Thanksgiving Riddles for Kids
Updated November 2026 · 8 free printables
Twenty-five Thanksgiving riddles with answers for the kids' table: the wishbone, cranberries, the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, stuffing, gravy and a key that gobbles. A few of them sneak in a little history, like the Wampanoag nation who shared the harvest feast in 1621.
For school or home there are Thanksgiving "What am I?" worksheets for every grade from kindergarten to 3rd grade, two sets of Thanksgiving riddle cards to cut out (one easy, one with harder history and nature clues), a Thanksgiving math riddle page for 2nd grade and joke cards that make good place cards. Print a set before the big dinner.
25 Thanksgiving Riddles with Answers
I am the month when Thanksgiving comes. What am I?
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November.
Two people pull on me and make a wish. Whoever gets the bigger piece wins. What am I?
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A wishbone.
I am a small red berry that cooks down into a sweet and tart sauce. What am I?
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A cranberry.
I am a basket shaped like a horn, spilling over with fruits and vegetables. What am I?
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A cornucopia.
I am made of bread, celery and onions, and I bake inside the turkey or in a pan. What am I?
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Stuffing.
I am white and fluffy, made by squashing boiled potatoes with butter and milk. What am I?
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Mashed potatoes.
I am a warm brown sauce poured over turkey and potatoes. What am I?
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Gravy.
I am the ship that carried the Pilgrims across the ocean in 1620. What am I?
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The Mayflower.
I am the day of the week when Thanksgiving always falls. What am I?
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Thursday.
I am what a turkey says. What am I?
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Gobble, gobble!
I am a pie with an orange filling made from a big round squash. What am I?
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Pumpkin pie.
I am an orange vegetable, often baked with marshmallows on top. What am I?
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A sweet potato.
I stand in the field stuffed with straw to keep the crows away. What am I?
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A scarecrow.
I am a crunchy brown nut, baked into a sticky-sweet pie. What am I?
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A pecan.
I am a sport many families watch on TV on Thanksgiving afternoon. What am I?
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Football.
I am a giant meal with lots of food shared by a big group of people. What am I?
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A feast.
I am the season when Thanksgiving comes and leaves fall from the trees. What am I?
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Fall (autumn).
I am the Friday after Thanksgiving, when many stores have big sales. What am I?
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Black Friday.
What key has feathers and legs but can't open a door?
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A turkey.
I am the food still on the table after the feast that you eat again the next day. What am I?
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Leftovers.
I am the big rock where, as the story goes, the Pilgrims first stepped ashore. What am I?
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Plymouth Rock.
I am the Native American nation who shared the harvest feast with the Pilgrims in 1621. Who am I?
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The Wampanoag.
We are long, thin and green, and we are baked in a creamy casserole with crispy onions. What are we?
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Green beans.
I am a soft, warm little bread served in a basket at dinner. What am I?
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A dinner roll.
I am the time in fall when farmers gather their crops. What am I?
Show answer
The harvest.
All 8 Thanksgiving 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.
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1. What Am I? Thanksgiving Riddles (Kindergarten)
Four Thanksgiving riddles for little readers: a turkey, a pumpkin, a pie and a fall leaf. A free printable kindergarten "What am I?" riddle worksheet in color: kids read 4 riddles and circle the picture that answers each one. Answer key on page 2. It suits kindergarten, about ages 5 to 6, with large print and short, decodable words.
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2. What Am I? Thanksgiving Riddles (Grade 2)
Five Thanksgiving riddles for 2nd grade: turkey, pie, corn, an acorn and a Pilgrim hat. 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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3. What Am I? Thanksgiving Riddles (Grade 1)
Five Thanksgiving riddles for 1st grade: a turkey, a scarecrow, cranberries, a pumpkin and corn on the cob. 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. First graders can read it on their own and ask for help only with the trickier words.
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4. What Am I? Thanksgiving Riddles (Grade 3)
Five harder Thanksgiving riddles with history and science clues: turkey, pie, apple, football and fall leaves. 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. Third graders can use it for independent reading practice and to look back in the text for evidence.
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5. Thanksgiving Riddle Cards for Kids
Eight Thanksgiving riddle cards about turkeys, pumpkins, popcorn, acorns, pie and football. Cut out the 8 cards; each answer is printed upside down at the bottom, with a small picture, so kids can quiz a friend. A free color printable for 1st grade and up. It matches first grade reading goals, roughly ages 6 to 7.
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6. Harder Thanksgiving Riddle Cards (Grade 3)
Eight harder Thanksgiving riddles with history and nature facts, from a ship's 66-day voyage to cranberry bogs. Cut out the 8 cards; each answer is printed upside down at the bottom, with a small picture, so kids can quiz a friend. A free color printable for 3rd grade and up. Third graders can use it for independent reading practice and to look back in the text for evidence.
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7. Thanksgiving Math Riddles: What Number Am I? (Grade 2)
Eight Thanksgiving number riddles for 2nd grade about turkey feathers, pies, guests and cranberries: two-digit numbers, digit sums, tens and ones, even and odd. Every riddle has exactly one answer. 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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8. Thanksgiving Jokes for Kids: Lunchbox Cards
Eight Thanksgiving jokes for the kids' table: turkeys, pie, Pilgrims, popcorn and fall leaves. 8 printable lunchbox joke cards in color: cut out a card, fold it on the dotted line and the punchline hides on the back. Clean, kind jokes that are easy for 2nd grade readers. It fits second grade readers, around ages 7 to 8.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Save the riddles for the wait before dinner; they keep the kids' table busy.
- Pair every riddle answer with something you are thankful for.
- Let older kids read the riddles to younger cousins.
Did you know?
- The 1621 harvest feast in Plymouth lasted three days.
- Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States.
- Cranberries grow on low vines in sandy bogs, and some farms flood the bogs to harvest them.
Fun ways to use your printables
- Use riddle cards as place cards with each guest's name on the back.
- Make a riddle turkey: write an answer on each paper feather.
- Play riddle charades with the Thanksgiving answers.
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
How can I use Thanksgiving riddles at dinner?
Put a riddle card on every plate. Before dessert, each guest reads theirs aloud and the table guesses. The answer is upside down at the bottom of the card.
What is a good Thanksgiving riddle for little kids?
"I am a big bird. I say gobble, gobble. My tail looks like a fan. What am I?" It is on our kindergarten worksheet, with pictures to circle.
Do the riddles teach anything about Thanksgiving?
Some do: the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, the harvest and the Wampanoag are all answers. They are good starting points for talking about the history.
Are the printables free?
Yes, every Thanksgiving riddle and joke page is a free color PDF.