25 Brain Teasers for Kids That Will Beat Boredom
Updated: Sep. 26, 2023
If the weather outside is bad, or your kids are already bored with all the toys they have, try out these brain teasers for kids to keep them busy.
Brain teasers for kids
As kids grow they don’t just need to exercise their bodies, but also their brains. Get them excited about learning with these brain teasers for kids that are much more fun to solve than math problems in school. See how many they can get right—without cheating! And if you want a little brain workout for yourself, try these brain teasers that will leave you stumped.
Five letter word
What five-letter word gets shorter when you add two letters to it?
Answer: Shorter.
More is less
The more there is, the less you see. What is it?
Answer: Fog. Try out these printable crossword puzzles to test your smarts as well.
In the light
I exist only when there is light, but direct light kills me. What am I?
Answer: A shadow. Want more of a challenge? These lateral thinking puzzles are harder than you think.
Face and hands
What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?
Answer: A clock. If these brain teasers for kids are too easy for you, try these brainteasing puzzles that are a little trickier.
While it dries
What gets wetter while it dries?
Answer: A towel.
Hold water
I am full of holes, but I can still hold a lot of water. What am I?
Answer: A sponge. Here’s why jigsaw puzzles are good for your brain.
Around the world
What travels around the world but stays in the same corner?
Answer: A stamp.
Broken first
What has to be broken before you can use it?
Answer: An egg. Try out these word search puzzles you can print for free.
In the planets
You can find it in Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, but not in Venus or Neptune. What is it?
Answer: The letter “R.”
Breaks without fall
What breaks but never falls, and what falls but never breaks?
Answer: Morning and night.
Do not water
I am always hungry and will die if not fed, but if you water me, I’ll die. What am I?
Answer: A fire.
Meeting directions
A woman is a bit confused about where her meeting is. Starting on the fourth floor, she climbs up five stories, down seven stories, up six stories, down three stories, and up four stories again. What floor is she on?
Answer: The ninth floor. See if you can find the missing number in this tricky puzzle.
The city bus
You’re driving a city bus. At the first stop, five women get on. At the second stop, one woman gets off and two men get on. At the third stop, three children get on. The bus is white and it’s raining outside in March. What color is the bus driver’s hair?
Answer: Whatever color your hair is. You’re the bus driver. Check out these optical illusion photos of things that aren’t what they seem.
Mount Everest
Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world?
Answer: Mount Everest.
Once a minute
What can be seen once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years?
Answer: The letter “M.”
Always in front
What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
Answer: The future. If your child is enjoying these brain teasers for kids, see if they can find the differences in these 10 pictures.
Five fingers
I’m not alive but I have five fingers, what am I?
Answer: A glove. Try out these fun car games you’ve never thought to play with your kids.
Every day of the week
What letters are easily found in every single day of the week?
Answer: D, A, and Y. If your brain is a little sluggish, try these brain games to boost your brain power.
Make, save, change, raise
People make me, save me, change me, raise me. What am I?
Answer: Money.
Wrong word
Which word is written incorrectly in the dictionary?
Answer: The word “incorrectly.” These are the hardest riddles ever. Can you solve them?
Day before yesterday
If tomorrow I said “the day before yesterday was Saturday,” which day is today?
Answer: Sunday.
Letter teaser
How many letters are there in the English alphabet?
Answer: 18. 3 in ‘the,’ 7 in ‘English,’ and 8 in ‘alphabet.’ These word puzzles are sure to leave you stumped.
Never eaten
People buy me to eat, but never eat me. What am I?
Answer: A plate.
Down and up
I come down, but I never go up. What am I?
Answer: Rain. If these brain teasers for kids are too tricky, see if you can find the cat hidden in this photo of bats.
Moving while seated
Who makes moves while sitting down?
Answer: A chess player. Once you’ve solved all of these brain teasers for kids, see if you can answer these riddles for kids.
Originally Published: July 14, 2020
