Riddles for children with answers
Read a riddle aloud, give everyone time to think, and only then open the answer. All riddles were written for this site.
Nature
In summer it wears green, in autumn yellow, and in winter it stands bare.
Answer
a tree
Without legs it runs downhill, and without a mouth it murmurs.
Answer
a stream
It falls from the sky but is not rain. It is white and cold, but it does not hurt when it lands.
Answer
snow
It is round and shines at night, and every night it looks a little different.
Answer
the Moon
It has a cap but no head. It grows in the forest after rain.
Answer
a mushroom
You build it in winter and it disappears in the sun. It has a carrot nose.
Answer
a snowman
Animals
It carries its house on its back and is never in a hurry.
Answer
a snail
It sleeps by day, flies by night and can see in the dark.
Answer
an owl
It swims without arms or legs and breathes through gills.
Answer
a fish
Every morning it sings and wakes the whole yard.
Answer
a rooster
It is colourful and flies from flower to flower.
Answer
a butterfly
It has long ears, loves carrots and hops.
Answer
a rabbit
Things around us
It has teeth but never eats. Every morning it tidies your hair.
Answer
a comb
It has hands, but all they point to is the time.
Answer
a clock
The more you use it for drying, the wetter it gets.
Answer
a towel
It has a tongue but never speaks. You wear it on your foot.
Answer
a shoe
When it rains, you open it and stay dry.
Answer
an umbrella
It walks across paper without legs and leaves a trail behind.
Answer
a pencil
It has many pages but is not a house. Stories live inside it.
Answer
a book
It flies high in the wind while a child holds it by a string.
Answer
a kite
Number puzzles
How many legs do two cats and one hen have altogether?
Answer
ten: eight cat legs and two hen legs
Add the fingers on one hand to the days in a week. What do you get?
Answer
twelve, because five and seven make twelve
A mother has three daughters, and each daughter has one brother. How many children does she have?
Answer
four: three daughters and one son
Which number comes next: 2, 4, 6, 8?
Answer
ten, because we add two each time
A little more thinking
If they enjoy riddles, they will probably enjoy logic and memory games too.