We can all agree that the triumph of solving a tricky riddle is an unparalleled feeling. And most likely, your child will enjoy riddles too!
There are many reasons to introduce riddles to your child. Riddles are an excellent way to stimulate a child's mind. Additionally, riddles are a fun activity that can keep children busy at home while also learning.
We've collected 200 riddles suitable for children (and adults) to entertain and challenge their brains. Try some of these out below!
What is a Riddle?
A riddle is a fun brain teaser that comes in the form of a question or statement that requires an answer. The wording of riddles is often puzzling or misleading. Many riddles have double or hidden meanings, requiring creative and out-of-the-box thinking. The answers to riddles are often surprising, so readers must think very carefully to solve them.
200 Fun Riddles for Kids
Put on your thinking caps and see how many of these you and your child can solve together. Scroll slowly to avoid spoiling the answers!
Easy Riddles for Kids
These riddles will pique children's interest without frustrating them. They are perfect for warming up their brains so they can move on to more riddles!
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Riddle: How many months in a year have 28 days?
- Answer: All of them! Every month has at least 28 days.
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Riddle: What has hands and a face, but can’t hold anything or smile?
- Answer: A clock.
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Riddle: It belongs to you, but your friends use it more. What is it?
- Answer: Your name.
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Riddle: Kate’s mom has three children: Snap, Crackle, and ___?
- Answer: Kate! After all, she is Kate’s mom. (This is a great example of how riddles can play on your existing expectations to trick you. Even when the answer is right in front of you, you can't help but follow the pattern.)
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Riddle: If you don’t keep me, I’ll break. What am I?
- Answer: A promise.
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Riddle: What word is spelled wrong in every dictionary?
- Answer: Wrong.
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Riddle: You are in a race and you pass the person in second place. What place are you in now?
- Answer: You are in second place.
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Riddle: I have a tail and a head, but no body. What am I?
- Answer: A coin.
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Riddle: What two things can you never eat for breakfast?
- Answer: Lunch and dinner.
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Riddle: I am simple and can only point, yet I guide people all over the world. What am I?
- Answer: A compass.
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Riddle: What has 13 hearts, but no other organs?
- Answer: A deck of cards.
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Riddle: What word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
- Answer: Short.
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Riddle: What is the capital of France?
- Answer: The letter “F”. It’s the only capital letter in "France".
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Riddle: What becomes wet while drying?
- Answer: A towel.
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Riddle: What has keys but can’t open locks?
- Answer: A piano.
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Riddle: What can you catch but not throw?
- Answer: A cold.
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Riddle: What travels around the world but stays in one spot?
- Answer: A stamp.
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Riddle: What falls but never rises?
- Answer: Rain.
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Riddle: I go up and down, but never move. What am I?
- Answer: A staircase.
Math Riddles for Kids
Math riddles are a great way for kids to practice math while having fun. They require using math knowledge and problem-solving skills to find the answers.
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Riddle: Grant is 8 years old, and his brother is half his age. Now Grant is 14. How old is his brother?
- Answer: His brother is 10 years old. When Grant was 8, his brother was 4. Now, Grant is 14, making his brother 10.
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Riddle: Two fathers and two sons spent a day fishing, but only caught 3 fish. This was enough for them to have one fish each. How is this possible?
- Answer: There were only 3 people fishing. One is the grandfather, his son, and his grandson.
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Riddle: Liam turned 11 two days ago, and next year he will be 14. How is this possible?
- Answer: Today is January 1st, and Liam's birthday is December 31st. Two days ago, he turned 12. This year, he will turn 13, and next year, he will be 14.
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Riddle: Mrs. Brown has 5 daughters. Each daughter has one brother. How many children does Mrs. Brown have?
- Answer: She has 6 children. Each daughter has one brother, which means there are 5 daughters and 1 son.
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Riddle: It rained at midnight, but the weather forecast for the next two days is clear. Will there be sunny weather in 48 hours?
- Answer: No, because it will be midnight again in 48 hours.
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Riddle: There are 3 apples in a basket. You take away 2. How many apples do you have now?
- Answer: You have 2 apples because you took them from the basket.
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Riddle: What can you put between 7 and 8 to make the result greater than 7 but less than 8?
- Answer: A decimal point. Your result will be 7.8, which is between 7 and 8.
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Riddle: A new clothing store has a unique pricing method. A vest costs $20, a tie costs $15, a shirt costs $30, and underwear costs $45. How much do pants cost?
- Answer: $25. The pricing method charges $5 for each letter needed to spell the item.
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Riddle: 81 x 9 = 801. What do you need to do to make this equation true?
- Answer: Turn it upside down. 108 = 6 x 18.
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Riddle: Double it and multiply by 4. Then divide by 8, and you will have it. What is it?
- Answer: Any number. If you double a number and multiply by 4, you're essentially multiplying by 8, so dividing by 8 will give you the original number.
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Riddle: What three numbers give the same result when added and multiplied?
- Answer: 1, 2, and 3. (1 + 2 + 3 = 6 and 1 x 2 x 3 = 6).
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Riddle: Zoey has a large family. She has 20 aunts, 20 uncles, and 50 cousins. Each cousin has an aunt who is not Zoey’s aunt. How is this possible?
- Answer: Their aunt is Zoey’s mom.
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Riddle: I am an odd number. Take away one letter, and I become even. What number am I?
- Answer: Seven. Remove the "S," and it becomes "even."
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Riddle: Which is heavier: a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers?
- Answer: Neither, they both weigh a ton.
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Riddle: I am a three-digit number. My tens digit is five more than my ones digit, and my hundreds digit is eight less than my tens digit. What number am I?
- Answer: 194.
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Riddle: How can you add eight 8s to get 1,000?
- Answer: 888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1,000.
Challenging Riddles for Kids
If your child did well with the previous categories, try these more challenging riddles.
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Riddle: I travel around the world but never leave the corner. What am I?
- Answer: A stamp.
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Riddle: You can find me in Mercury, Earth, Mars, and Jupiter, but not in Venus or Neptune. What am I?
- Answer: The letter "R".
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Riddle: What goes up a chimney down but can’t come down a chimney up?
- Answer: An umbrella. If it is down (closed), it can go up a chimney, but if it is up (open), it can't come down.
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Riddle: I make a lot of noise when I change. When I change, I get bigger but weigh less. What am I?
- Answer: Popcorn.
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Riddle: A bus driver was heading down a busy street. He passed three stop signs without stopping, drove the wrong way on a one-way street, and answered his phone while driving. Yet, he broke no traffic laws. How?
- Answer: He was walking, not driving.
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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: A keyboard.
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Riddle: I can fill a room but take up no space. What am I?
- Answer: Light.
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Riddle: The one place in the world where today comes before yesterday. Where is it?
- Answer: The dictionary.
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Riddle: If I have it, I don’t share it. If I share it, I don’t have it. What is it?
- Answer: A secret.
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Riddle: What disappears the moment you talk about it?
- Answer: Silence.
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Riddle: Without using any "R"s, spell a one-letter word that describes a railway crossing without any cars.
- Answer: THAT. This is tricky because the initial sentence distracts from the actual question.
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Riddle: What can run but never walk?
- Answer: Water.
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Riddle: What has a mouth but doesn’t speak?
- Answer: A river.
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Riddle: What has an eye but can’t see?
- Answer: A needle.
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Riddle: Everyone has me, but no one can lose me. What am I?
- Answer: A shadow.
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Riddle: What starts with a “T,” ends with a “T,” and has “T” in it?
- Answer: A teapot.
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Riddle: In a bungalow, everything is red. The walls are red, the floors are red, the bathroom is red, the kitchen is red. What color are the stairs?
- Answer: There are no stairs in a bungalow.
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Riddle: What can you hold in your left hand but not in your right hand?
- Answer: Your right elbow.
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Riddle: What kind of coat is best put on when it is wet?
- Answer: A coat of paint.
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Riddle: If a train is electric, which way does the smoke go?
- Answer: Electric trains don’t produce smoke.
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Riddle: What kind of room has no walls, doors, or windows?
- Answer: A mushroom.
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Riddle: What do 11, 69, and 88 have in common?
- Answer: They read the same right-side up and upside down.
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Riddle: I am tall when I am young, and short when I am old. What am I?
- Answer: A candle.
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Riddle: I have no wings, but I can fly. I have no eyes, but I can cry. What am I?
- Answer: A cloud.
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Riddle: I am light as a feather, yet the strongest person can’t hold me for five minutes. What am I?
- Answer: Your breath.
Funny Riddles for Kids
These riddles and puns are sure to make your child laugh.
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Riddle: What can jump higher than a building?
- Answer: Anything that can jump—buildings don’t jump.
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Riddle: What do you call an alligator in a vest?
- Answer: An investigator.
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Riddle: Why did the scarecrow win an award?
- Answer: Because he was outstanding in his field.
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Riddle: What did the ocean say to the beach?
- Answer: Nothing, it just waved.
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Riddle: Why are ghosts bad at lying?
- Answer: Because they are too transparent.
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Riddle: Why did the tomato turn red?
- Answer: Because it saw the salad dressing.
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Riddle: What has four wheels and flies?
- Answer: A garbage truck.
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Riddle: Why did the bicycle fall over?
- Answer: Because it was two-tired.
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Riddle: Why don’t scientists trust atoms?
- Answer: Because they make up everything.
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Riddle: Why did the math book look sad?
- Answer: Because it had too many problems.
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Riddle: Why can’t you give Elsa a balloon?
- Answer: Because she will let it go.
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Riddle: What do you call fake spaghetti?
- Answer: An impasta.
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Riddle: What has ears but cannot hear?
- Answer: Corn.
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Riddle: What kind of tree fits in your hand?
- Answer: A palm tree.
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Riddle: Why was the computer cold?
- Answer: Because it left its Windows open.
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Riddle: What has one head, one foot, and four legs?
- Answer: A bed.
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Riddle: What do you call a sleeping bull?
- Answer: A bulldozer.
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Riddle: What do you call a bear with no teeth?
- Answer: A gummy bear.
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Riddle: What is brown and sticky?
- Answer: A stick.
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Riddle: Why are teddy bears never hungry?
- Answer: Because they are always stuffed.
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Riddle: What did one plate say to the other plate?
- Answer: Lunch is on me.
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Riddle: How do you make a tissue dance?
- Answer: Put a little boogie in it.
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Riddle: Why don’t skeletons fight each other?
- Answer: They don’t have the guts.
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Riddle: What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?
- Answer: A carrot.
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Riddle: What’s black and white and read all over?
- Answer: A newspaper.
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Riddle: What do you call a fish with no eyes?
- Answer: Fsh.
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Riddle: Why did the scarecrow become a successful neurosurgeon?
- Answer: Because he was outstanding in his field.
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Riddle: Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants?
- Answer: In case he got a hole in one.
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Riddle: How do you catch a squirrel?
- Answer: Climb up in a tree and act like a nut.
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Riddle: Why did the student eat his homework?
- Answer: Because his teacher told him it was a piece of cake.
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Riddle: What kind of music do mummies listen to?
- Answer: Wrap music.
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Riddle: How do cows stay up to date with current events?
- Answer: They read the moos-paper.
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Riddle: What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
- Answer: Frostbite.
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Riddle: Why did the banana go to the doctor?
- Answer: Because it wasn’t peeling well.
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Riddle: How does a penguin build its house?
- Answer: Igloos it together.
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Riddle: What kind of bird works at a construction site?
- Answer: A crane.
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Riddle: Why don’t you ever see elephants hiding in trees?
- Answer: Because they’re so good at it.
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Riddle: Why did the chicken go to the seance?
- Answer: To talk to the other side.
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Riddle: What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence?
- Answer: Time to fix the fence.
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Riddle: What did one hat say to the other hat? - Answer: You stay here, I’ll go on ahead.
Animal Riddles for Kids
Children love animals. Here are some of the best animal-themed riddles for kids. Let’s start with some easy ones:
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Riddle: What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening? - Answer: A human (crawls as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and uses a cane in old age).
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Riddle: What has a trunk and four legs? - Answer: An elephant.
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Riddle: I am white and black and full of surprise. What am I? - Answer: A zebra.
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Riddle: What animal can you always find at a baseball game? - Answer: A bat.
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Riddle: What do you call an animal that sings? - Answer: A turtle (because it can carry a tune).
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Riddle: What is as big as an elephant but weighs nothing? - Answer: An elephant's shadow.
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Riddle: What kind of fish chases a mouse? - Answer: A catfish.
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Riddle: What is the biggest ant in the world? - Answer: An elephant.
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Riddle: What do you call a cow with no legs? - Answer: Ground beef.
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Riddle: What do you call a bear caught in the rain? - Answer: A drizzly bear.
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Riddle: What is a cat’s favorite color? - Answer: Purrr-ple.
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Riddle: Why did the bird go to the hospital? - Answer: To get tweetment.
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Riddle: What do you call an alligator wearing a vest? - Answer: An investigator.
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Riddle: Why did the lobster blush? - Answer: Because it saw the salad dressing.
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Riddle: How do bees get to school? - Answer: By school buzz.
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Riddle: Why don’t elephants use computers? - Answer: Because they are afraid of the mouse.
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Riddle: What do you call a deer with no eyes? - Answer: No-eye-deer.
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Riddle: What do you call a sleeping dinosaur? - Answer: A dino-snore.
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Riddle: How do you catch a unique rabbit? - Answer: Unique up on it.
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Riddle: Why do fish live in saltwater? - Answer: Because pepper makes them sneeze.
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Riddle: What kind of dog does Dracula have? - Answer: A bloodhound.
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Riddle: How does a dog stop a video? - Answer: He hits the paws button.
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Riddle: What do you get when you cross a snake and a pie? - Answer: A python.
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Riddle: Why did the dog sit in the shade? - Answer: Because he didn’t want to be a hot dog.
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Riddle: Why do cows have hooves instead of feet? - Answer: Because they lactose.
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Riddle: What did the frog order at McDonald’s? - Answer: French flies and a diet Croak.
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Riddle: Why are fish so smart? - Answer: Because they live in schools.
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Riddle: What do you call a bear with no teeth? - Answer: A gummy bear.
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Riddle: How do you stop a bull from charging? - Answer: Cancel its credit card.
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Riddle: What do you call a bear caught in the rain? - Answer: A drizzly bear.
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Riddle: What’s a dog’s favorite pizza? - Answer: Pupperoni.
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Riddle: What’s a cat’s favorite dessert? - Answer: Mice cream.
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Riddle: What is the quietest animal? - Answer: A mouse, because it’s squeaky clean.
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Riddle: What’s the best way to talk to a dinosaur? - Answer: Long distance.
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Riddle: How do you organize a space party? - Answer: You planet.
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Riddle: What do you get when you cross an insect and a rabbit? - Answer: Bugs Bunny.
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Riddle: Why did the cow go to outer space? - Answer: To visit the milky way.
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Riddle: Why did the monkey like the banana? - Answer: Because it had appeal.
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Riddle: What do you call a pig that knows karate? - Answer: Pork chop.
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Riddle: Why do birds fly south for the winter? - Answer: Because it’s too far to walk.
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Riddle: What do you get if you cross a parrot and a shark? - Answer: A bird that talks your ear off.
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Riddle: Why are elephants never rich? - Answer: Because they work for peanuts.
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Riddle: What do you call a fish with no eyes? - Answer: Fsh.
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Riddle: What’s a whale’s favorite game? - Answer: Swallow the leader.
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Riddle: What did the buffalo say when his son left for college? - Answer: Bison.
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Riddle: Why do seagulls fly over the sea? - Answer: Because if they flew over the bay, they would be called bagels.
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Riddle: How does a spider communicate? - Answer: Through the web.
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Riddle: Why are fish never good tennis players? - Answer: Because they don’t like getting close to the net.
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Riddle: What’s a horse’s favorite state? - Answer: Neigh-braska.
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Riddle: Why are frogs so happy? - Answer: Because they eat whatever bugs them.
Holiday Riddles for Kids
Perfect for the festive season or for adding a bit of holiday cheer, these riddles are themed around popular holidays.
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Riddle: I am something you will see in the sky. I am made of water, but I am not the sea. What am I? - Answer: A cloud.
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Riddle: What has to be broken before you can use it? - Answer: An egg.
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Riddle: What has one head, one foot, and four legs? - Answer: A bed.
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Riddle: What has a neck but no head? - Answer: A bottle.
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Riddle: What can travel around the world while staying in a corner? - Answer: A stamp.
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Riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they? - Answer: Footsteps.
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Riddle: What has keys but can’t open locks? - Answer: A piano.
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Riddle: What has hands but can’t clap? - Answer: A clock.
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Riddle: What has a heart that doesn’t beat? - Answer: An artichoke.
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Riddle: What is full of holes but still holds water? - Answer: A sponge.
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Riddle: I’m not alive, but I can grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air. What am I? - Answer: Fire.
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Riddle: What has teeth but can’t bite? - Answer: A comb.
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Riddle: What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years? - Answer: The letter “M”.
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Riddle: I’m tall when I’m young, and I’m short when I’m old. What am I? - Answer: A candle.
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Riddle: What has four fingers and a thumb but isn’t alive? - Answer: A glove.
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Riddle: The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it? - Answer: Darkness.
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Riddle: What gets wetter as it dries? - Answer: A towel.
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Riddle: What can you hold in your left hand but not in your right? - Answer: Your right elbow.
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Riddle: What has a head, a tail, but does not have a body? - Answer: A coin.
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Riddle: What kind of tree can you carry in your hand? - Answer: A palm.
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Riddle: I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold me for much longer than a minute. What am I? - Answer: Breath.
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Riddle: I’m found in socks, scarves, and mittens; I’m often in the paws of playful kittens. What am I? - Answer: Yarn.
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Riddle: I’m tall when I’m young, and short when I’m old. What am I? - Answer: A candle.
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Riddle: What comes down but never goes up? - Answer: Rain.
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Riddle: What belongs to you but others use it more than you do? - Answer: Your name.
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Riddle: What has a thumb and four fingers but isn’t alive? - Answer: A glove.
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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: A keyboard.
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Riddle: What has a neck but no head? - Answer: A bottle.
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Riddle: What is orange and sounds like a parrot? - Answer: A carrot.
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Riddle: What has many teeth but cannot bite? - Answer: A comb.
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Riddle: What has a head, a tail, but does not have a body? - Answer: A coin.
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Riddle: What begins with T, ends with T, and has T in it? - Answer: A teapot.
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Riddle: What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years? - Answer: The letter “M”.
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Riddle: What is full of holes but still holds water? - Answer: A sponge.
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Riddle: I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold me for much longer than a minute. What am I? - Answer: Breath.
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Riddle: What gets wetter as it dries? - Answer: A towel.
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Riddle: What has hands but can’t clap? - Answer: A clock.
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Riddle: What has keys but can’t open locks? - Answer: A piano.
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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: A keyboard.
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Riddle: The more of this there is, the less you see. What is it? - Answer: Darkness.
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Riddle: What can travel around the world while staying in a corner? - Answer: A stamp.
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Riddle: What has four fingers and a thumb but isn’t alive? - Answer: A glove.
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Riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they? - Answer: Footsteps.
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Riddle: I’m not alive, but I can grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air. What am I? - Answer: Fire.
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Riddle: I’m found in socks, scarves, and mittens; I’m often in the paws of playful kittens. What am I? - Answer: Yarn.
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Riddle: I have a neck but no head. What am I? - Answer: A bottle.
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Riddle: What comes down but never goes up? - Answer: Rain.
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Riddle: What has a heart that doesn’t beat? - Answer: An artichoke.
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Riddle: What is orange and sounds like a parrot? - Answer: A carrot.
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Riddle: What kind of tree can you carry in your hand? - Answer: A palm.
Riddles can be a fun and educational way to spend time with your kids. They encourage critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. Enjoy these riddles with your family and see how many you can solve together!