Nothing is more joyful than finding the laughter in life, especially when you share it with many people. That feeling when you’re cracking up so hard, your stomach hurts, and the giggles seem uncontrollable? There’s simply nothing like it.
And nothing quite gets us giggling like a brainteaser, amusing joke, or clever riddle, especially those appropriate to share with the little ones.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of our favorite riddles for kids that’ll get the laughter flowing and leave everyone chuckling.
The Benefits of Solving Riddles
Getting loads of laughs isn’t just one benefit of solving riddles with your kids. Riddles, known as a statement or question that has multiple meanings and needs to be solved, have been credited with helping kids work on their logic and critical thinking skills, practice their vocabulary, stretch their problem-solving muscles, and sometimes even give them a good laugh or an a-ha moment when they’ve reached the solution.
Our list, which has a good mix of easy-to-answer options as well as head-scratchers that even adults might struggle to figure out, not only can keep the young ones occupied on their own when you’re stuck in line somewhere or need a quick fix to keep the kids busy, but they also provide the opportunity for collaboration and quality time if you decide to take the list together.
Tricky Riddles for Kids
- Grandpa went for a walk, and it started raining. He forgot to bring an umbrella and didn’t have a hat. When he got home, his clothes were soaking wet, but not a hair on his head was wet. How was this possible?
ANS: Grandpa is bald.
- I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have nobody, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?
ANS: An echo.
- What is full of holes but still holds water?
ANS: A sponge.
- What can you catch but not throw?
ANS: A cold.
- What can run but never walk, have a mouth but never talk, have a head but never weeps, and have a bed but never sleep?
ANS: A river.
- In a one-story house at the corner of the road, the bedrooms were yellow, the kitchen was orange, the living room was red, the garage was blue, the entry hall was green, and the sitting room was purple. What color were the stairs?
ANS: There’s no color because there are no stairs — it’s a one-story house.
- What starts with a ‘P,’ ends with an ‘E,’ and has thousands of letters?
ANS: A post office.
- Give me a drink, and I will die. Feed me, and I’ll get bigger. What am I?
ANS: A fire.
- What word begins with E and ends with E but only has one letter?
ANS: Envelope.
- What appears once in a minute, twice in a moment, but not once in a thousand years?
ANS: The letter “M.”
Animal Riddles for Kids
11. I have no sword or spear, yet rule a horde which many fear; my soldiers fight with a wicked sting; I rule with might, yet am no king. What am I?
ANS: A queen bee.
12 I have arms that are longer than my legs. I have been taught sign language to communicate. Who am I?
ANS: A gorilla.
13 I like to stay awake at night and sleep during the day. What am I?
ANS: An owl.
14 My skin is green and slippery, I have four legs and webbed feet, I hop on land and swim underwater, I love bugs and little fish to eat. What am I?
ANS: A frog.
15 The alphabet goes from A to Z, but I go from Z to A. What am I?
ANS: A zebra.
16 A rooster is sitting on the roof of a barn facing west. If it laid an egg, would it roll to the north or south?
ANS: It’s impossible — roosters don’t lay eggs.
17 A cowgirl rode into town on Friday. Three days later, she left on Friday. How is that possible?
ANS: Friday is the name of her horse.
18 What kind of lion never roars?
ANS: A dandelion.
19 What has a thousand needles but cannot sew?
ANS: A porcupine.
20 Without me, Thanksgiving and Christmas are incomplete; everyone tends to overeat when I’m at the table. What am I?
ANS: Turkey.
Funny Riddles
21 Why are teddy bears never hungry?
ANS: Because they are always stuffed.
22 Cats and Bugs have four, but the school has six. What are they?
ANS: Letters.
23 Sam’s parents have three kids. Their names are Huey, Dewey, and _____?
ANS: Sam!
24 Nobody empties me, but I never stay full for long. What am I?
ANS: The moon.
25 What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
ANS: Frostbite.
26 What’s easy to get into and hard to get out of?
ANS: Trouble.
27 What animal can jump higher than a building?
ANS: Any animal that can jump — buildings don’t jump, silly!
28 Where would you take a sick boat?
ANS: To the dock.
29 What did the zero say to the eight?
ANS: “Nice belt!”
30 What gets wet while drying?
ANS: A towel.
Food Riddles
31 What has no beginning, end, or middle?
ANS: A doughnut.
32 Although I may have eyes, I cannot see. I have a round brown face with lots of acne. What am I?
ANS: A potato.
33 What kind of dog has no tail?
ANS: A hot dog.
34 I am a bird, I am a fruit, and I am a person. What am I?
ANS: Kiwi.
35 What fruit never wants to be alone?
ANS: A pear.
36 I can be bitter or sweet, but I’m always a treat; I’m something to eat in a bar or a cake. What am I?
ANS: Chocolate.
37 I can be yellow or blue, soft or hard; I’m often starred on a burger or mac. What am I?
ANS: Cheese.
38 First, you throw away my outside and cook the inside. Then you eat my outside and throw away the inside. What am I?
ANS: Corn.
39 What kind of cheese is made backward?
ANS: Edam.
40 What has a head but no eyes, nose, or mouth?
ANS: Lettuce.
Math Riddles
41 If there are seven oranges and you take three away, how many do you have?
ANS: Three, since that’s how many you took.
42 How many seconds are in a year?
ANS: Twelve — January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd…
43 How many letters are there in the alphabet?
ANS: There are 11: three in “the” and eight in “alphabet.”
44 Ms. Smith has four daughters. Each daughter has a brother. How many kids are there in total?
ANS: Five, there are four daughters and one son. Each daughter has an identical brother.
45 When things go wrong, what can you always count on?
ANS: Your fingers.
46 What did the triangle say to the circle?
ANS: You are pointless.
47 You have a basket that’s one foot in diameter and one foot deep. How many apples can you fit in the empty basket?
ANS: Only one, because then it’s not empty anymore.
48 If two’s a company, and three’s a crowd, what are four and five?
ANS: Nine!
49 Why was six afraid of 7?
ANS: Because 7, 8 (ate), 9!
50 Four legs up, four legs down, soft in the middle, hard all around. What am I?
ANS: A bed.
Riddles for All
51 What has keys but can’t open locks?
ANS: A piano.
52 What has a neck but no head?
ANS: A bottle.
53 What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?
ANS: A clock.
54 What can travel worldwide while staying in a corner?
ANS: A stamp.
55 What gets wetter as it dries?
ANS: A towel.
56 What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
ANS: The letter “M.”
57 What begins with T, ends with T, and has T in it?
ANS: A teapot.
58 What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?
ANS: Silence.
59 What is always before you but can’t be seen?
ANS: The future.
60 I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?
ANS: A candle.
Animal Riddles
61 What has four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?
ANS: A human (crawling as a baby, walking as an adult, and using a cane in old age).
62 What goes “tick-tock, bow-wow, tick-tock, bow-wow”?
ANS: A watchdog.
63 What animal can be a sport?
ANS: A cricket.
64 What’s black and white and red all over?
ANS: A sunburned penguin.
65 I’m an insect, and the first part of my name is another insect. What am I?
ANS: A beetle.
Funny Riddles
66 Why did the scarecrow win an award?
ANS: Because he was outstanding in his field.
67 What did one ocean say to the other ocean?
ANS: Nothing, they just waved.
68 Why don’t scientists trust atoms?
ANS: Because they make up everything.
69 What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?
ANS: A carrot.
70 Why did the math book look sad?
ANS: Because it had too many problems.
Food Riddles
71 What kind of cup can’t hold water?
ANS: A cupcake.
72 What kind of nut doesn’t open?
ANS: A doughnut.
73 What has ears but can’t hear?
ANS: A cornfield.
74 What has a heart that doesn’t beat?
ANS: An artichoke.
75 What kind of tree can you carry in your hand?
ANS: A palm tree.
Math Riddles
76 If two’s company and three’s a crowd, what are four and five?
ANS: Nine.
77 What is the following number in the sequence: 2, 3, 5, 9, 17, __?
ANS: 33 (each number is one less than double the previous number).
78 If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is it?
ANS: Zero.
79 What has three feet but cannot walk?
ANS: A yardstick.
80 If it takes eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men?
ANS: It has not been time; the wall has already been built.
Final thoughts
Riddles are more than just fun and games. They offer an excellent opportunity for kids to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills while having a blast.
Whether you’re looking to entertain your children during a long car ride or just want to enjoy some quality family time, these riddles will surely bring smiles and laughter to everyone involved.
So go ahead, share these clever riddles with your kids, and watch as they not only get stumped and think deeply but also giggle and enjoy each puzzle’s brilliant twists and turns.
