Parenting

15 Senior Pranks Even the Principal Will Laugh At

ParentingPublished Feb 1, 2024
By Suzee Skwiot
cup prank school hallwayImgur

Moms of high schoolers, fair warning: spring goes so fast! It is only February but that doesn't mean that there is all that much time left for the seniors before they fly the nest. Graduation is only months away, prom is on the horizon, and Senior Ditch Day is planned and on the calendar. But there's also one more major rite of passage for many soon-to-be high school graduate: the senior prank. They're usually harmless — sometimes a tad inappropriate — but kids hope is that they will go down in the school's history.

From outrageous antics to suspension-threatening horseplay, there are plenty of crazy pranks kids have pulled over the years that very well verge on school vandalism. Toothpicks broken off in door locks or anything involving spray paint or super glue — not cool, kids! 

So parents, if you get any whiff of talk about these destructive kinds of senior pranks, be warned! Offending kids may not walk at graduation ... or worse, the police can be called and files can be charged. No one wants to see college plans derailed over high school tomfoolery.

Instead, how about directing teens to some of these less destructive, but still super creative, senior pranks that kids have pulled off around the nation. There are tons of fun, but temporary and easy to clean up, ways for the senior class to make a memorable statement at the end of the school year, without anyone having their college scholarships revoked.

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Crash Course
CumberlandWiPoliceDepartment/Facebook

Crash Course

The police department in Cumberland, Wisconsin, went as far as congratulating their local senior class at Cumberland High School for this insanely creative prank. The students used black tape, a black tarp, and a strategically placed half a car to create the illusion of a car crash in the side of the high school, just outside the principal's office. "A" for effort, kids!

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Sticky Situation
@englishwithhurst/Instagram

Sticky Situation

It takes A LOT of post-it notes to pull off this prank — and even more patience — but we love it. It makes a big statement (and easy cleanup).

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Senior Campout
@rainbows_pictures_and_love/Instagram

Senior Campout

The whole senior class snoozing on the school stairway won't hurt anyone. Extra points for PJs and blankies. And the kids in the hammock here did this prank oh so right. Go big or go home.

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The Cup Race
Imgur

The Cup Race

It's almost a work of art, isn't it? The amount of man hours that went into this piece of beauty is almost respectable... almost.

They're just Styrofoam cups (hundreds of them, of course), filled with water. It's inconvenient, but hilarious, and one of the more harmless pranks. If you're worried about the water upsetting the janitors, perhaps suggest simply putting the cups out ... no water involved.

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Goldfish Surprise
Imgur

Goldfish Surprise

Yes, that's exactly what you're seeing. They're vending machine water bottles filled with goldfish.

We're not sure how the kids managed to pull this one off — what with getting the goldfish, putting them in bottles, and somehow busting open the vending machine (perhaps the senior class manages the school's bottle machines?) — but it deserves some applause.

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Band Together
Imgur

Band Together

Not destructive — just annoying: a mariachi band following the principal for all hours of the day.

If the teacher decides to sic the band on the students, it could quickly reverse. Or, if the principal has to listen to it all day, chances are the kids will also hear it for all hours of the day. 

Still, it's one of the sillier pranks that have been pulled off.

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Fill 'Er Up
@msladybug99/Instagram

Fill 'Er Up

This balloon prank will take a lot of hot air, but it's so worth it. Fill the freshman or junior (seniors to be) hallway, the locker room, or any other busy school thruway with balloons.

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Stair Shocker
@katelynnroseyyy/Instagram

Stair Shocker

No one can go up the stairs to the second floor. No one. But when they release the plastic wrap (?) at the bottom, it'll be plenty of fun trying. Everyone can be a kid again for just a few minutes.

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Poppin' Time
@wanderinghannah/Instagram

Poppin' Time

More balloon prank brilliance! It doesn't disrupt the school too much, adds some nice color to the hallways, and is just plain funny. If the kids can get the vice principal to let them fill up the principal's office, it's a real win for the entire school year!

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Candy Caper
@constancia26/Instagram

Candy Caper

This is probably the sweetest prank we've ever seen. It's a great idea for a beloved principal or a favorite teacher with sweet tooth and sure to put a smile on everyone's face.

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That's a Wrap!
@isalitus25/Instagram

That's a Wrap!

The plastic-wrapped staircase is certainly one of the least offending pranks on the list, but at least it's punny. Administrators should see it for the cheeky statement that it is, as long as it's a fairly easy removal process.

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Car Wrap-placeholder
Car Wrap
@stdavidsphotos/Instagram

Car Wrap

If the principal's office is inaccessible, a car might be the next "best" option to wrap in plastic.

Again, the humor of the teacher should be taken into consideration. Are they "down" with the kids? Would they find it funny? Will they be upset that they wrapped it up so nicely? Just a few questions to ask before pulling this prank off before graduation.

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Maze of Desks
@rowadgonemad/Instagram

Maze of Desks

With some string and maybe a few athletes, this string maze prank looks entirely possible. As long as the kids gently carry each desk and chair and don't just obnoxiously drag expensive equipment around, this one's another fairly easy and funny prank.

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Ringing Lockers
Jesse Kunerth/shutterstock

Ringing Lockers

Set a simultanous alarm on every cellphone, leave all cellphones in lockers, and wait for the time to come. As the kids watch each teacher and administrators try to figure out just where the heck the alarms are coming from, they can giggle the whole way through this mild joke.

Best advice: Tell your kids to set one alarm and one only. The first ring is funny but the second is not. Also, make sure they're not setting the alarms off during testing.

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Foil-ed Plan
@delanaynie_michelle/Instagram

Foil-ed Plan

Get it? Get it? If the local grocery store runs out of aluminum foil all at once, be prepared to ask questions. But tell the kids to be prepared to remove the foil immediately. Better yet, have them talk to the janitorial staff ahead of time. 

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