The Origin of April Fools Day

Bedtime History: Inspirational Stories for Kids and Families

Bedtime History

Education For Kids, Education, Kids & Family, Stories For Kids

4.6 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 1 April 2026

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

April Fools’ Day is celebrated each year on April 1 and is known as a day for jokes, tricks, and playful surprises. People have enjoyed harmless pranks for hundreds of years, though historians are not completely sure how the tradition began. Over time, April Fools’ Day became a worldwide tradition filled with laughter and creativity. Newspapers, companies, and friends often join in the fun by sharing surprising hoaxes that make people smile. 👉 Upgrade your bedding with Quince for free shipping and 365-day returns: ⁠www.quince.com/bedtimehistory⁠ 📖 We published our first book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explorer Society: World's Fair Conspiracy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎉 Check out our new show, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bedtime Safari⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! 📢 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate via Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a shout-out! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📺⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠500+ YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Videos⁠

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Bedtime History. Hello, this is Breck.
0:11.6	If you enjoy the show, be sure to subscribe to be notified about new episodes,
0:16.0	and to get our entire catalog of episodes ad-free, you can subscribe via Apple Podcasts. Also be sure to check out
0:23.0	our 400-plus educational videos on our YouTube channel. We also have a new show called
0:28.6	Bedtime Safari, so look for the link in the show notes of our most recent episodes.
0:37.0	Close your eyes and imagine waking up on a spring morning.
0:40.5	The sun is shining, birds are singing, and everything feels normal.
0:45.5	You brush your teeth, get dressed, and walk into the kitchen.
0:49.7	Suddenly you notice something strange as your mom greets you with breakfast.
0:53.6	Your bowl is filled with carrots instead of cereal.
0:58.0	April Fools, she exclaims.
1:01.0	Then later when you go to put on your shoes, you notice they are tied together.
1:06.0	April Fools, says your sister as she jumps out of the closet.
1:10.0	Every year on April 1st, people around the world play harmless jokes and surprises on friends and family.
1:16.6	But where did this silly tradition come from?
1:19.6	The history of April Fool's Day is a mystery filled with interesting clues from long ago.
1:24.6	April Fool's Day has been celebrated for hundreds of years,
1:28.3	but no one knows exactly when it first began.
1:31.3	Historians believe the tradition may be connected to changes in calendars long ago.
1:37.3	Did you know at one time in France, New Year's Day was on the day we now celebrate as April 1st?
1:43.3	They used the Julian calendar introduced by
1:46.5	Julius Caesar during Roman times. No, it's not a joke. In the 1500s, many countries in Europe
	...

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