250+ of the best riddles for kids

Here’s to the parents pulling out riddles while stuck in traffic, the teachers turning them into brain breaks between lessons, and the babysitters using them to win a bit of street cred. We see you.

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Riddles are quick, screen-free and, in great news, don’t require you to set anything up, cut anything out, or clean anything later.

Here’s a stash of 300 (yes, 300) riddles for kids to keep in your back pocket for a rainy day.

Easy riddles for beginners (Ages 4–7)

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These are short and simple, using everyday concepts. Great for first-time riddlers.

1. What has hands but can’t clap?
   A clock.
2. What gets wetter the more it dries?
   A towel.
3. What has four legs but doesn’t walk?
   A chair.
4. I’m tall when I’m young, short when I’m old. What am I?
   A candle.
5. What belongs to you but others use more than you do?
   Your name.
6. What has to be broken before you use it?
   An egg.
7. What can you catch but not throw?
   A cold.
8. What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?
   A clock.
9. What’s full of holes but holds water?
   A sponge.
10. What has a neck but no head?
    A bottle.
11. What’s brown and sticky?
    A stick.
12. What has one eye but can’t see?
    A needle.
13. What has ears but doesn’t hear?
    A cornfield.
14. What kind of tree fits in your hand?
    A palm tree.
15. What has a tail and a head but no body?
    A coin.
16. What comes down but never goes up?
    Rain.
17. What’s black and white and read all over?
    A newspaper.
18. What’s always in front of you but can’t be seen?
    The future.
19. What can run but never walks?
    A river.
20. What has a bed but never sleeps?
    A river.
21. What has a mouth but never talks?
    A river.
22. What has a bark but no bite?
    A tree.
23. What has keys but can’t open locks?
    A piano.
24. What flies without wings?
    Time.
25. What gets bigger the more you take away?
    A hole.
26. What word is always spelled wrong in the dictionary?
    Wrong.
27. What has teeth but never bites?
    A comb.
28. What do you sit on, sleep on, and brush your teeth with?
    Nothing — you sit on a chair, sleep on a bed and brush with a toothbrush.
29. What has legs but can’t walk?
    A table.
30. What goes up but never comes down?
    Your age.

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Animal riddles

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Great for curious minds and kids who love creatures, real or imagined.

1. What animal can you always find at a baseball game?
   A bat.
2. What do you call a sleeping bull?
   A bulldozer.
3. What kind of dog tells time?
   A watch dog.
4. What do cats read in the morning?
   The mewspaper.
5. What kind of lion never roars?
   A dandelion.
6. Why did the chicken cross the playground?
   To get to the other slide.
7. What do you call a pig that does karate?
   A pork chop.
8. What do bees use to brush their hair?
   A honeycomb.
9. What bird can lift the most?
   A crane.
10. What kind of dog has no tail?
    A hot dog.
11. What do you call a fish with no eyes?
    Fsh.
12. What do frogs do with paper?
    Rip-it.
13. Why don’t elephants use computers?
    They’re afraid of the mouse.
14. What’s a sheep’s favourite game?
    Baa-dminton.
15. Why did the owl get invited to all the parties?
    Because he was a hoot.
16. Why don’t giraffes make good spies?
    They always stick their neck out.
17. What kind of bird works at a construction site?
    A crane.
18. Why are cats bad storytellers?
    They only have one tail.
19. What do you get when you cross a rabbit and a snake?
    A jump rope.
20. What’s a kangaroo’s favourite genre of music?
    Hip-hop.

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Food riddles

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Perfect for lunchbox laughs or dinner table chatter.

1. What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?
   A carrot.
2. What do you call cheese that isn’t yours?
   Nacho cheese.
3. What’s sweet, round and full of holes?
   A doughnut.
4. What kind of vegetable needs a plumber?
   A leek.
5. What fruit teases you?
   A pun-apple.
6. What happens when you drop a pumpkin?
   You squash it.
7. What kind of nuts always have a cold?
   Cashews.
8. What do skeletons drink at parties?
   Coca-boa.
9. What do you call a fake noodle?
   An impasta.
10. What type of music do sweet potatoes like?
    Yam rock.
11. Why did the tomato turn red?
    Because it saw the salad dressing.
12. What meal can never be eaten?
    Breakfast, lunch, and dinner — because they’re times, not meals.
13. What food is never on time?
    Choco-late.
14. What did one slice of bread say to the other?
    You’re my butter half.
15. What do eggs do for fun?
    They eggs-ercise.
16. What’s a ghost’s favourite dessert?
    Ice scream.
17. What kind of food is always loud?
    A cracker.
18. What do you get when you cross a banana with a comedian?
    Peels of laughter.
19. What do ghosts put on their toast?
    Boo-ter.
20. What do you call a fast cake?
    A scone.

School and learning riddles

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1. What has a lot of words but never speaks?
   A book.
2. What goes up and down but never moves?
   A staircase.
3. What has a spine but no bones?
   A book.
4. What gets sharper the more you use it?
   Your brain.
5. What kind of table has no legs?
   A timetable.
6. What’s full of numbers but can’t count?
   A calculator.
7. What comes after a question but isn’t an answer?
   A question mark.
8. What subject do witches like best?
   Spelling.
9. Why did the student eat his homework?
   The teacher said it was a piece of cake.
10. What kind of school do surfers go to?
    Boarding school.
11. How many letters are in the alphabet?
    11 letters (there’s only 11 letters in the phrase ‘the alphabet’)
12. What’s the smartest state in Australia?
    New South Brains.
13. What’s something you can learn without books?
    A lesson.
14. What can you write on but never read from?
    A blackboard.
15. What do you do before you stand but after you sit?
    Think.

Tricky riddles for older kids (ages 9–12+)

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These get kids thinking sideways.

1. What disappears as soon as you say its name?
   Silence.
2. What word begins and ends with an E but only has one letter?
   Envelope.
3. What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
   Short.
4. I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. What am I?
   An echo.
5. Forward I am heavy, but backward I am not. What am I?
   Ton.
6. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?
   The letter M.
7. What has many keys but can’t open any doors?
   A piano.
8. What has one letter but isn’t a word?
   A mailbox.
9. I’m not alive, but I grow. I don’t have lungs, but I need air. What am I?
   Fire.
10. What flies forever but never lands?
    Time.
11. What has eyes but can’t see?
    A potato.
12. What invention lets you see through walls?
    A window.
13. I’m light as a feather, yet no person can hold me for long. What am I?
    Your breath.
14. What gets bigger the more you take away from it?
    A hole.
15. I have keys but no locks, space but no room. What am I?
    A keyboard.
16. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?
    Footsteps.
17. There’s only one word in the dictionary that’s spelt wrong. What is it?
    The word ‘wrong.’
18. What breaks but never falls, and what falls but never breaks?
    Day breaks, night falls.
19. If you drop me, I’m sure to crack, but give me a smile and I’ll smile back. What am I?
    A mirror.
20. How many apples can you fit in the empty basket?
    Only one, because then it’s not empty anymore.

Rhyme-based riddles

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Rhyme helps with memory and makes riddles feel like a game of poetry.

1. I fly without wings, I cry without eyes. Wherever I go, the cold soon flies.
   A cloud.
2. I’m always running, never still. I have a bed, but never will.
   A river.
3. I go around the world but stay in a corner.
   A stamp.
4. I begin with T, end with T, and have T inside. What am I?
   A teapot.
5. I am full of holes but strong as steel. I help you cook your favourite meal.
   A colander.
6. The more you take, the more you leave. I don’t make sense, but I deceive.
   Footsteps.
7. I come at night without being called. I’m lost by day but never stalled.
   A star.
8. I build up but never fall. I’m not alive, but I stand tall.
   A mountain.
9. I’m something you wear, but I have no thread. I sit on your head and protect your head.
   A helmet.
10. I’m shiny and round and live in your pocket. I make a jingle when you rock it.
    A coin.

Seasonal and holiday riddles

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Christmas

1. What do elves learn in school?
   The elf-abet.
2. Where does Santa keep his money?
   In a snowbank.
3. Why did Santa go to music school?
   To improve his wrap skills.
4. What kind of photos do elves take?
   Elfies.
5. What do reindeer put on their trees?
   Horn-aments.

Easter

1. Why did the Easter egg hide?
   It was a little chicken.
2. What do you call an Easter egg from outer space?
   Egg-straterrestrial.
3. What’s the Easter Bunny’s favourite music?
   Hip-hop.
4. What day do eggs hate the most?
   Fry-day.
5. What’s a rabbit’s favourite dance?
   The bunny hop.

Halloween

1. What do ghosts serve for dessert?
   Ice scream.
2. What do mummies listen to?
   Wrap music.
3. Why didn’t the skeleton go to the party?
   He had no body to go with.
4. What kind of dog does Dracula own?
   A bloodhound.
5. Why are vampires always sick?
   Because they’re always coffin.

Hanukkah

1. What spins and lands on a letter?
   A dreidel.
2. What’s lit but never burns down?
   A menorah.
3. What’s sweet, fried and eaten fast?
   Latkes.
4. Why was the menorah great at maths?
   It always carried the one.
5. What’s shared over eight nights but never used up?
   Light.

Diwali

1. What glows brighter than stars but fits in your hand?
   A diya.
2. What’s colourful, circular and always on the floor?
   A rangoli.
3. What bursts with colour but doesn’t cry?
   Fireworks.
4. What’s shared during Diwali but isn’t food?
   Joy.
5. What smells sweet and disappears fast?
   Mithai.

Ramadan and Eid

1. What’s never broken but ends every evening in Ramadan?
   A fast.
2. What marks the start of Ramadan in the sky?
   A crescent moon.
3. What’s passed around during Eid but never wrapped?
   A smile.
4. What meal is eaten before the sun rises?
   Suhoor.
5. What brings people together without saying a word?
   A shared meal.

Lunar New Year

1. What’s red, lucky, and full of surprise?
   A red envelope.
2. What animal dances but isn’t alive?
   A lion (lion dance).
3. What scares away bad luck but excites kids?
   Firecrackers.
4. What food is shared to bring good fortune?
   Dumplings.
5. What animal begins the zodiac cycle?
   The rat.

Brain teasers

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1. Ms Smith has four daughters. Each daughter has a brother. How many kids are there in total?
   Five. All four daughters have the same brother.
2. You walk into a dark room with a candle, a fireplace and a lamp. You only have one match. What do you light first?
   The match.
3. Two fathers and two sons go fishing. They catch three fish — one each. How is that possible?
   They’re a grandfather, father and son.
4. A rooster lays an egg on the roof of a house. Which way does it roll?
   It doesn’t — roosters don’t lay eggs.
5. A woman pushes her car to a hotel and tells the owner she’s bankrupt. Why?
   She’s playing Monopoly.
6. A man looks at a portrait and says, “Brothers and sisters, I have none — but that man’s father is my father’s son.” Who is in the picture?
   His son.
7. A girl has as many brothers as sisters, but each brother has only half as many sisters as brothers. How many children are in the family?
   Four sisters and three brothers.
8. A girl falls off a 30-metre ladder but isn’t hurt. How?
   She fell from the bottom rung.
9. A man shaves several times a day but still has a beard. How?
   He’s a barber.
10. A family has two sons and two fathers, but there are only three people in total. How?
    They’re a grandfather, father and son.
11. There’s a house with all four walls facing south. A bear walks past. What colour is the bear?
    White — the house is at the North Pole.
12. A man died of old age on his 25th birthday. How is that possible?
    He was born on 29 February — a leap year.
13. A truck driver goes the wrong way down a one-way street and passes five police officers. None of them stop him. Why not?
    He was walking.
14. You see a boat full of people, but there isn’t a single person on board. How?
    They’re all married.
15. There’s a one-storey house where everything is pink — the walls, the floors, the furniture. What colour are the stairs?
    There are no stairs — it’s a one-storey house.
16. What can travel around the world while staying in one spot?
    A stamp.
17. Before Mt Everest was discovered, what was the tallest mountain on Earth?
    Mt Everest — it was always the tallest.
18. What can you hold in your right hand but never in your left?
    Your left elbow.
19. What has a beginning, a middle, and an end — but no height, width or depth?
    A story.

Maths riddles

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1. Ms Smith has four daughters. Each daughter has a brother. How many kids are there in total?
   Five — all four daughters share the same brother. 
2. If two’s company and three’s a crowd, what are four and five?
   Nine. 
3. I am a three-digit number. My tens digit is five more than my ones digit.
   My hundreds digit is eight less than my tens digit. What number am I?
   194. 
4. A farmer has 17 sheep. All but nine run away. How many sheep does he have left?
   Nine. 
5. If you multiply me by any other number, the answer will always remain the same. What number am I?
   Zero. 
6. A girl has 20 apples. She gives half to her friend, then gives away one more. How many apples does she have left?
   Nine. 
7. You buy a shirt for $97. You borrow $50 from your mum and $50 from your dad. After paying, you have $3 left. You give $1 back to each parent and keep $1. Now you owe them $49 each. $49 + $49 = $98 + $1 (you kept) = $99. Where’s the missing dollar?
   There is no missing dollar — the maths is misdirected on purpose to confuse you. The $97 you spent plus the $2 you returned = $99. 
8. . I add five to nine and get two. The answer is correct, but how?
   It’s a clock — 9:00 + 5 hours = 2:00. 
9. What three numbers give the same answer when added together and when multiplied?
   1, 2, and 3 — 1+2+3 = 6 and 1×2×3 = 6. 
10. A pizza has been cut into 8 equal slices. If you eat three slices, how many are left?
    Five. 
11. What has a pair of numbers but isn’t a sum?
    A pair of dice. 
12. You have 10 fingers and 10 toes. What do you have if you multiply them together?
    100. 
13. If it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 toys, how long would it take 100 machines to make 100 toys?
    5 minutes. 
14. You spend half of $10, then give away half of what you have left. How much do you have now?
    $2.50. 
15. A man has 53 socks in a drawer: 21 identical blue, 15 identical black, and 17 identical red. The lights are out, and he is completely in the dark. How many socks must he take out to make 100% certain he has a matching pair?
    Four socks — even in the worst case (one of each colour), the fourth will definitely match one.

Simple, silly and fun riddles

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1. Why did the teddy bear say no to dessert?
   Because it was stuffed.What kind of key can’t open doors?
   A turkey. 
2. What gets whiter the dirtier it gets?
   A chalkboard. 
3. What has ears but can’t hear a thing?
   A cornfield. 
4. Why was the broom late?
   It swept in. 
5. Why did the banana go to the doctor?
   It wasn’t peeling well. 
6. Why did the student eat his homework?
   He heard it was a piece of cake. 
7. What is round on both sides but high in the middle?
   Ohio. 
8. Why don’t ants get sick?
   Because they have tiny anty-bodies. 
9. Why was the math book sad?
   It had too many problems. 
10. What has a bottom at the top?
    Your legs. 
11. What’s a witch’s favourite subject?
    Spelling. 
12. What has stripes and goes around and around?
    A barber pole. 
13. Why can’t your nose be 12 inches long?
    Because then it would be a foot. 
14. Why was the computer cold?
    It left its Windows open. 
15. What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
    Frostbite. 
16. What goes tick-tock and woof-woof?
    A watchdog. 
17. Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants?
    In case he got a hole in one. 
18. What starts with P, ends with E, and has thousands of letters?
    The post office. 
19. Why was six afraid of seven?
    Because seven eight nine. 
20. What kind of room doesn’t have doors?
    A mushroom. 
21. What did the zero say to the eight?
    Nice belt! 
22. Why don’t fish play basketball?
    They’re afraid of the net. 
23. Why did the bicycle fall over?
    It was two-tired. 
24. Why can’t you trust stairs?
    They’re always up to something. 
25. What’s a skeleton’s least favourite room?
    The living room. 
26. Why did the music teacher go to jail?
    Because she got caught with too many notes. 
27. What kind of shoes do spies wear?
    Sneakers. 
28. What kind of ball doesn’t bounce?
    A snowball. 
29. Why did the scarecrow win an award?
    He was outstanding in his field. 
30. What has four wheels and flies?
    A garbage truck. 
31. Why do bees have sticky hair?
    Because they use honeycombs. 
32. Why do seagulls fly over the sea?
    Because if they flew over the bay, they’d be bagels. 
33. What happens when frogs park illegally?
    They get toad. 
34. Why did the cow win an award?
    Because she was outstanding in her field. 
35. Why don’t oysters share their pearls?
    Because they’re shellfish. 
36. Why did the cookie go to the doctor?
    Because it felt crummy. 
37. Why don’t eggs tell jokes?
    They’d crack each other up. 
38. What did the left eye say to the right eye?
    Between you and me, something smells. 
39. Why did the banana go out with the prune?
    Because it couldn’t find a date. 
40. Why did the chicken go to the séance?
    To talk to the other side. 
41. What happens to a frog’s car when it breaks down?
    It gets toad away. 
42. Why did the man run around his bed?
    To catch up on sleep. 
43. What has three letters and starts with gas?
    A car. 
44. Why are ghosts bad at lying?
    Because you can see right through them. 
45. What did the nose say to the finger?
    Quit picking on me! 
46. What did one wall say to the other?
    I’ll meet you at the corner. 
47. What’s faster, hot or cold?
    Hot — you can catch cold. 
48. Why don’t you ever see elephants hiding in trees?
    Because they’re so good at it. 
49. Why are fish so smart?
    Because they live in schools.

Wrapping it up

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If you’ve made it this far, congratulations: you now have enough riddles to last you through car rides, lunchboxes, rainy afternoons, awkward silences, and at least three birthday party games.

Riddles help kids think differently, laugh loudly, and feel seriously clever when they beat the grown-ups to the answer. Which they will. Often. They’re also great for nurturing problem-solving skills.

So use them generously. Share them widely. And if in doubt — throw out a classic. (“What’s brown and sticky?” Still undefeated.)