riddles for kids

205+ Best Riddles for Kids (With Answers)

Young kids love to be challenged in new ways so they can prove their smarts. These riddles for kids are a fun way to target a child’s thinking skills while helping them learn simultaneously. The riddles in this list range in difficulty from an easy riddle section, to a gentle challenging riddles section, to a hard riddle section. They also vary in topics: word puzzles, math riddles, scavenger hunt riddles, etc. However, whether a child is working on super fun math riddles or searching for the correct answer to a few tricky riddles, they’re bound to joke around, have some fun, and conquer a brain teaser or two.

No matter a kid‘s age, clever riddles are the perfect puzzle to stretch their mind and make them giggle. Browse the list of kids riddles below to find short riddles and silly riddles to share with any kid around.

Riddles for Kids

Find a simple riddle or a funny riddle amongst this list of popular kids riddles:

Riddle: Soft and cuddly, I’ll pull on your heart. But if you only know my last name, I’ll tear you apart. What am I?
Answer:
A teddy bear.

Riddle: I have two hands but am unable to clap. What am I?
Answer: A clock.

Riddle: I have four legs in total, along with a head and a foot. What am I?
Answer: 
A bed.

Riddle: I have no blood pumping through me, but I have four fingers and one thumb. What am I?
Answer: 
A glove.

Riddle: I am bright orange with a fluffy green cap, and I sound like a parrot. What am I?
Answer: 
Carrot.

Riddle: What is as big as an elephant but weighs zero pounds?
Answer: 
An elephant’s shadow.

Riddle: What falls while never getting hurt?
Answer: 
Snow.

Riddle: What happens if you cross an apple with a Christmas tree?
Answer: 
Pine-apple.

Riddle: I come in many different colors and get bigger when I’m full. I will float away if I’m not tied down, and I will make a loud sound if I break in a lull. What am I?
Answer: 
A balloon.

Riddle: Which tree can be carried by hand?
Answer: 
A palm tree.

Riddle: What looks just like half a loaf of bread?
Answer: 
The other half of a loaf of bread.

Riddle: The seven dwarves are named Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey. Name the tallest one in their house.
Answer: 
Snow White.

Riddle: What has no leg but has a foot?
Answer: 
A ruler.

Riddle: I have a long trunk, but I am not an elephant. What am I?
Answer: 
A tree.

Riddle: I have wings and a tail; across the sky is where I sail. Yet, I have no eyes, ears, or mouth while randomly bobbing from North to South. What could I be?
Answer: 
A kite.

Riddle: I have legs but cannot walk. What am I?
Answer: 
A table.

Riddle: How can you keep a skunk from smelling?
Answer: 
Hold its nose.

Riddle: What has a neck without a head to hold?
Answer: 
Bottle.

Riddle: Three men were in a boat when it suddenly flipped over. However, only two men got their hair wet. How is this possible?
Answer: 
One was bald.

Riddle: There is a place where Friday comes before Thursday. Where is it?
Answer: 
In the dictionary.

Riddle: What’s the difference between a jeweler and a jailer?
Answer: 
One sells watches while another watches cells.

Riddle: What’s something that happens twice in a moment, once a minute, but never in one thousand years?
Answer: 
The letter “M.”

Riddle: What something that makes an octopus laugh?
Answer: 
Tentacles (ten tickles).

Riddle: How come lions eat raw meat?
Answer: 
They never learned how to cook.

Riddle: What’s something lazy dogs like to do for fun?
Answer: 
Chase cars that are parked.

Riddle: Where do cows travel on business trips?
Answer: 
Moo York.

Riddle: Mickey Mouse decided to become an astronaut. Why is this?
Answer:
He wanted to visit Pluto.

Riddle: Bees hum all the time. Why is this?
Answer: 
They don’t know the words.

Riddle: Before you get into bed, what is the last thing you take off?
Answer: 
You take your feet off the floor.

Riddle: If a white stone was thrown into the red sea, what would it become?
Answer: 
Wet.

Riddle: Which invention permits people to look straight through a wall?
Answer: 
Window.

Riddle: Make the number one disappear.
Answer: 
Add the letter “G,” and it’s “gone.”

Riddle: My pockets are empty, yet they still have something in them. How?
Answer: 
They have a hole in them.

Riddle: What do you call a fairy that has just fallen in the garbage?
Answer: 
Stinker bell.

Riddle: Teddy bears are never hungry. Why is this?
Answer: 
They’re always stuffed.

Riddle: One day, a piece of bubblegum was stepped on. What did the bubblegum decide to say to the shoe?
Answer: 
I’m stuck on you.

Riddle: The belt was arrested. Why is this?
Answer:
It was holding up the pants.

Riddle: The best remedy for dandruff is…?
Answer: 
Baldness.

Riddle: What do you call a person who doesn’t have all of their fingers on one hand?
Answer: 
Normal because all fingers should be on two hands, not one.

Riddle: With dinner, an invisible man enjoys drinking what?
Answer:
Evaporated milk.

Riddle: When the tide came in, the beach said…?
Answer:
“Long time, no sea.”

Riddle: What did the potato chip say to the other potato chips?
Answer: 
“Shall we go for a dip?”

Riddle: Despite wanting to play a game, the sailors couldn’t play cards. Why is this?
Answer: 
The captain was standing on the deck.

Riddle: If a bull charges you, what’s the best thing to do?
Answer: 
Pay the bull what you owe.

Riddle: Why is playing basketball with pigs no fun?
Answer: 
They hog the basketball.

Riddle: Which football player has to wear the largest helmet?
Answer: 
The one with the largest head.

Riddle: When an outlaw stole a calendar, what did he end up getting?
Answer: 
Twelve months.

Riddle: Monkeys love to play football in which month?
Answer: 
Ape-ril.

Riddle: Rabbits love to travel on what machine?
Answer:
A hare-plane.

Riddle: What did the reviews say about the restaurant on the moon?
Answer: 
Great food but no atmosphere.

Riddle: Why did the butter decide not to star in the movie?
Answer: 
The roll was not good enough.

Riddle: What is considered black and white but pink all over?
Answer: 
An embarrassed zebra.

Riddle: Pulchritudinous… how is it spelled?
Answer: 
I-T (it).

Riddle: What has four eyes but is still without sight?
Answer: 
Mississippi.

Riddle: When does a car become something different?
Answer: 
When it turns into a parking lot.

Riddle: Which bank never has any cash or coins?
Answer:
A riverbank.

Riddle: What’s the reason why your nose is not twelve inches long?
Answer: 
Because then it would be a foot.

Riddle: Which two things are impossible to have for breakfast?
Answer: 
Lunch and dinner.

Riddle: Which type of cup is unable to hold water?
Answer: 
A cupcake.

Riddle: Why did the bee place honey beneath his pillow at night?
Answer: 
He wanted to have sweet dreams.

Riddle: Mr. Blue lives in a blue house. Mr. Green lives in a green house. Mr. Orange lives in an orange house. Who lives in the white house?
Answer: 
The President.

Riddle: What is at the center of gravity?
Answer: 
The letter “V.”

Riddle: In the world, which room is one without doors or windows?
Answer: 
Mushroom.

Riddle: I have two heads, six legs, four eyes, and a tail. What am I?
Answer: 
A cowboy riding his horse.

Riddle: I always go to sleep with my shoes on my feet. What am I?
Answer: 
A horse.

Riddle: What kind of fur does a tiger have that people want to get?
Answer: 
As fur away as possible.

Riddle: What is the reason that dragons sleep all day?
Answer: 
They hunt knights.

Riddle: What can honk even though it has no horn?
Answer: 
A goose.

Riddle: What has a horn but it unable to honk?
Answer: 
A narwhal.

Riddle: Which two keys are not allowed to open doors?
Answer: 
Don-keys and mon-keys.

Word Puzzles

Find a great riddle below that twists words:

Riddle: I have three letters. I read the same forward and backward. I know you’ll get this answer; I know you’ll see. It’s a word that’s important to you and me. What word am I?
Answer: 
Eye.

Riddle: What starts with “P,” ends with “E,” and contains hundreds of letters inside?
Answer: 
Post Office

Riddle: What word has three syllables but contains 26 letters?
Answer: 
Alphabet.

Riddle: What is the longest word in the dictionary?
Answer: 
“Smiles” because there is a mile between each “S.”

Riddle: I am a word. If you pronounce me right, you are wrong; if you pronounce me wrong, you are right. What word am I?
Answer: 
Wrong.

Riddle: Which letter of the English alphabet is also considered an insect?
Answer: 
The letter “b” (bee).

Riddle: I am a five-letter word. If you take away my first letter, I still sound the same. If you take away my middle letter, I still sound the same. What word am I?
Answer: 
Empty.

Riddle: Which letter of the alphabet contains the most water?
Answer: 
“C.”

Riddle: What do an island and the letter “T” have in common?
Answer: 
They are both in the middle of “water.”

Riddle: Which five-letter word becomes shorter once two letters are added on?
Answer: 
“Short.”

Riddle: Which word begins and ends with “e” but only contains one letter?
Answer: 
Envelope.

Riddle: Which letter comes next in the sequence: JFMAMJJASON…?
Answer: 
“D” for December.

Riddle: How many letters are there in the English alphabet?
Answer: 
18; three in “the”, seven in “English”, and eight in “alphabet”.

Riddle: Which word is always spelled incorrectly in the dictionary?
Answer: 
Incorrectly.

Scavenger Hunt Riddles

Find a fun riddle below that acts as a good riddle for a scavenger hunt around the house:

Riddle: I’m never wicked, but I do have a wick. I come in all sizes, from skinny to thick.
Answer: 
Candle.

Riddle: Round and round, that’s the only way for me! I take with me all your laundry. No need to fret; they’re safe with me, for I only want to keep them clean.
Answer: 
Washing machine.

Riddle: Standing quietly against a wall, you rarely notice me though I’m tall. Inside, I keep many treats, so open my door, and then you’ll see!
Answer: 
Refrigerator.

Riddle: From my reflection, you will see your complexion.
Answer: 
Mirror.

Riddle: What has a ring but no finger?
Answer: 
Telephone.

Riddle: People climb me, cut me, and burn me; they show me no respect! My rings are not of gold, but they do tell me age.
Answer: 
A tree.

Riddle: What must be broken before it can be used?
Answer: 
Eggs.

Riddle: I don’t go out and play; I just stay at home all day. I’m nice, you might agree, but mostly your feet just rub me.
Answer: 
Doormat.

Riddle: Oscar thinks it’s really neat but ask another, and they will say it really stinks and should be left on the street.
Answer: 
Garbage can.

Riddle: For the movie, you shall pop some corn, and when it’s ready, the buzzer will warn.
Answer:
Microwave.

Riddle: From this pot, adults drink a lot!
Answer: 
Coffee pot.

Riddle: I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter, but you can’t go outside. What am I?
Answer: 
Keyboard.

Riddle: I am full of holes but can still hold water. What am I?
Answer: 
Sponge.

Difficult Riddles 

Find a favorite riddle below amongst these challenging riddles for kids:

Riddle: What goes up and down the stairs without moving?
Answer:
Carpet.

Riddle: In a one-story pink house, there was a pink computer, a pink chair, a pink table, a pink telephone, a pink shower— everything is pink! What color are the stairs here?
Answer: 
There aren’t any stairs because it’s a one-story house!

Riddle: David’s father has three sons: snap, crackle, and…?
Answer: 
David.

Riddle: A doctor and a boy were walking. The boy was the doctor’s son, but the doctor was not the boy’s father. Who was the doctor?
Answer: 
His mother.

Riddle: Name three consecutive days of the week without using Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.
Answer: 
Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Riddle: What comes down but never goes up?
Answer:
Rain.

Riddle: What goes up but never comes down?
Answer: 
Your age.

Riddle: What gets wet, the more it dries?
Answer: 
Towel.

Riddle: What’s really easy to get into and hard to get out of?
Answer: 
Trouble.

Riddle: What is always in front of us but can’t be seen?
Answer: 
The future.

Riddle: Where do you find keys that won’t work in a lock?
Answer: 
On a piano.

Riddle: Why did the boy bury his flashlight?
Answer: 
The batteries died.

Riddle: A monkey, a squirrel, and a bird are racing to the top of a coconut tree. Who will get the banana first?
Answer: 
None of them because a banana can’t grow from a coconut tree.

Riddle: What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you?
Answer: 
Your name.

Riddle: A man in a car saw a Golden Door, Silver Door, and a Bronze Door. Which door did he open first?
Answer: 
The car door.

Riddle: What kind of cheese is made backward?
Answer: 
Edam.

Riddle: Why would a man living in New York not be buried in Chicago?
Answer: 
Because he is alive.

Riddle: What begins with “T,” ends with “T,” and contains another “T”?
Answer: 
Teapot.

Riddle: If everyone in the country bought a white car, what would we have?
Answer: 
A white carnation (car-nation).

Riddle: Which kind of ship has two mates but no captain?
Answer: 
Relationship.

Riddle: When is a door not a door?
Answer: 
When it is ajar (a jar).

Riddle: Timmy throws a ball as hard as he can, and even though no one touches it, it comes back to him. How is this possible?
Answer: 
He throws it up.

Riddle: What is so delicate that simply calling its name ruptures it?
Answer: 
Silence.

Riddle: Who is the fastest runner in the world?
Answer: 
Adam because he was supposedly first in the human race.

Riddle: An electric train is traveling south so, which way is the smoke blowing?
Answer: 
There is no smoke; it’s an electric train.

Riddle: Even without being called, they come out at night. However, without being stolen, they are lost during the day. What are they?
Answer: 
Stars.

Riddle: What is black when it’s first purchased, red while being used, and grey when it’s thrown away?
Answer: 
Charcoal.

Riddle: Why did the person wear a helmet to the dinner table?
Answer: 
Because they were on a “crash diet.”

Riddle: What runs through towns and over hills but never moves?
Answer: 
A road.

Riddle: What is something you will never see again?
Answer: 
Yesterday.

Riddle: On a horse, Scott rode into town on Friday. He stayed for two days and then left on Friday. How is this possible?
Answer: 
Friday is the name of his horse.

Riddle: Its mother is a cloud, its father is the wind, its son is a stream, and its daughter is land. What is it?
Answer: 
Rain.

Riddle: What is taken from the mine, enclosed in a wooden case, and used by everyone despite never being released?
Answer: 
Pencil lead.

Riddle: What can go up a chimney when down but cannot go down a chimney when up?
Answer: 
An umbrella.

Riddle: Five men went to church, and it started to rain. Four men ran but got wet on the way while the one who stayed behind remained dry. How is this possible?
Answer: 
The one who stayed behind is in a coffin, and the other four men were pallbearers.

Riddle: What has a bottom at the top of them?
Answer: 
Legs.

Riddle: What is set on a table, cut, and then never eaten?
Answer: 
A deck of cards.

Riddle: What kind of stones are never found in the ocean?
Answer:
Dry stones.

Riddle: Why is the sun so stellar and bright?
Answer: 
It pays attention in class, turns in its homework on time, and is never late.

Riddle: As a man walked across a bridge, he found wood that was neither straight nor crooked. What kind of wood was it?
Answer: 
Sawdust.

Riddle: The first man is the master of priceless gems; the second man is the master of love; the third man is the master of shovels; the fourth is the master of golf. Who are they?
Answer: 
Kings in a deck of cards.

Riddle: One night, a butcher, baker, and candlestick maker go to a hotel. However, when they get their bill, it’s for four people. Who’s the fourth person?
Answer: 
The night (knight) makes four people!

Riddle: What instrument can you hear but never see?
Answer: 
Your voice. You can sing (instrument) and hear it but can never see it.

Riddle: A man was cleaning the windows of a 25 story building. He slipped and fell off the ladder but wasn’t hurt. How is this possible?
Answer: 
He fell off the bottom rung.

Riddle: Two fathers and two sons go on a camping trip. They catch a fish and bring it home, but only three people make it back. How is this possible?
Answer: 
There were always only three people; a grandfather, a father, and a son.

Riddle: Tuesday, Sam and Peter went out to lunch. After they ate, they paid the bill, but Sam and Peter didn’t pay. How is this possible?
Answer: 
Tuesday paid; it’s one of their friends.

Riddle: What has four legs, in the beginning, two legs later on, and three legs towards the end?
Answer: 
A person! A baby as you crawl (four legs); as an adult, you walk (2 legs); and then an older person when carrying a cane (3 legs).

Riddle: If a purple house is made out of purple bricks, a red house is made out of red bricks, and an orange house is made out of orange bricks, what is a greenhouse made out of?
Answer: 
Glass.

Riddle: A house has four walls. All of the walls are facing south, and a bear of some sort is circling the house. What color is the bear?
Answer: 
The house is on the North Pole, so the bear is a polar bear, and it is white.

Riddle: What is as light as a feather, but not even the world’s strongest man can hold it for longer than five minutes?
Answer: 
Breath.

Riddle: A man was driving his truck with no lights on, and the moon wasn’t out yet. A woman dressed in all black was crossing the street up ahead, and he stopped. How did he see her?
Answer: 
It was daytime.

Riddle: What has a head that never weeps, a bed that never sleeps, can run but cannot walk, and has a bank but no money?
Answer: 
A river.

Riddle: A man leaves home, turns left three times, and returns home to face two men wearing masks. Who are the two men?
Answer: 
A catcher and an umpire.

Riddle: I do not have wings, but I can fly. I do not have eyes, but I can cry. What am I?
Answer: 
A cloud.

Riddle: I do not speak and cannot hear, but I will always tell the truth. What am I?
Answer: 
A mirror.

Riddle: I hold lots of memories, but I own nothing. What am I?
Answer: 
A picture frame.

Riddle: I have no life, but I can die. What am I?
Answer: 
A battery.

Riddle: I have rivers but no water. I have forests but no trees or animals. I have cities, but no people live in them. What am I?
Answer: 
A map.

Riddle: I never ask a question, but I am always answered. What am I?
Answer: 
A doorbell.

Riddle: I was born tall, but as I get older, I become small. What am I?
Answer: 
A candle.

Riddle: I will always come but will never arrive today. What am I?
Answer: 
Tomorrow.

Riddle: Rich people don’t have me, and if you eat me, you will die. What am I?
Answer: 
Nothing.

Riddle: If you give me water, I will die, but if you feed me, I will survive. What am I?
Answer: 
Fire.

Riddle: The farther you take me, the more of me you leave behind. What am I?
Answer: 
Footsteps.

Riddle: People buy me to eat but then never eat me. What am I?
Answer: 
Plate.

Riddle: The one who made me does not need me; the one who buys me does not use me; the one who uses me does not know. What am I?
Answer: 
Coffin.

Riddle: You can break me without even coming near me. What am I?
Answer: 
A promise.

Riddle: You throw me away when you need me and bring me back when I’m not needed. What am I?
Answer: 
An anchor.

Riddle: I have no bones or legs, but if I am kept warm, eventually I will walk away. What am I?
Answer: 
An egg.

Riddle: It is higher without a head. What is it?
Answer: 
A pillow.

Riddle: Throw away the outside and cook the inside. Then, eat the outside and throw away the inside. What is it?
Answer: 
Corn on the cob.

Riddle: Its heart lies in its head. What is it?
Answer: 
Cabbage.

Riddle: You can keep it only after giving it away. What is it?
Answer: 
Your word.

Riddle: It lives with no body, hears with no ears, speaks with no mouth, and is born in air. What is it?
Answer: 
An echo.

Riddle: The more you remove, the larger it grows. What is it?
Answer: 
A hole.

Riddle: It is seen once a year, twice in a week, and never in a day. What is it?
Answer: 
The letter “E.”

Riddle: If I have it, I do not share it. If I share it, I do not have it. What is it?
Answer:
A secret.

Riddle: It loses its head in the morning but gets it back in the evening. What is it?
Answer: 
A pillow.

Riddle: It is round on both ends but is high in the middle. What is it?
Answer: 
Ohio

Riddle: You can catch it but not throw it. What is it?
Answer: 
A cold.

Riddle: It travels the world without ever leaving its corner. What is it?
Answer: 
A stamp.

Riddle: It gets beaten and whipped without ever shedding a tear. What is it?
Answer: 
An egg.

Riddle: It comes down without ever going up. What is it?
Answer: 
Rain.

Riddle: I have hundreds of limbs but am unable to walk. What am I?
Answer: 
A tree.

Riddle: It can be served up, but no one ever takes a bite out of it. What is it?
Answer: 
A tennis ball.

Riddle: It has eyes that cannot see, a tongue that cannot taste, and a soul that slowly wears but never dies. What is it?
Answer: 
A shoe.

Riddle: This type of dress is never able to be worn.
Answer: 
Address.

Riddle: Nobody can ever win this bet.
Answer: 
The alphabet.

Riddle: This kind of coat is best put on wet.
Answer: 
Wet.

Riddle: This flies all day but never leaves its place.
Answer: 
A flag.

Riddle: This wears a jacket but has no pants.
Answer: 
Book.

Riddle: This can clap but has no hands.
Answer: 
Thunder.

Riddle: This has bark that makes no sound.
Answer: 
A tree.

Riddle: This is easy to get into but hard to get out of. 
Answer: 
Trouble.

Riddle: Seven months have 31 days. How many months have 28 days?
Answer: 
All twelve of them.

Math Puzzles 

Find a bonus riddle in this list to tell a future math whiz:

Riddle: Billy was asked to paint numbers on apartments 1 through 100. How many times will he have to paint the number 8?
Answer: 
20 times (8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 68, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 98).

Riddle: A grandmother, two mothers, and two daughters went to the movies and bought one ticket each. How many tickets did they buy in total?
Answer: 
Three tickets (the grandmother is also a mother and the mother is also a daughter).

Riddle: How many seconds are there in a year?
Answer: 
Twelve (January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd…).

Riddle: How do you make the odd number seven even without addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division?
Answer: 
Remove the letter “S.”

Riddle: A horse is on a 20-foot chain, and the apple it wants is 25 feet away. How does the horse reach the apple?
Answer: 
The chain is not attached to anything.

Riddle: If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?
Answer: 
Zero.

Riddle: Using only addition, how can you use eight eights to get the number 1,000?
Answer: 
888+88+8+8+8

Riddle: You are given three positive numbers that can be added and multiplied, yet the results remain the same. What are these numbers?
Answer: 
1, 2, and 3.

Riddle: In a classroom, there are twelve kids. Six are wearing socks, four are wearing shoes, and three are wearing both socks and shoes. How many are barefoot?
Answer: 
Five.

Riddle: If two is company and three is a crowd, what are four and five?
Answer: 
Nine.

Riddle: Which weighs more: one hundred pounds of feathers or one hundred pounds of concrete?
Answer: 
Neither, they weigh the same amount.

Riddle: Mary has seven daughters, and each of them has a brother. Can you figure out the total number of kids Mary has?
Answer: 
Eight; the sisters all have the same brother.

Riddle: A, B, C, and D can make dour flower pots in four hours. If so, how many such flower pots can be made in eight hours by eight men?
Answer: 
16 flower pots.

Riddle: If a rooster laid thirteen eggs and the farmer took eight of them, and then another rooster laid twelve eggs, and four of them were rotten, how many eggs were left?
Answer: 
None because roosters don’t lay eggs!

Did you love these riddles for kids? Be sure to check out our other clever riddles!

More Riddles


About the author

Katee Fletcher

Katee’s passion for writing and fascination for language has forever guided her path in life.