Ages 5–6 · 25 riddles · answers hidden
Kindergarten riddles work best as tiny guessing games: two or three clues about something a five-year-old can see, touch or draw. Every riddle below has a hint for when the room goes quiet and an answer that stays hidden until you tap it.
When the rain comes down, I go up! I keep your head dry on a stormy day. What am I?
You open me over your head and close me when you go inside.
An umbrella
Why it works: People open an umbrella and hold it up high when it rains, so the raindrops land on it instead of them.
I am long and yellow. You peel me before you eat me. Monkeys love me! What am I?
I grow in big bunches on a tall tree.
A banana
Why it works: A banana is a long yellow fruit with a peel you take off, and it is a favorite monkey snack.
I am soft and fuzzy, and I sleep in your bed. I look like a big wild animal, but I never growl! What am I?
My real-life cousins live in the woods and love to eat honey.
A teddy bear
Why it works: A teddy bear is a soft stuffed toy shaped like a bear, but it is cuddly instead of wild.
I swim in a pond. I have webbed feet and a flat bill. I say quack! What am I?
I am a bird, and my little ones follow me in a line.
A duck
Why it works: Ducks are birds that say 'quack,' and their webbed feet work like paddles to push them through the water.
What is orange and sounds like a parrot?
It is a crunchy vegetable that bunnies love to munch.
A carrot
Why it works: A carrot is orange, and the word 'carrot' rhymes with 'parrot,' so the two words sound almost the same.
I am big, bright and hot. I come up in the morning and go down in the evening. What am I?
Plants need my light to grow.
The sun
Why it works: The sun rises each morning and sets each evening, and it gives the Earth light and warmth.
I come in lots of colors. I wear a paper coat. You use me to color pictures. What am I?
I am made of wax, and I live in a box with my friends.
A crayon
Why it works: Crayons are sticks of colored wax wrapped in paper, and you rub them on a page to color.
I am big, round and orange. I grow on a vine. In October, people put happy faces on me. What am I?
You might see me sitting on a porch on Halloween night.
A pumpkin
Why it works: Pumpkins are big orange fruits that grow on long vines, and people decorate them with faces in the fall.
I am green. I hop on lily pads. I catch bugs with my long, sticky tongue. What am I?
I say 'ribbit,' and I started life as a tadpole.
A frog
Why it works: Frogs are green hoppers that live near ponds and grab bugs with their long, sticky tongues.
I ride on your back to school. I carry your folder, books and snack. I have straps and zippers. What am I?
You hang me on a hook when you get to class.
A backpack
Why it works: A backpack has two straps so you can wear it on your back while it holds your school things.
You make me with soapy water. I float through the air, round and shiny. Then, POP! What am I?
You blow gently through a little wand to make me.
A bubble
Why it works: A bubble is a thin ball of soapy water with air inside, and it pops when it touches something.
I am very big and gray. I have floppy ears and a long trunk. What am I?
I can spray water with my long nose, just like a hose.
An elephant
Why it works: Elephants are huge gray animals with big ears and a trunk, which is a long nose they can use like a hand.
I am round. You can throw me, kick me and bounce me. What am I?
You play with me at recess.
A ball
Why it works: A ball is round, so it can roll and bounce when you throw it or kick it.
Kids build me on a cold day. I have a carrot nose and button eyes. When it gets warm, I melt! What am I?
I am made of three big white balls rolled across the yard.
A snowman
Why it works: A snowman is built from packed snow, so it stays put in winter cold but melts when the sun warms it.
I buzz from flower to flower. I have yellow and black stripes. I make sweet honey. What am I?
I live in a hive with lots of friends.
A bee
Why it works: Bees buzz, wear yellow and black stripes, and turn the sweet juice from flowers into honey.
I am in the middle of your face. I have two little holes. I help you smell flowers and cookies. What am I?
Take a big sniff, and you are using me.
Your nose
Why it works: Your nose sits in the middle of your face, and its two holes, called nostrils, let you smell things.
Where do cows go on a fun night out?
Think about the sound a cow makes, then think of a place with popcorn and a big screen.
To the moo-vies
Why it works: Cows say 'moo,' and 'moo' sounds just like the start of 'movies,' the place with popcorn and a big screen.
I am big and yellow. I have lots of seats and wheels. I pick kids up and take them to school. What am I?
My wheels go round and round, just like in the song.
A school bus
Why it works: A school bus is a big yellow vehicle with many seats that carries kids to and from school.
I have a very long neck and brown spots. I eat leaves from the tops of tall trees. What am I?
I am the tallest animal in the world.
A giraffe
Why it works: Giraffes have super long necks and spotted coats, and their long necks let them reach leaves high up in trees.
I can be red, green or yellow. I grow on trees. I'm crunchy, and you might bring me to your teacher. What am I?
You can bake me into a pie or squeeze me into juice.
An apple
Why it works: Apples are crunchy fruits that grow on trees in red, green or yellow, and they are a famous gift for teachers.
I come out when the sun shines after the rain. I am a big curve of colors across the sky. What am I?
My colors go red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
A rainbow
Why it works: When sunlight shines through raindrops, the light splits into colors that make a curved stripe in the sky.
I wag my tail when I am happy. I say woof! I love to fetch a stick. What am I?
I am a pet who loves going for walks on a leash.
A dog
Why it works: Dogs bark 'woof,' wag their tails when they are happy, and love to chase a stick and bring it back.
I start out as a tiny caterpillar. Then I grow colorful wings. I flutter from flower to flower. What am I?
My wings can have bright colors and pretty spots.
A butterfly
Why it works: A caterpillar changes into a butterfly, which has colorful wings and visits flowers to sip their sweet juice.
I am cold and sweet. You can lick me from a cone. On a hot day, I drip and melt! What am I?
I come in flavors like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, sometimes with sprinkles on top.
Ice cream
Why it works: Ice cream is a frozen treat, so warm summer air melts it fast if you do not eat it quickly.
I say baa. My coat is soft, fluffy wool. In spring, the farmer gives me a haircut! What am I?
Some people count me jumping over a fence to help them fall asleep.
A sheep
Why it works: Sheep say 'baa' and grow thick wool, which farmers clip off in spring to make yarn for sweaters.