This just in from the The Shady Pines Gazette. Editor and reporter, Zulah Talmadge at your service with some fun facts and activities for April Fool’s Day.

There are a whole lot of theories about how this day of celebration was started.

What we do know is that April 1st is a day set aside to play small, clever tricks on people. Now to be clear, placing salt in the sugar bowl when no one is looking is not a real trick. Where’s the cleverness in that?  A real April Fool’s trick takes thought, creativity, timing, and a bit of acting.

There are rules to this game. Your trick must be harmless, your victim must believe you, and your trickery must make your victim at least smile (or better yet, laugh) when you shout “April Fool’s!” Otherwise, it does not qualify as an April Fool’s Day trick.

I’ve been asking neighbors here in Shady Pines Story Town about things you can do to make the day special for your family and your kids. So adults carring for youngsters, here goes.

APRIL FOOLS’ DAY TALK
Take turns with your child making up silly sentences like these.  Don’t forget to say “April Fool!” after each one.

 I saw a fish swimming in a tree.

  Summer is fun because we can make lots of snowballs.

 Dad likes to wash his pickup in the bathtub.

JOKE TIME

Share some funny stories with your children. For inspiration, look for kid’s joke books or use some of these:

Q:  What do you call a dog with no tail?
A:  A hot dog!

Q:  Where do sheep get their hair cut?
A:  At the baa-baa shop!

Q:  Why is six afraid of seven?
A:  Because seven ate nine!

Q:  Why did the elephant sit on a marshmellow?
A:  To keep from falling into the hot chocolate!

UPSIDE DOWN AND TURNED AROUND
Plan simple games such as these for your child to enjoy.

Turn a few objects up-side-down, such as an empty wastebasket, a plastic cup and a small stool.  Ask your child to search for the objects and turn them right side up.

Arrange several objects backward, such as a TV with its face to a wall, a chair with its back to a table, and books with spines facing the back of a bookshelf.  Can your children find the backward objects?

Play turn-around tricks, like making a bed with the pillows at the foot instead of the head, or changing the usual seating arrangement around your dining room table.

APRIL FOOLS’ DAY DRESS-UP 
Celebrate the day with your child by trying one or more of these ideas.

Wear an item of clothing backwards.

Using baby clothes, dress a doll or stuffed animal in silly ways.

However you decide to spend the day just remember, it’s April Fools’ Day NOT April Fool’s Day!

For more about this silly day, here’s a short video just for kids from Homeschool Pop:  VIDEO 

**Leave a comment below and let us know if you like this info.