Every graduating class wants to be remembered by those who come after them. Senior pranks can leave a lasting impression that will be talked about for years to come.
Senior Prank Ideas
Although pulling pranks as a class is a rite of passage, it’s important to be smart about them, regardless of whether they’re done in person or online.
The goal is to come up with something creative that won’t get the pranksters into trouble, risk their graduation, or even get them arrested. Senior pranks should be thoughtful and meaningful to the graduating class.
Inside the School Senior Prank Ideas
Your senior prank can incorporate any prank you can imagine. Throughout the school, there are plenty of amusing pranks that people will talk about for years to come.
- You can fill an entire hallway with helium balloons, beach balls, hay, or Styrofoam peanuts.
- From floor to ceiling, cover the walls with post-it notes.
- The hallways should be filled with ten crickets.
- Create a beach scene in the cafeteria with inflatable palm trees, beach balls, tiki torches, beach chairs, and a plastic pool filled with sand.
- Everyone in the senior class should bring alarm clocks and hide them around the school so that they go off at different times.
- Throughout the school, apply petroleum jelly to doorknobs and handrails.
- Put rubber mice around the school.
- Add some prank announcements to the regular school announcements. Keep your prank announcements clean and light-hearted, and you shouldn’t get in trouble. Things like “all freshmen must obey the seniors” or “the class of 2015 is the best class in school history.”
- Invert every chair in the cafeteria.
- Aluminum foil should be placed over everything on the librarian’s desk, including her computer and keyboard.
- Print up small cards that say “the class of _____ was here” or “Zap! You’ve just been tagged by the class of _____. Now, your class must come up with a senior prank.” Place the cards into textbooks before everyone hands them back in. Next year’s seniors will find them.
- Everyone in the senior class needs to break into a specific song and dance at a specific time. It takes some pre-planning, but it is a lot of fun. Choose a song that has special meaning for your class. People will remember the prank every time they hear that song in the future.
- Rearrange the cables in the computer lab so that the keyboard and mouse control the computer next to it.
Outside Senior Pranks
When pulling a prank outside, make sure the mess will be easy to clean up and won’t damage school property. When you play a prank outdoors, you have an extra audience of cars driving by and children watching, so keep it clean.
- On the front lawn, write out the graduation year. To spell out the year, use plastic forks or cocktail umbrella toothpicks. If you have permission from your principal, you can use white spray paint, which will fade after a couple of mowings.
- Use sidewalk chalk to paint the year on a rock. There is no permanent damage, but it still makes a statement.
- A tree can be decorated with scarves in school colors.
- The school fountain should be filled with rubber ducks.
- Chalk artwork can be used to decorate the sidewalks.
- On the front lawn, have a slumber party.
- In the parking lot, have the seniors park their cars in a maze. To ensure you aren’t blocking buses or creating a safety hazard, check with your transportation director.
- Place a giant “for sale” sign in front of the school.
- Wrap plastic wrap around the principal’s car. Otherwise, the doors won’t open. He’ll have to use scissors to cut it off.
- Signs stating “school is closed today” should be placed around the school’s perimeter.
Graduation Ceremony Pranks
The audience for graduation pranks is larger, and therefore the potential for disruption is greater. If you can pull off a prank without disrupting the graduation ceremony, you’re on the right track.
- When shaking hands, give everyone a small object to slide into the principal’s hand, such as a marble, quarter, straw, or plastic toy.
- Put a cap and gown on a life-size doll or cardboard cutout of a celebrity.
- Send a funny letter to parents with a ridiculous message, such as wearing striped socks to graduation.
- Create a flash mob. Learn a song and dance before graduation. During graduation, one of the speakers should say a phrase that signals everyone to stand and perform. If you can get some janitors, teachers, and maybe even the school secretary to participate, this is a lot of fun.
The Best Senior Pranks Keep It Legal, Clean, and Fun
Make sure you first use some common sense when planning a high school senior prank, as there can be a fine line between what is appropriate and what isn’t. Your prank should not harm living creatures, cause vandalism or damage, permanently alter the school, or have criminal intent.
Don’t be remembered as the class with 60 members who went to jail over their prank. Check with your principal before pulling a prank if you’re unsure. As much as you do, most principals enjoy a good, non-harmful senior prank. After you’ve established your boundaries, it’s time to have fun and see what kind of legacy your class can leave.