Lugozi
#35 My Mom Told Me To Make Something Nice To Wear For Thanksgiving. I Think I Nailed It
Image credits: josiemarcellino
#36 It Was My Dad's Birthday Today. We Didn't Have The Right Numbers, So We Got Creative
Image credits: Lvl_69_Mafia_Boss
#37 Parents Asked Me To House Sit For Them While They're Out Of Town. Sent Them This Today
Image credits: TrueTriage
#38 I've Been Hiding Pictures Of My Dad Around The House. This One's My Favorite
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#39 Friend Of Mine Bought This For His Dad
Image credits: Paperclip902
#40 My Mother's Day Card This Year
Image credits: Tyrone_Esquire
#41 Heartfelt Letter From My Brother To My Parents
Image credits: Zoe-PhD
#42 Set Up My Mom’s Updated TV System Yesterday
Image credits: GreasedLlama
#43 After Years Of Pictures From Our Dad Posing With Trophy Deer, My Brother One-Upped Him With This Beauty
Image credits: Dr_Delectable
#44 Parents Told Me To Keep An Eye On Their House While They Were Gone. I Photoshopped And Sent Them This
Image credits: Rskingen
#45 My Brothers And I Decided To Recreate Our Mother's Favorite Photo Of Us For Mother's Day, 20 Years Apart
Image credits: TheHeavensWillBurn
#46 My Mom Complained I Never Use Her Housewarming Gift
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#47 The Card I Got My Dad For His 69th Birthday. He Loved It
Image credits: chaostrulyreigns
#48 My Girlfriend Creatively Rearranged Her Parents' Wall Quote After The Dog Destroyed Her Shoes
Image credits: anonymouscamel
#49 With Father’s Day Approaching, Don’t Forget To Buy Dad The Bouquet He’s Always Wanted
Image credits: Apdski24
#50 Embarrased My Mom At The Airport With This Sign
Image credits: LA-Roca
