75 Best Thanksgiving Riddles for Kids and Families {Free Printable}

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Searching for funny Thanksgiving riddles for kids? Find 75 of the best Thanksgiving riddles for little kids, older kids and the whole family, plus a free printable game perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, classroom parties, road trips and family fun.

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that feels made for simple family fun. There’s good food, extra time together, plenty of excitement from the kids, and usually at least a little downtime while everyone waits for Thanksgiving dinner to finally be ready.

If you’re looking for an easy way to keep kids entertained this Thanksgiving Day, these Thanksgiving riddles for kids are perfect!

I put together 75 of the best Thanksgiving riddles for toddlers, preschoolers, elementary-aged kids, older kids, and adults to solve together. Some are super easy and silly, while others require a little more thinking. There are even a few that venture firmly into dad jokes territory, because apparently becoming a parent means accepting that those are funny now.

These are perfect to pair with some of our other favorite Thanksgiving family activities too. You could pull them out around the Thanksgiving table, during a long car ride to Grandma’s house, as part of a classroom celebration, or whenever the kids need something fun to do while the turkey cooks.

And be sure to grab the free printable Thanksgiving riddles at the end of this post so you can easily use them for your own Thanksgiving celebration!

Note: Some links may be affiliate links. That means I may make a commission if you use my links to purchase, at no extra added cost to you! I only recommend products that I personally love and believe in. Full disclaimer here.

Thanksgiving Riddles for Little Kids

Let’s start with the easiest ones! These simple and silly Thanksgiving riddles are great for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and younger elementary kids.

Don’t worry if some of the answers are obvious. With little kids, figuring it out all by themselves is half the fun!

If you have really little ones at home, you can also print our Free Printable Thanksgiving Activity Book for Toddlers for coloring pages, play dough activities, I Spy and more. It’s one of my favorite ways to buy yourself a few peaceful minutes while getting Thanksgiving dinner on the table.

1. I have feathers, I gobble, and you might see me on a farm. What am I?
   Answer: A turkey!
2. I’m orange, round, and grow on a vine. You might turn me into pie. What am I?
   Answer: A pumpkin.
3. I’m yellow, grow on a cob, and taste delicious with butter. What am I?
   Answer: Corn.
4. I’m creamy, fluffy, and made from potatoes. What am I?
   Answer: Mashed potatoes.
5. I’m red, small, and tart, and I’m often turned into a sauce for Thanksgiving. What am I?
   Answer: A cranberry.
6. What kind of key can’t open a door?
   Answer: A turkey!
7. I fall from trees in autumn but never get hurt. What am I?
   Answer: Leaves.
8. I’m baked in a crust, filled with pumpkin, and often topped with whipped cream. What am I?
   Answer: Pumpkin pie.
9. What sound does a turkey make?
   Answer: Gobble, gobble!
10. I’m long, orange, and grow underground. What am I?
    Answer: A carrot.
11. I sit on the dinner table, but you shouldn’t eat me. What am I?
    Answer: A napkin.
12. I have four legs but never walk. Your family might gather around me for Thanksgiving dinner. What am I?
    Answer: A table.
13. What do you call a turkey on Thanksgiving?
    Answer: Dinner!
14. I’m sweet, sticky, and delicious on pancakes. What am I?
    Answer: Maple syrup.
15. I’m brown on the outside, white on the inside, and you mash me for Thanksgiving. What am I?
    Answer: A potato.
16. What do turkeys love to do on their phones?
    Answer: Gobble up data!
17. I’m warm, soft, and served in a basket at Thanksgiving dinner. What am I?
    Answer: A dinner roll.
18. I’m brown and pour over mashed potatoes. What am I?
    Answer: Gravy.
19. I’m something you say when someone does something kind. What am I?
    Answer: Thank you!

This is also a great jumping-off point for talking about gratitude with young children. Our Thanksgiving I Am Thankful Turkey Headband Craft gives kids a simple, hands-on way to think about the people and things they’re grateful for.

20. What is a turkey’s least favorite month?
    Answer: November!
21. I have kernels but I’m not popcorn yet. What am I?
    Answer: Corn.
22. I’m a big meal shared with people you love. What am I?
    Answer: Thanksgiving dinner.
23. What do you call a turkey that tells funny jokes?
    Answer: A comedi-hen!
24. I’m usually the biggest bird at the Thanksgiving table. What am I?
    Answer: The turkey.
25. What holiday comes after Thanksgiving?
    Answer: Christmas!

If your kids are enjoying these, keep the Thanksgiving fun going with our collection of 15 Thanksgiving Poems That Rhyme for Kids. They’re sweet, silly and easy to use at home or in a classroom.

And for toddlers and preschoolers who would rather make something with their hands, check out these Easy Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers or make our Thanksgiving Turkey Handprint Poem Printable for an adorable keepsake.

Thanksgiving Riddles for Older Kids

Ready to make things a little trickier? These Thanksgiving riddles for older kids require more wordplay and thinking. They’re great for elementary and middle-school kids, but adults will probably have a good time trying to solve them too.

Older kids who like a challenge will also love our 50 Thanksgiving Trivia Questions for Kids. That collection mixes fun and educational Thanksgiving questions, so it’s a great next game once you finish these riddles.

26. What always comes at the end of Thanksgiving?
    Answer: The letter G.
27. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
    Answer: Pilgrims.
    Yep. We have officially entered dad jokes territory.
28. Why did the turkey cross the road?
    Answer: To prove he wasn’t chicken!
29. What kind of music did the Pilgrims listen to?
    Answer: Plymouth Rock.
30. Why did the cranberries turn red?
    Answer: Because they saw the turkey dressing!
31. What smells the best at Thanksgiving dinner?
    Answer: Your nose.
32. What do you call a turkey the day after Thanksgiving?
    Answer: Lucky.
33. Why didn’t the turkey eat Thanksgiving dinner?
    Answer: Because he was already stuffed!
34. What can you serve at Thanksgiving but never eat?
    Answer: A volleyball.
35. What should you wear to Thanksgiving dinner?
    Answer: A har-vest!
36. Why did the turkey join the band?
    Answer: Because he had drumsticks.
37. Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
    Answer: The outside.
38. Why did the pumpkin sit by the front door?
    Answer: It wanted to squash anyone who tried to come in!
39. What happens when cranberries get sad?
    Answer: They turn into blueberries.
40. Why was the Thanksgiving soup so expensive?
    Answer: It had 24 carrots.
41. What kind of weather does a turkey like?
    Answer: Fowl weather.
42. Why was the turkey good at baseball?
    Answer: He always hit a fowl ball.
43. What did the turkey say to the computer?
    Answer: Google, Google!
44. Why are Thanksgiving leftovers so good at telling stories?
    Answer: They always have something to re-hash.
45. What does Thanksgiving have that no other Thursday has?
    Answer: Thanksgiving!
46. What do you call a running turkey?
    Answer: Fast food.
47. What did one slice of pumpkin pie say to the other?
    Answer: You want a piece of me?
48. Why did the mashed potatoes blush?
    Answer: They saw the gravy boat!
49. What did the mother turkey say to her misbehaving children?
    Answer: If your father could see you now, he’d turn over in his gravy!
50. Why did everyone invite the sweet potato to Thanksgiving?
    Answer: Because it was such a sweetie!

Need even more questions to keep kids entertained? Our 80 Thanksgiving Would You Rather Questions for Kids are another completely free printable option and can be especially hilarious with a big group of cousins around the table.

Thanksgiving Riddles for the Whole Family

These last 25 are perfect for passing around the Thanksgiving table and seeing who can solve them first.
You can split into teams, let each family member take a turn, or offer a small prize to whoever gets the most correct answers. Mix in grandparents, cousins, and older kids too. A little friendly competition makes these funny jokes and riddles even better.

Technically these aren’t Thanksgiving themed, but more general family-friendly riddles. If your family loves games like this but you want more Thanksgiving-specific questions, you can turn the whole day into a mini tournament using these riddles, our Thanksgiving Trivia Questions for Kids.

51. I have cities but no houses, forests but no trees, and water but no fish. What am I?
    Answer: A map.
52. What gets wetter the more it dries?
    Answer: A towel.
53. What has hands and a face but can’t hold anything or smile?
    Answer: A clock.
54. What has a neck but no head?
    Answer: A bottle.
55. What belongs to you but other people use it more than you do?
    Answer: Your name.
56. What has many keys but can’t open a single door?
    Answer: A piano.
57. What gets bigger the more you take away from it?
    Answer: A hole.
58. What can travel around the world while staying in one corner?
    Answer: A stamp.
59. What has one eye but cannot see?
    Answer: A needle.
60. What has words but never speaks?
    Answer: A book.

If that one was a little too easy for your crew, add some reading to your holiday plans with our list of the Best Thanksgiving Books for Kids. It includes fun turkey stories, books about gratitude, and options for introducing kids to Thanksgiving history.

61. What goes up but never comes back down?
    Answer: Your age.
62. An old man went outside in the rain without a hat or umbrella, but not one hair on his head got wet. How?
    Answer: He was bald.
63. What can you catch but never throw?
    Answer: A cold.
64. What has a thumb and four fingers but isn’t alive?
    Answer: A glove.
65. What kind of room has no doors or windows?
    Answer: A mushroom.
66. What has a head and a tail but no body?
    Answer: A coin.
67. What can fill a room but takes up no space?
    Answer: Light.
68. What has lots of teeth but cannot bite?
    Answer: A comb.
69. What goes through towns and over hills but never moves?
    Answer: A road.
70. What can run but never walks?
    Answer: Water.
71. What starts with T, ends with T, and has T inside it?
    Answer: A teapot.
72. What has an endless supply of letters but starts empty?
    Answer: A mailbox.
73. What can you break without touching it?
    Answer: A promise.
74. The more of me there is, the less you can see. What am I?
    Answer: Darkness.
75. What question can you never truthfully answer “yes” to?
    Answer: “Are you asleep?”

Once everyone is tired of trying to outsmart each other (or full and happy from the Thanksgiving feast), it might be time to pile onto the couch. I have two guides depending on the ages in your house: Best Thanksgiving Movies for Families to Stream has options for the whole family (plus a few grown-up classics), while my list of Thanksgiving Movies for Kids Rated G is specifically geared toward younger viewers.

Free Printable Thanksgiving Riddles for Kids

Want to use these Thanksgiving riddles for kids at your celebration without having to keep pulling this post up on your phone? I created a free printable Thanksgiving riddles game featuring the riddles and answers from this collection. Print a copy before Thanksgiving Day and pull it out whenever you need an easy activity.

Use the printable at the kids’ table during Thanksgiving dinner, on a long holiday road trip, in a classroom, during family game night, or simply while everyone is waiting for the turkey to finish cooking.

Just enter your email above to get the printable PDF, and have options ready for just about every age without having to come up with activities on Thanksgiving morning.

You could also cut individual riddles into strips, place them in a bowl, and have each person pull one out to answer. For younger children, stick with the little kids section. If your group includes different ages, mix all three categories together and see which family member can solve the most.

How to Make Thanksgiving Riddles Into a Family Game

You definitely don’t need complicated rules to turn these riddles into a Thanksgiving game!

• Divide everyone into two teams and take turns answering questions. Give each team one point for every correct answer. If they get it wrong, let the other team steal.
• Want to make it even more fun? Pick up a few inexpensive prizes from the dollar store. Candy, stickers, small toys, or the coveted final slice of pie all work.
• You can also make the game collaborative instead of competitive. Try to see how many riddles your entire family can solve together before dessert.
• And if your family loves the idea of being intentional about spending time together instead of just eating and immediately disappearing into separate rooms (we all know how holidays can go!), browse these 50 Thanksgiving Family Activities to Make the Holiday Extra Special for more indoor, outdoor and community-based ideas.

Thanksgiving Riddles vs. Thanksgiving Trivia

While trivia questions usually test what someone knows, riddles rely more on clues, wordplay, and creative thinking. That makes riddles especially fun for mixed-age groups because kids don’t necessarily need to know historical facts to participate.

And speaking of historical facts, you might notice that these riddles don’t quiz kids about topics like World War II or whether a particular Thanksgiving parade takes place in New York. That’s intentional.

This collection is designed to be lighthearted, family-friendly fun rather than a Thanksgiving history lesson. If you do want to use the holiday as an opportunity to help young kids understand some of its history, read The Story of Thanksgiving for Kids. It includes a free printable and introduces children to the first Thanksgiving, the Wampanoag people, and Pilgrims in a gentle, age-appropriate way.

That gives you an easy opportunity to balance the silly turkey jokes with a little learning, too.

More Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving With Kids

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be packed with activities to be special. In fact, some of the best traditions are incredibly simple.

Make a craft together. Read a Thanksgiving book. Take a walk after dinner. Watch a movie. Ask silly questions around the table. Talk about what everyone is thankful for.

If you want to make the entire month feel a little more special instead of squeezing everything into Thanksgiving Day, my November Bucket List for Families has 30 easy ideas for outdoor adventures, cozy crafts, and Thanksgiving traditions you can spread throughout the month.

You can also use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to introduce children to giving back. Our family believes in practicing an attitude of gratitude year-round, and a food drive is a really tangible way for children to participate. If you’re putting one together, this list of 65 Non Perishable Foods for a Thanksgiving Food Drive can help you figure out what to donate.

Easy Thanksgiving Fun for the Whole Family

One of my favorite things about the holidays is that the activities kids remember most are often incredibly simple.
You don’t need to plan an elaborate Thanksgiving party or buy a pile of supplies. Print a few riddles, gather everyone around the table, and laugh together.

You can read one of our favorite Thanksgiving books for kids, make a turkey craft, play a round of riddles, then finish the evening with a family-friendly Thanksgiving movie.

And yes, some of these riddles are delightfully corny. But Thanksgiving with kids is basically the ideal environment for a terrible turkey pun!

Whether you use these best Thanksgiving riddles to entertain kids while dinner cooks, add them to your classroom celebration, or turn the free printable Thanksgiving riddles into a new family tradition, I hope they bring plenty of laughs to your Thanksgiving Day.

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