Picture Riddles: "What Am I?" Riddles for Kids
Updated November 2026 · 29 free printables
"What am I?" riddles describe something with a few clues and let kids guess: "I get shorter every time you use me, and I make your words appear on paper." Below are 28 of them with answers, followed by printable picture riddle worksheets where the answers are pictures.
The worksheets grow with your child. Kindergarten and 1st grade pages show three colored pictures next to every riddle to circle; 2nd grade pages ask kids to draw a line to the right picture; 3rd grade pages have longer science clues and a picture bank to write the answers from. Themes include animals, the farm, the ocean, bugs, food, school, weather, space, vehicles and every big holiday.
28 "What Am I?" Riddles with Answers
I get shorter every time you use me, and I make your words appear on paper. What am I?
Show answer
A pencil.
I have a round body on a long string. Let go of me and I float away. What am I?
Show answer
A balloon.
Bees make me from flowers. I am sweet, sticky and golden. What am I?
Show answer
Honey.
We come in a pair. You lace us up and tie us in a bow before you run. What are we?
Show answer
Sneakers (shoes).
I am white and fluffy, and I drift across the blue sky on sunny days. What am I?
Show answer
A cloud.
I have a handle and bristles. Use me twice a day to keep your smile bright. What am I?
Show answer
A toothbrush.
I am a big yellow machine with a scoop on a long arm. I dig holes where buildings go up. What am I?
Show answer
An excavator (a digger).
I am a glass box full of water with fish swimming inside. What am I?
Show answer
A fish tank (an aquarium).
I have four legs and a flat top. Your family eats dinner on me. What am I?
Show answer
A table.
I am cold and hard, and I live in the freezer. Drop me in a drink to cool it down. What am I?
Show answer
An ice cube.
I ring or beep in the morning to wake you up for school. What am I?
Show answer
An alarm clock.
I am sticky on one side. I hold papers together and fix torn pages. What am I?
Show answer
Tape.
I have two wheels, pedals and a bell. You ride me down the sidewalk. What am I?
Show answer
A bike.
I go up and down inside a tall building. Press my button and I come to get you. What am I?
Show answer
An elevator.
I am soft and squishy, and I rest under your head all night. What am I?
Show answer
A pillow.
I have buttons with numbers on them. Use me to call Grandma. What am I?
Show answer
A phone.
I shine a bright beam in the dark. You carry me on a camping trip. What am I?
Show answer
A flashlight.
I am black and white and round. Kick me into the net to score a goal. What am I?
Show answer
A soccer ball.
Crack open my hard shell to find white and yellow inside. Fry me for breakfast. What am I?
Show answer
An egg.
I am a tall yellow flower with lots of seeds in my middle. I turn my face toward the sun. What am I?
Show answer
A sunflower.
I have a spiky crown of leaves. I am rough outside and sweet and yellow inside. What am I?
Show answer
A pineapple.
I am a tiny house that hangs in a tree. Birds live in me, not people. What am I?
Show answer
A birdhouse.
I have six strings. Strum me to play a song. What am I?
Show answer
A guitar.
I am a soft toy with button eyes. You hug me at bedtime. What am I?
Show answer
A teddy bear.
I go up when you sit on one end and down when your friend sits on the other. What am I?
Show answer
A seesaw.
I have chains and a seat. Pump your legs and I fly you high. What am I?
Show answer
A swing.
I am a little bug with a glowing tail. I blink on summer nights. What am I?
Show answer
A firefly.
I have a lid, a handle and a spout. I whistle when the water inside gets hot. What am I?
Show answer
A teakettle.
All 29 Picture Riddles: "What Am I?" Riddles for Kids, One by One
Here is a closer look at every page in this collection: what it practices, which grade it fits and a tip for each one. 23 of them belong to a smaller theme and are described there instead.
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1. What Am I? Animal Riddles (Kindergarten)
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2. What Am I? Farm Animal Riddles (Kindergarten)
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3. What Am I? Fruit and Vegetable Riddles (Kindergarten)
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4. What Am I? Thanksgiving Riddles (Kindergarten)
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5. What Am I? Christmas Riddles (Kindergarten)
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6. What Am I? Ocean Animal Riddles (Grade 1)
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7. What Am I? Bug Riddles (Grade 1)
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8. What Am I? Food Riddles (Grade 1)
Five food riddles: pizza, ice cream, a donut, an egg and cheese. A free printable 1st grade "What am I?" riddle worksheet in color: kids read 5 riddles and circle the picture that answers each one. Answer key on page 2. It matches first grade reading goals, roughly ages 6 to 7.
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9. What Am I? School Riddles (Grade 1)
Five back-to-school riddles: a pencil, the school bus, a book, a crayon and scissors. A free printable 1st grade "What am I?" riddle worksheet in color: kids read 5 riddles and circle the picture that answers each one. Answer key on page 2. It matches first grade reading goals, roughly ages 6 to 7.
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10. What Am I? Things That Go Riddles (Grade 1)
Five riddles about things that go: an airplane, a train, a helicopter, a tractor and a sailboat. A free printable 1st grade "What am I?" riddle worksheet in color: kids read 5 riddles and circle the picture that answers each one. Answer key on page 2. It matches first grade reading goals, roughly ages 6 to 7.
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11. What Am I? Winter Riddles (Grade 1)
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12. What Am I? Halloween Riddles (Grade 1)
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13. What Am I? Wild Animal Riddles (Grade 2)
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14. What Am I? At Home Riddles (Grade 2)
Five riddles about things around the house: a clock, a chair, a lock, a bathtub and a fan. A free printable 2nd grade "What am I?" riddle worksheet in color: kids read 5 riddles and draw a line to the matching picture (one picture is extra). Answer key on page 2. It fits second grade readers, around ages 7 to 8.
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15. What Am I? Weather Riddles (Grade 2)
Five weather and sky riddles: a rainbow, a cloud, an umbrella, the sun and lightning. A free printable 2nd grade "What am I?" riddle worksheet in color: kids read 5 riddles and draw a line to the matching picture (one picture is extra). Answer key on page 2. Second graders usually finish it in 10 to 15 minutes, reading the text twice before the questions.
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16. What Am I? Thanksgiving Riddles (Grade 2)
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17. What Am I? Halloween Riddles (Grade 2)
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18. What Am I? Space Riddles (Grade 3)
Five space riddles with science clues: the moon, a star, a comet, a rocket and a planet. A free printable 3rd grade "What am I?" riddle worksheet in color: kids read 5 riddles and write each answer from a picture bank. Answer key on page 2. It is aimed at third grade readers, around ages 8 to 9.
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19. What Am I? Christmas Riddles (Grade 3)
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20. What Am I? Winter Riddles (Grade 3)
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21. What Am I? Ocean Animal Riddles (Grade 3)
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22. What Am I? Thanksgiving Riddles (Grade 1)
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23. What Am I? Thanksgiving Riddles (Grade 3)
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24. What Am I? Christmas Riddles (Grade 1)
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25. What Am I? Christmas Riddles (Grade 2)
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26. What Am I? Halloween Riddles (Kindergarten)
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27. What Am I? Halloween Riddles (Grade 3)
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28. What Am I? Winter Riddles (Kindergarten)
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29. What Am I? Winter Riddles (Grade 2)
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Tips for parents and teachers
- Cover the pictures and guess first, then check the picture choices.
- Underline the clue that gave the answer away.
- For the matching pages, cross out each picture after you use it.
Did you know?
- "What am I?" riddles are written in the first person, as if the object were talking.
- Good picture riddles go from the hardest clue to the easiest.
- Describing an object without naming it is a classic speaking exercise in kindergarten and 1st grade.
Fun ways to use your printables
- Play "What am I?" in the car: describe something you can see out the window.
- Draw your own picture riddle with three pictures and one riddle for a friend.
- Put a mystery object in a bag and give clues until someone guesses it.
How to print
Click Download PDF and print at 100% on US Letter or A4 paper. Page 1 is the worksheet and page 2 is the answer key, so choose “page 1” in the print dialog if you only want the practice page. Every worksheet is free for home, homeschool and classroom use, so print as many copies as you need.
Frequently asked questions
What is a picture riddle?
A picture riddle is a short riddle answered with a picture instead of a word. It lets children who are still learning to read and spell solve riddles on their own.
How do I make up my own "What am I?" riddle?
Pick an object, then write three clues: what it looks like, what it does and where you find it. Start with the hardest clue and end with the easiest, then add "What am I?"
Why is one picture left over on some worksheets?
The 2nd and 3rd grade pages have one extra picture so the last riddle cannot be solved just by elimination. Kids still have to read every clue.
Is there an answer key?
Yes, page 2 of every picture riddle worksheet circles the right pictures, draws the matching lines or writes the answers in red.