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TheSchoolRun.com closure date

As we informed you a few months ago, TheSchoolRun has had to make the difficult decision to close due to financial pressures and the company has now ceased trading. We had hoped to keep our content available through a partnership with another educational provider, but this provider has since withdrawn from the agreement.

As a result, we now have to permanently close TheSchoolRun.com. However, to give subscribers time to download any content they’d like to keep, we will keep the website open until 31st July 2025. After this date, the site will be taken down and there will be no further access to any resources. We strongly encourage you to download and save any resources you think you may want to use in the future.

In particular, we suggest downloading:

You should already have received 16 primary school eBooks (worth £108.84) to download and keep. If you haven’t received these, please contact us at [email protected] before 31st July 2025, and we will send them to you.

We are very sorry that there is no way to continue offering access to resources and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.

6 of the best ways to have silly fun at home

Mischief and fun pranks for kids
Learn how to make mischief with clear step-by-step activities and annotated diagrams from The Mischief Maker's Handbook. From making your own prank aids (a DIY whoopee cushion!) to mastering magic tricks that will amaze family and friends, there are many, many ways to cause mayhem (and have great fun) and become a proper prankster.

Who wouldn't want to be a Giant of Jokery, a Pharaoh of Foolery, a Tsar of Zaniness, a President of Prankery or the world’s number one Nuisance Ninja?

Mike Barfield's The Mischief Maker's Handbook is packed with prank-tastic practical jokes and amazingly annoying gags which will make grown-ups groan, teachers tremble, siblings sigh and family and friends freak out – and it's brilliant fun!

The fully illustrated handbook includes top-secret DIY hacks to make your own practical jokes, exasperating questions to ask adults and top tips on how to get away with (almost) anything! Click on each image in our extract to download a printable page of instructions. 

Make a lollystick frisbee

Luckily enough, to make your own lollipop frisbee you will need to eat at least six ice lollies! Just for the sticks, of course.

Play a book harmonica

Turn every novel into a horror story with this nail-biting noise. 

Plant a DIY whoopee cushion

Whoopee cushions are pretty much the most fun you can have sitting down. 

Master the Lucky 7s trick

A trick which will confuse your friends into thinking you are either psychic or a magician. The most important thing is you have to remember how to perform the trick correctly. Practice helps, as does adopting an air of mystery as you fool your friends. 

Construct a paper water bomb

No one should be allowed to leave school until they know how to make a paper water bomb.

Present the coin conundrum to family and friends

A conundrum is a type of puzzle. In this mind-reading trick, the puzzle is for people to work out how you did it. It looks impossible, yet it always works. Plius there's a prank version of the trick (very silly, great fun).

More mischievous pranks to play on family and friends

The ideas above are extracted from The Mischief Maker's Handbook by Mike Barfield, illustrated by Jan Buchczik (£8.70, Lawrence King Publishing).