Harmless Halloween Pranks to Play on Your Friends

Scaring someone by spooking them when they least expect it (like jumping from behind a bush or making a loud noise) is one of the oldest pranks in the history of all Halloween pranks.

That's right, pranks are as much a part of Halloween as any other tradition, and if there's anything that gets people excited other than trick-or-treating, it's these Halloween pranks. The excitement ensues because it's an activity that everyone can participate in―the kids and the adults alike.

While playing pranks might mark an important Halloween tradition, it has to be understood that these pranks are to have a harmless approach and treatment. Halloween might be all about weird traditions and practices, but anything that causes harm and destruction to people and property is a complete no no.

With that sentiment in mind and an agenda that centers around fun, here we are listing out some of the best Halloween pranks that you can take up and have some harmless fun with.

People have always gotten some sort of sadistic pleasure from the 'egging the house' prank or the 'toilet paper-ing the yard' prank. But that's just it―it is extremely mean and downright distasteful. We have something similar for you but it is miles away from being mean or harmful.

So what you do is buy some cardboard paper in different colors, and then cut out round discs from the same. Make these medium-sized so that they can be seen from a distance. Then, using a double-sided tape, stick these discs all over your victim's outside walls in the dead of the night.

When they wake up the next morning, oh, what a pleasant jolt of surprise will be waiting―like a house that has chickenpox; and you will be watching it all from a distance ... along with all the neighbors.

Note: Make sure that the tape is not of the very sticky variety. You do not want to chip off the paint while they try to remove these.

This one is a great trick to play on the kids who come trick-or-treating. When the doorbell rings, open the door and say something on the lines of 'I have run out of candy, but let me just see if I find something for you'.

Then step away from the door and make sounds of going through things in a drawer. Come back after 20-30 seconds have passed with a whole lot of assorted junk like an old toothbrush, a broken comb, a dirty rag, a broken toy, etc. and then putting on a very 'pleased with yourself' expression, ask 'Who wants what'.

It will be so much fun seeing the aghast, shocked, confused, and angry expressions of the kids. Hold on to this act as long as you can, until they start to leave and then offer the kids the real candy treat.

Turn the tables around this Halloween and have some great laughs. So what you do is dress up in your Halloween costume and go door to door for your trick-or-treating, just like you always do ... right? Wrong.

When you knock on the door for your 'trick-or-treat' and the neighbor answers the door, you give them candy instead and watch the confusion clearly plastered on their face. Of course, after you've had a good laugh, take your treat in return.

This trick can only be used on the pizza delivery guy, but it's a whole lot of fun just the same. So, on Halloween, order a pizza and time it such that the delivery will be right around the time of trick-or-treating. When the delivery guy shows up, open the door and give him some candy, then compliment him on the 'costume' he's wearing.

He will be very confused, no doubt, and should say something on the lines of 'You ordered a pizza', to which you reply 'Wow! You're doing a great impression of a pizza guy, most people just take the candy and leave.' Then take the box and shut the door while saying 'Happy Halloween'. Open the door in 5 seconds and have a good laugh while you pay for pizza.

This one is a very easy prank to pull off. Gather a group of friends and go trick-or-treating with them. But instead of carrying bags to collect the candy, take along hymn books.

Yell trick-or-treat at the door, and when they open the same to give you the candy, begin singing Christmas carols. The confusion on the home owner's face will be priceless. For added effect, you can even dress up in winter garb.

Use a cheap bowl made of plastic or foil for this prank. Make a hole in the bottom of the bowl, just big enough to fit a hand through it. Use a plastic glove and decorate it in a gory manner like blood dripping. Place your hand inside the glove and then add candy into the bowl so that it covers the hand.

When the kids come over, offer them the bowl to choose the candy. When they place their hand inside the bowl to take the candy, slowly grab their hand and then watch them screech with shock.

Note: It's probably best if you use this trick with slightly older children for the shock factor involved.

You will need the assistance of a friend to successfully complete this prank. Invite friend 'A' over and while he's sitting, pretend like you're busy with something and ask him in an offhand manner to switch on the light switch in the room/corridor (somewhere where it is dark).

In the meantime, ask friend 'B' to dip his hands in ice-cold water and wait for your signal. When you ask friend 'A' to switch on the switch, friend 'B' has to place his hand covering the switch, so that when friend 'A' touches the board, all he'll feel is an icy cold texture. The scream should be proof enough of how successful the trick was.

Ask your friend to be a part of this prank, someone whom nobody from your usual social circle has met before―tie him up and ask him to be in the basement. Call another friend over. Pretend like you're busy with something and ask them to get you something from the basement.

When they go down and see someone tied, they will run up to tell you about it, at which point you deny any such occurrence completely and vehemently.

Note: Make sure that your tied up friend in the basement is able to free himself in case anything goes awry like the other friend freaking out and calling the police instead of running to you.

Use a piece of cardboard and using glow-in-the-dark paint draw a pair of evil eyes on it. Then use another cardboard piece to simply cover and open the eyes by taking it over the evil eyes cardboard.

This prop can be used in a number of settings―when the kids come trick-or-treating, you can hide in the bushes or when a colleague is using the washroom, you can scare them like such.

Here's a really funny prank (for you) and scary prank (for them) to play on someone, ideal if it's a roommate or your sibling (anyone you share the room with) so that you get to see the action unfold. What you do is fill a cup with dried peas and then pour hot water in the cup.

Put this cup in a plate and wrap it with foil paper. Place the plate under your roommate's bed just before he/she goes off to sleep. As the peas begin to expand, they will fly out of the cup and strike against the tin foil covering, making a weird noise while this happens. In the dead of the night, that is bound to scare or at least alarm them plenty.

Play this trick on someone who is good with computers. Change your laptop settings such that the start up noise is replaced by a loud scream. Once this is in place, ask your friend to check why your computer is behaving strangely when you switch it on. Their curiosity will get the better of them and get you a good laugh in the bargain.

Here's a great trick to play on just about anyone. For this one, you need to be inside a room. Next, tie a fishing line to a rubber snake and attach it on the door; then, sit in the room and ask the victim to come in. As soon as they open the door, the snake will slither forward and if you're lucky, a blood-curdling scream will follow.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you ensure that you have a really fruitful Halloween this year round. With so many pranks up your kitty, there's no doubt it will be. Use these well, and have a good laugh.