In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mix and 1 ¾ cups milk for about 2 minutes. It should start to thicken almost immediately. Set it aside while you work on the crust. The pudding will continue to firm up as it sits, which is exactly what you want.

Make the cracker crust. Crush the graham crackers and animal crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor. Or put the crackers in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin. Dump the crumbs into a bowl.

Pour the buttered crumb mixture into a 9x13 inch pan. Use your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup to press it into an even layer across the entire bottom. Press firmly so it packs down and won't fall apart when you slice later. Don't skip the edges.

Soften the cream cheese. Place the block of cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each round, until it's soft and easy to stir but not melted or hot. This usually takes 40 to 60 seconds total. If you overheat it, let it cool before the next step.

Fold cream cheese into pudding. Add the softened cream cheese to the thickened pudding. Use a spatula to gently fold it in until mostly combined, then switch to a whisk and beat until the mixture is completely smooth with no lumps. This should take about a minute of whisking. The mixture will be thick, creamy, and pale yellow.

Pour the pudding mixture over the cracker crust in the pan. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer, making sure it reaches all the corners. The layer should be smooth and flat.

Add the fruit. Slice your berries and bananas into pieces slightly smaller than bite-sized. Arrange them evenly over the pudding layer. You can go artful or random; both work. Just make sure the fruit is distributed so every slice of dessert gets some.

Chill before serving. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. The crust needs time to set, and the flavors need time to meld. Serve cold, straight from the fridge. If time doesn't permit, you can serve it, but the crust won't be perfectly set up yet. Kids won't care.