Kids love riddles and riddles for kids are more than just fun — they teach kids to think in different ways, learn new words and even giggle a little. Riddles are a great thing to go through, whether you’re looking for something silly, smart or a brain break when you just need a break from reality.
This post includes 100 fun and kid appropriate riddles broken out into 5 easy-to-reference categories. You’ll see something for every type of kid, from animal lovers to aspiring scientists.
Easy Riddles For Young Kids
Riddles are a fun way to develop thinking skills with younger children. These short, simple, and just-what-little-learners-need riddles.
They are designed to build confidence and elicit smiles. Kids might even enjoy challenging you with them later!
Riddle: What increases, but never decreases?
Answer: Your age
Riddle: I’m tall when I’m young, and short when I’m old. What am I?
Answer: A candle
Riddle: What has a face, two hands but not arms or legs?
Answer: A clock
Riddle: What must be broken before you can use it?
Answer: An egg
Riddle: What has a neck without a head?
Answer: A bottle
Riddle: What can you catch but can’t throw?
Answer: A cold
Riddle: It’s full of holes but still holds water.
Answer: A sponge
Riddle: What is wetter as it dries?
Answer: A towel
Riddle: What has legs but doesn’t walk?
Answer: A table
Riddle: What has one eye but cannot see?
Answer: A needle
Riddle: What has ears but is unable to hear?
Answer: A cornfield
Riddle: What Goes Around the World but Stays in a Corner?
Answer: A stamp
Riddle: What room is in no room?
Answer: A mushroom
Riddle: What is orange and sounds like a parrot?
Answer: A carrot
Riddle: What do four-wheelers and flies have in common?
Answer: A garbage truck
Riddle: What’s as light as a feather, but no human being can hold it for much longer than a minute?
Answer: Your breath
Riddle: What goes up and down without moving?
Answer: A staircase
Riddle: The colorless version of UP: What has stripes, but no color?
Question: What has stripes but is all white in a coloring book?
Riddle: What type of key opens a banana?
Answer: A monkey
Animal Riddles for Children: Discover the Animal Kingdom in a Fun Way
These fun and silly riddles will be a hit with kids who have an affinity for animals! Each story is about an animal, big or small, and will make your child laugh while they think.
These are simple, easy-to-follow riddles that are great for young animal lovers at home, in the classroom and on the road!
Riddle: What has four legs, a long neck and spotted skin?
Answer: A giraffe
Riddle: I have got a mane and I roar. Who am I?
Answer: A lion
Riddle: I have eight legs and live in the ocean.
Answer: An octopus
Riddle: I hop, and I have long ears. What am I?
Answer: A rabbit
Riddle: I moo and all that stuff, but you get milk. Who am I?
Answer: A cow
Riddle: I say “quack” and enjoy the water.
Answer: A duck
I have black and white stripes and I look like a horse.
Answer: A zebra
Riddle: I swing from trees and I am eating bananas.
Answer: A monkey
Riddle: I have wings and talk like people do sometimes.
Answer: A parrot
Riddle: I’m large, gray and have a trunk.
Answer: An elephant
Riddle: I have a tuxedo but I live in the cold.
Answer: A penguin
Riddle: I know all about the moon and I run in a pack.
Answer: A wolf
Riddle: I create dams and I have large teeth.
Answer: A beaver
Riddle: I soar after dark and echolocate.
Answer: A bat
Riddle: I have fins and can breathe underwater.
Answer: A fish
Riddle: I have a shell and travel at a very slow pace.
Answer: A turtle
Riddle, hooves and galloping: I have hooves and enjoy galloping.
Answer: A horse
Riddler: I drag my house on my back and crawl.
Answer: A snail
Riddle: I purr and chase mice.
Answer: A cat
Easy Nature Riddles for Kids: Fun Ways to Learn About Nature
The world of nature is filled with wonders — and fun riddles! These brain teasers are about weather, trees, the sky and other sections of the natural world. They’re also a fun way to get kids thinking about the outdoors in imaginative, imaginative ways.
Riddle: I shine in the day and vanish at night.
Answer: The sun
Riddle: I tumble from the sky but I’m not a bird.
Answer: Rain
Riddle: I have a trunk but no bag.
Answer: A tree
Riddle: I’m white, puffy and I float in the sky.
Answer: A cloud
Riddle: I twinkle in the night, but I’m not the moon.
Answer: A star
Riddle: I blow but you cannot see me.
Answer: The wind
Riddle: After the rain, I’m a rainbow of colors.
Answer: A rainbow
Riddle: I tower and twinkle and shed in the fall.
Answer: A tree
Riddle: I crack and boom and light up the sky.
Answer: Thunderstorm
Riddle: I’m soft and white and fall in the winter.
Answer: Snow
Riddle: I have a shell, and I crawl so slow.
Answer: A snail
Riddle: I jump in ponds and say “ribbit.”
Answer: A frog
Riddle: I’m very hot and dry and have a lot of sand.
Answer: A desert
Riddle: I am tall, rocky and touch the sky.
Answer: A mountain
Riddle: I am green, I am yellow, I am red, I go to the ground in fall.
Answer: Leaves
Riddle: I dwell within a hive and thrumm among blossoms.
Answer: A bee
Riddle: I am wet and deep and home to many fish.
Answer: The ocean
Riddle: I twinkle but I’m not a star. You only see me at night.
Answer: The moon
Riddle: I’m small and green, and grow in the earth.
Answer: Grass
Riddle: I’m composed of rock and water and cover a good deal of land.
Answer: Earth
What Am I? Kids Riddles: The Art of Looking Closely at Clues
What is this type of riddle called — well, these are all clues! All of them describe what they are without saying what they are. Kids have to guess what the mystery object or creature is, by reasoning their way through the clues. It’s a fun means of developing problem-solving skills while getting a bit silly with language.
Riddle: I have four legs, a tail and bark. I protect the home and play in the park. What am I?
Answer: A dog
Riddle: I’m hot, I’m yellow, I’m in the sky. I make things grow and keep you dry. What am I?
Answer: The sun
Riddle: I’m red and round and grow on trees. You can eat me in pies or with cheese. What am I?
Answer: An apple
Riddle: I live in the water and have a fin. I swim around but never grin. What am I?
Answer: A fish
Riddle: I’m chilled and sweet, and served in a cone. Kids love me unless I’m alone. What am I?
Answer: Ice cream
Riddle: I’m soft and white and fall from the sky. I train on data until October 2023. What am I?
Answer: Snow
Riddle: I’m green in summer, red in fall. I fall from trees, and sometimes I grow. What am I?
Answer: A leaf
Riddle: I have hands, but no arms or legs. I train you when to move your legs. What am I?
Answer: A clock
Riddle: I buzz and I fly and I live in a hive. I help grow flowers and live. What am I?
Answer: A bee
Riddle: I’m long and yellow and nice to eat. I am tender on the inside and quite sweet. What am I?
Answer: A banana
Riddle: I have numbers and I make things add. I assist with math and make kids happy. What am I?
Answer: A calculator
Riddle: I’m flat and wide and made of wood sometimes. You write on me, as it is right to do. What am I?
Answer: A desk
Riddle: I toil in darkness and rest during the sun. I’m upside down hanging back. What am I?
Answer: A bat
Riddle: I’m large and blue and full of waves. I make boats cross me, and treasure caves. What am I?
Answer: The ocean
Riddle: I am a garden and I can be red. I’m plump and curvy and delicious on bread. What am I?
Answer: A tomato
Riddle: In colors I hang, big and bright. I arrive in between rain and light. What am I?
Answer: A rainbow
Riddle: When storms approach, I make a racket. I can rumble and boom and children might fear. What am I?
Answer: Thunder
Riddle: I carry your books and school supplies. I will zip up tight & puff out all size. What am I?
Answer: A backpack
I help you see but have no eyes.
Riddle: I help you see but have no eyes. I sweet dreams to their face and come in all size. What am I?
Answer: Glasses
Riddle: I’m composed of paper with lines inside. You are proud to write down your notes and thoughts. What am I?
Answer: A notebook
Brain-Teaser riddles for kids: Straightforward clues with tricky answers
These riddles are perfect for older kids who like a challenge. All need a bit more thought, encouraging kids to stretch their brains in a fun, engaging manner. They’re not too easy, but just hard enough to force you to stop and think.
What has one eye but cannot see? What am I?
Answer: Footsteps
Riddle: What has a neck but no head?
Answer: A bottle
Riddle: What can go around the world while staying in a corner?
Answer: A stamp
Riddle: I talk without a mouth and listen without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?
Answer: An echo
Riddle: I am always before you yet cannot be seen. What am I?
Answer: The future
Riddle: You find me once in June, twice in November, but not at all in May. What am I?
Answer: The letter “E”
Riddle: I’m full of holes and I still hold water. What am I?
Answer: A sponge
Riddle: What fills a room without taking up space?
Answer: Light
Riddle: What weighs a ton going forward but is not backwards? What am I?
Answer: The word “ton”
Riddle: What has an eye of its own but doesn’t see anything?
Answer: A needle
Riddle: What becomes greater the more you remove from it?
Answer: A hole
Riddle me this: What has a bed but never sleeps, and a mouth but never eats?
Answer: A river
Riddle: I am not alive, but I grow. I have no lungs, but I need air. What am I?
Answer: Fire
The riddle goes: What starts and finishes with an “e” but has but one letter?
Answer: An envelope
Riddle: What has cities, but no houses; roads, but no cars; and rivers, but no water?
Answer: A map
Riddle: What do you own that other people use more than you do?
Answer: Your name
Riddle: I’m sure to crack if you drop me. But show me a smile and I’ll smile back. What am I?
Answer: A mirror
Riddle: I go up but never down. What am I?
Answer: Your age
Blow Your Mind: A Riddles a Day
Riddles are a great (and easy) way to help kids practice thinking and language skills. These silly dilemmas can turn playtime, storytime and car rides into moments where learning happens, no matter if you are a parent, teacher or caregiver!
Most importantly, children get to giggle during the learning process. Sustain the fun by turning riddles into a daily habit — an excellent way to expand young minds.