Classroom · Brain games · Kindergarten to 5th grade

for kids, with answers

Three sets of 24 riddles. Read them right here, tapping each one to see the answer, or print them as cut-out riddle cards with an answer page for teachers and parents.

Easy riddles for kidsGrades K-2 · 24 riddles · answersShort "What am I?" riddles with everyday answers, perfect for reading aloud to young children.
Animal riddles for kidsGrades K-3 · 24 riddles · answersGuess the animal from three clues. Great for science time, a reading warm-up or a car ride.
Brain teaser riddles for kidsGrades 3-5 · 24 riddles · answersTrickier riddles with clever twists and wordplay for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders who love a challenge.

A riddle from each set

Easy riddles for kidsI have hands, but I cannot clap. What am I?Show the answer
A clock
Animal riddles for kidsI am the biggest animal on land. I have big ears and a long trunk. Who am I?Show the answer
An elephant
Brain teaser riddles for kidsWhat has keys but no locks, space but no room, and you can enter but not go inside?Show the answer
A keyboard

Ways to use riddle cards

Riddle of the day. Read one in the morning and reveal the answer before home time.
Partner center. One child reads a card, the other guesses. Swap after each card.
Write your own. After a few cards, children write a “What am I?” riddle about a classroom object.
Fill a spare minute. Keep a few cards in your pocket for line-ups and transitions.

Common questions

Why are riddles good for kids?

Riddles make children read closely, think about words with two meanings and try more than one idea. They build vocabulary and inference, the same skill children use to work out what a story means when it does not say it.

How can I use riddles in class?

Read one aloud at morning meeting and reveal the answer at the end of the day, post a riddle of the week, or cut out the cards for a reading center where partners take turns guessing.

Which set should I use?

Easy riddles suit kindergarten to 2nd grade, animal riddles suit kindergarten to 3rd grade, and the brain teasers, with wordplay and trick questions, suit 3rd to 5th grade.

Can I copy the riddle cards?

Yes. The PDFs are free to print and photocopy for classroom and home use, in color or in the black-and-white ink saver. Please link to this page rather than re-uploading the files.

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