Riddles for kids

Kids' riddles need to be solvable. A riddle a child cannot get is just an adult being smug, and they know it.

Sixty below, split by age, all clean, all with the answer next to them so you can read them out one handed.

Ages 4 to 6

• I have four legs but cannot walk. What am I? - A chair.
• I am yellow, curved and monkeys love me. What am I? - A banana.
• I say moo and give you milk. What am I? - A cow.
• I am in the sky in the day and very bright. What am I? - The sun.
• You wear me on your feet in the rain. What am I? - Wellies.
• I have a shell and move very slowly. What am I? - A snail.
• I am cold, white and fall in winter. What am I? - Snow.
• You sleep on me every night. What am I? - A bed.
• I have a trunk but I am not a tree. What am I? - An elephant.
• I go up and down but never move. What am I? - Stairs.

Ages 7 to 9

• What has a head, a tail, but no body? - A coin.
• What has hands but cannot clap? - A clock.
• What gets wetter as it dries? - A towel.
• What has one eye but cannot see? - A needle.
• What kind of tree fits in your hand? - A palm tree.
• What has a bed but never sleeps? - A river.
• What has ears but cannot hear? - A field of corn.
• What runs all around the garden but never moves? - A fence.
• What has a ring but no finger? - A telephone.
• What is easy to lift but hard to throw? - A feather.
• What can you break without touching it? - A promise.
• What has a spine but no bones? - A book.
• What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years? - The letter M.
• What has four legs in the morning, two at midday and three in the evening? - A person.
• What is at the end of a rainbow? - The letter W.

Ages 10 and 11

• I am always hungry and must be fed; the finger I touch will soon turn red. What am I? - Fire.
• What five letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters? - Short.
• I have keys but no locks, space but no room. What am I? - A keyboard.
• A cowboy rode into town on Friday, stayed three days and left on Friday. How? - His horse was called Friday.
• What can you hold in your left hand but never your right? - Your right elbow.
• What belongs to you but is used more by others? - Your name.
• What has many teeth but cannot bite? - A comb.
• What travels the world but stays in one corner? - A stamp.
• What word is spelled wrong in every dictionary? - Wrong.
• If you have me you want to share me; if you share me you no longer have me. What am I? - A secret.

Silly riddles for the car

• What do you call a sleeping bull? - A bulldozer.
• Why did the maths book look sad? - Too many problems.
• What has a bottom at the top? - Your legs.
• What do you call a bear with no teeth? - A gummy bear.
• What is a pirate's favourite letter? - Arrr, but their true love is the C.
• Why do bees have sticky hair? - They use honeycombs.
• What kind of shoes do frogs wear? - Open toad sandals.
• What did the ocean say to the beach? - Nothing, it just waved.

Browse kids' birthday cards

How to write it so it lands

• Let children have three guesses before you give the answer - the near misses are the fun part.
• Ask them to invent one afterwards. Their riddles will be terrible and they will love it.

Where to shop next

• Riddles with answers
• Riddles for kids
• Hard riddles with answers
• Funny riddles
• Quiz questions and answers
• Pub quiz rounds
• Old fashioned party games
• Rainy day activities
• Family card games
• Nostalgic quiz questions
• Garden games for a party
• Party supplies
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

Are these riddles suitable for school?

Yes - they are clean and work well as a morning starter or an end of day filler. The ages 7 to 9 set is the usual sweet spot for a whole class.

How do I use riddles on a long car journey?

Give each passenger three riddles to ask. Turn taking stops one child dominating and gets you roughly twenty minutes per round of the M6.