3 PRANKS TO KEEP APRIL FOOLS’ DAY WHIMSICAL, NOT WEARY
BALLOON AVALANCHE This one requires a bit more set-up, but it’s worth it for those who wish to keep the fun and magic of April Fools’ Day alive. Blow up 50–100 balloons and place them in your kids’ room while they sleep. They’ll awaken to a huge surprise. This prank is pretty harmless, and your kids will be sure to remember having to wade through balloons to brush their teeth. LATHERLESS SOAP Speaking of a bathroom routine, you can also use soap as a prank. Coating a bar of soap with clear nail polish and letting it dry means it won’t create a lather when
April Fools’ Day can be a tricky tradition for many families, as kids sometimes get a bit too rowdy or perhaps feel like pranks are more annoying than fun. But you can keep the laughs light- hearted and suitable for all ages with a couple of good pranks tailored to help kids enjoy the whimsy of this holiday without potential blowouts.
your kids go to wash their hands. This prank encourages your kids to find humor in the unexpected and will at least remind them to appreciate working soap the next time they wash their hands. These are just three pranks for a whimsical April Fool’s Day. Innocent mischief is a great way to unite families and share laughter. The key to a successful celebration lies in harmless, heartwarming tricks that invite magic and the shared joy of familial love. Let the surprises unfold in the spirit of April Fools’ Day, and embrace the laughter!
COLOR-CHANGING MILK This creative prank is a surefire way to
captivate young minds without any mess. You can add a few drops of food-grade coloring dye to a milk carton and serve it to an unsuspecting audience. The milk will appear to change colors as you pour it into their glass. It looks magical, and you can add edible glitter for an extra dose of the fairy feeling.
SHARON LEHNER HARMONY’S HEARTBEAT
MEET TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Sharon Lehner stood out from other children as early as age 2. While other kids toted around beloved stuffed animals, Sharon’s favorite love object was a toy piano. “I dragged it everywhere with me,” she says. Seeing her bond with her toy piano, Sharon’s mother signed her up for lessons.
mission, and culture, with numerous opportunities for growth,” she says. Sharon encourages her students to combine excellent technique with self-expression and emotion in performance, disciplines she learned as a high-school student at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Camp
on his love of classical, jazz, and pop music to engage him. Another student wanted to play musical scores from video games. At first, Sharon thought the rapid-fire soundtracks must be played by computers, but the student brought in sheet music and showed her videos of Japanese artists performing them. She taught him technique, theory, and how to read the music. “I try to meet my students where they are,” Sharon says. Her favorite part of teaching? She enjoys seeing students who are shy or introverted gain confidence and learn to express themselves musically. “They have that ‘ah-ha’ moment, where they tell themselves, ‘Okay, I can do this,’” she says. “I just love working with the kids.” MnSOM has many deserving teachers who have done a great job serving our families and community, and Sharon is a clear leader on the team. We are grateful to have an instructor of her caliber on our staff.
Thus began Sharon’s lifelong dedication to piano performance and instruction. A four-year member of our teaching staff, she received the coveted Teacher of the Year award this year in recognition of her excellent performance. After retiring from a 20-year career as a private school music teacher, Sharon knew she wanted to continue working with students. Among music schools in the area, we stood out. “It’s very family- oriented, and Eric has a clear vision,
in Michigan. In workshops there with artists-in-residence, including the famed classical pianist Andre Watts, she decided on the spot to become a piano performance major in college and make music her career. At MnSOM, adapting to each of her 19 students’ interests has brought many surprises. One student could watch a music video on YouTube and play the songs perfectly but couldn’t read music. She taught him to do so, drawing
2 • www.mnschoolofmusic.com
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