A quick starting point

Pick one riddle below. Show both pictures, read its main clue aloud and leave a pause for a choice. Open the answer when you are ready, then point out the feature that fits. Use the easier clue if helpful, or try the harder clue for another round. One or two riddles can be a whole session; there is no timer or need to finish all 20.

Four outlined picture cards show a ball, an umbrella, the sun and a triangle on a lavender background. A question mark sits below each card.
Look at the pictures, listen to a clue, then choose. The 20 riddles below each have two picture choices and an answer to open.

20 easy picture riddles with answers

The main clue is ready to read aloud. Choose one of the alternative clues when you want a gentler or more challenging version; you do not need to read all three.

  1. Riddle 1

    Instead of a little nose, I have a long, bendy nose. Two wide ears sit beside my head. Who am I?

    1. Picture 1Elephant
    2. Picture 2Rabbit

    Easier cluePoint to the animal with the very long nose.

    Harder clueMy ears are wide, and my nose can bend. Which picture fits both clues? Tell or show me what you noticed.

    Open the answer Riddle 1

    Answer: Elephant

    Why this picture fits: The elephant's long nose is its trunk. The rabbit has long ears, but its nose is small.

  2. Riddle 2

    My neck lifts my head high above my body. Brown patches cover my coat instead of dark stripes. Who am I?

    1. Picture 1Zebra
    2. Picture 2Giraffe

    Easier clueLook for the animal with the very long neck.

    Harder clueLook for patches and a long neck together. Which picture fits? What is different about the other animal's coat?

    Open the answer Riddle 2

    Answer: Giraffe

    Why this picture fits: The giraffe has the long neck and patches. The zebra has stripes and a shorter neck.

  3. Riddle 3

    Dark stripes run across my orange coat. I have whiskers, paws and a long tail. Which big cat am I?

    1. Picture 1Tiger
    2. Picture 2Lion

    Easier clueFind the big cat with dark stripes.

    Harder clueBoth animals have paws. Which one also has dark stripes across its body? Point to a stripe that helped you decide.

    Open the answer Riddle 3

    Answer: Tiger

    Why this picture fits: The tiger's dark body stripes fit the clue. The lion in the other picture has a mane rather than a striped coat.

  4. Riddle 4

    A thick circle of fur surrounds my face in this picture. My paws and long tail belong to a big cat. Who am I?

    1. Picture 1Tiger
    2. Picture 2Lion

    Easier clueFind the animal with lots of fur around its face.

    Harder clueLook at the fur around each face, then at each body. Which picture has a mane instead of body stripes?

    Open the answer Riddle 4

    Answer: Lion

    Why this picture fits: This picture shows a male lion with a mane. The clue describes this drawing; not every lion has a mane.

  5. Riddle 5

    My shell sits above four flippers. I swim through the sea without a pair of pinching claws. Who am I?

    1. Picture 1Crab
    2. Picture 2Sea turtle

    Easier clueLook for the animal with a shell and flippers.

    Harder clueBoth pictures show an animal with a hard covering. Which has flippers rather than claws? Show me the flippers.

    Open the answer Riddle 5

    Answer: Sea turtle

    Why this picture fits: The sea turtle has a shell and four flippers. The crab has legs and two claws.

  6. Riddle 6

    Two long ears stand above my head. My nose is small, and I hop on strong back legs. Who am I?

    1. Picture 1Rabbit
    2. Picture 2Elephant

    Easier cluePoint to the animal with two long ears pointing up.

    Harder clueOne animal has a long nose; the other has long ears and a small nose. Which fits the hopping clue?

    Open the answer Riddle 6

    Answer: Rabbit

    Why this picture fits: The rabbit's long ears and small nose fit. Its back legs are used for hopping; the elephant's long feature is its trunk.

  7. Riddle 7

    Two claws stick out in front of my hard body. Several legs reach out beside me. Which animal am I?

    1. Picture 1Octopus
    2. Picture 2Crab

    Easier clueFind the animal with two pinching claws.

    Harder clueCompare the limbs. Which animal has claws and walking legs rather than curling arms with suckers? Show me a claw.

    Open the answer Riddle 7

    Answer: Crab

    Why this picture fits: The crab's two claws fit the clue. The octopus has flexible arms with suckers, rather than claws.

  8. Riddle 8

    Eight arms curl out around my soft body. Little suckers line the arms. I have no claws. Who am I?

    1. Picture 1Octopus
    2. Picture 2Shark

    Easier clueLook for the animal with curling arms.

    Harder clueOne animal has fins; the other has eight arms with suckers. Which fits both clues? Trace an arm with your finger.

    Open the answer Riddle 8

    Answer: Octopus

    Why this picture fits: The octopus has eight arms with suckers. The shark swims with fins; it does not have those curling arms.

  9. Riddle 9

    I am round. Give me a gentle push, and I roll. You can toss and catch me. What am I?

    1. Picture 1Spoon
    2. Picture 2Ball

    Easier clueFind the round toy you can roll.

    Harder clueOne picture has a handle and a scoop; the other is round all around. Which one would you choose to roll?

    Open the answer Riddle 9

    Answer: Ball

    Why this picture fits: The ball is a round toy that can roll. The spoon has a handle and a scooped end.

  10. Riddle 10

    Hold my handle at one end. My other end is a little scoop that can carry a bite of food. What am I?

    1. Picture 1Spoon
    2. Picture 2Shoe

    Easier cluePoint to the thing with a handle and a small scoop.

    Harder clueWhich picture can hold a bite at one end while you hold the other end? Show me where the bite would go.

    Open the answer Riddle 10

    Answer: Spoon

    Why this picture fits: The spoon has a handle and a curved scoop for food. The shoe is worn on a foot.

  11. Riddle 11

    Above your head, I open like a little roof. You can fold me closed when the rain stops. What am I?

    1. Picture 1Umbrella
    2. Picture 2Tree

    Easier clueFind the thing that opens above your head in the rain.

    Harder clueBoth pictures could give you cover above your head. Which one has a handle and can fold closed?

    Open the answer Riddle 11

    Answer: Umbrella

    Why this picture fits: An umbrella opens on a handle and folds closed. A tree's branches and trunk do not fold like that.

  12. Riddle 12

    You wear me on one foot. My sole touches the ground when you walk. What am I?

    1. Picture 1Ball
    2. Picture 2Shoe

    Easier cluePoint to the thing you can wear on one foot.

    Harder clueWhich picture shows something you wear on a foot, with a sole underneath? Point to the sole that would touch the ground.

    Open the answer Riddle 12

    Answer: Shoe

    Why this picture fits: You wear the shoe on a foot; its sole is the strip along the bottom. The ball is a round toy you can roll.

  13. Riddle 13

    From the sky, I give Earth light and warmth. In this drawing, I am a bright round circle. What am I?

    1. Picture 1Cloud
    2. Picture 2Sun

    Easier clueFind the bright circle, rather than the puffy shape.

    Harder clueOne picture is puffy; the other is a round light in the sky. Which gives Earth light and warmth?

    Open the answer Riddle 13

    Answer: Sun

    Why this picture fits: The sun gives Earth light and warmth. Our sun drawing is round and bright; the other picture shows a cloud.

  14. Riddle 14

    Puffy curves make my outline in this picture. The wind can move me across the sky. What am I?

    1. Picture 1Cloud
    2. Picture 2Rainbow

    Easier cluePoint to the puffy shape.

    Harder clueBoth pictures belong in the sky. Which has a puffy outline rather than several colored bands? Tell or show what helped.

    Open the answer Riddle 14

    Answer: Cloud

    Why this picture fits: The cloud has the puffy outline in this drawing. Clouds can look different; this clue describes the pictured one.

  15. Riddle 15

    I make a colorful arch across the sky. My bands are red, yellow, green and other colors. What am I?

    1. Picture 1Rainbow
    2. Picture 2Sun

    Easier clueFind the curved bands of different colors.

    Harder clueWhich picture has several colored bands in an arch, rather than one bright round circle? Trace the curve you found.

    Open the answer Riddle 15

    Answer: Rainbow

    Why this picture fits: The rainbow's colored bands form an arch. The sun is the single round shape in the other picture.

  16. Riddle 16

    One trunk holds up my branches. Green leaves grow on them. I stay rooted in the ground. What am I?

    1. Picture 1Umbrella
    2. Picture 2Tree

    Easier clueFind the picture with a trunk and green leaves.

    Harder clueOne picture has a handle; the other has a trunk and branches. Which grows in the ground? Show me its trunk.

    Open the answer Riddle 16

    Answer: Tree

    Why this picture fits: The pictured tree has a trunk, branches and green leaves. The umbrella has a handle beneath its cover.

  17. Riddle 17

    Follow my edge with your finger. You will not find a corner or a straight side. My outline is round. What shape am I?

    1. Picture 1Square
    2. Picture 2Circle

    Easier clueFind the round outline with no corners.

    Harder clueTrace both outlines. Which has no corners anywhere? How is its edge different from the edge with four straight sides?

    Open the answer Riddle 17

    Answer: Circle

    Why this picture fits: The circle has a curved edge and no corners. The square has four straight sides and four corners.

  18. Riddle 18

    My outline has three straight sides. At each meeting place there is a corner: one, two, three. What shape am I?

    1. Picture 1Triangle
    2. Picture 2Star

    Easier clueFind the shape with three corners.

    Harder clueLook for three straight sides and three corners together. Which shape fits? You can trace while I count aloud.

    Open the answer Riddle 18

    Answer: Triangle

    Why this picture fits: The triangle has three sides meeting at three corners. The drawn star has more sides and five outward tips.

  19. Riddle 19

    Four straight, equally long sides surround me. My corners look like the corners of this page. What shape am I?

    1. Picture 1Circle
    2. Picture 2Square

    Easier clueFind the shape with four equal straight sides.

    Harder clueLook for four equal sides and four corners like a page's corners. Which picture fits? Compare it with the curved outline.

    Open the answer Riddle 19

    Answer: Square

    Why this picture fits: The square has four equal straight sides and four corners like a page's corners. The circle has no straight sides.

  20. Riddle 20

    Count my pointy tips: one, two, three, four, five. Between them, my edge turns inward. What drawn shape am I?

    1. Picture 1Triangle
    2. Picture 2Star

    Easier clueFind the drawn shape with five pointy tips.

    Harder clueLook for five outward tips with inward dips between them. Which shape fits? You can point while I count the tips.

    Open the answer Riddle 20

    Answer: Star

    Why this picture fits: This drawn star has five outward tips and dips between them. The triangle has three corners; it does not have those inward dips.

Turn two pictures into a guessing game

The question is about a feature, not simply naming every picture. Show both choices before reading. Your child may recognize a familiar animal straight away, need a clue repeated or prefer to watch you choose. All three are ways to join in. Keep the answer closed until you want to see it together.

  1. Read one clue

    Use the main clue or one alternative. Speak at a comfortable pace, then pause. A look or a point can be the answer.

  2. Notice one feature

    Ask, “Where do you see that?” You can point to the trunk, claw, handle or corner together. Naming the feature is optional.

  3. Open and compare

    Read the answer and its explanation. Look at the other picture once more, then let your child choose another riddle or stop.

Make the clues fit your child today

For ages 2–3, try one short easier clue with both pictures visible. You can make the choice yourself and describe it: “I see the long nose here.” Your child can watch, point or say a word. You do not need to ask the harder question afterward.

For ages 4–5, a comfortable player might enjoy combining two features or explaining why the other picture does not fit. The harder clue offers that invitation. These are flexible options, not age requirements. Any child can use the easier version. Keep the two choices visible; hiding them changes the activity into a memory task.

When a different answer makes sense

Ask what your child noticed before correcting a choice. A tree and an umbrella both give cover; a crab and a sea turtle both have a hard covering. Return to the extra clue: “Which one can fold?” or “Where are the flippers?” If a clue feels confusing, point out the feature or move on. There is no score to protect.

NAEYC describes a preschool shape guessing game using questions about sides and angles. NAEYC's shape guessing example. That is background for asking about visible features; it does not test this collection or prescribe what a 2-year-old must know. Our picture pairs and clues are original examples.

Play in English, Spanish or both

Read the version your family wants today. If you use both languages, try the same picture pair in the other version on another turn. The Spanish clues describe the same features; they do not depend on an English spelling trick or a translated pun. Your child can answer in either language or by pointing. There is no need to repeat a word to earn the answer.

Let your child invent the next clue

Choose two familiar pictures from a pair and invent one clue about a visible feature. Let your child pick which picture you describe, or ask them to point while you turn that feature into words. For example, after the spoon riddle you might say, “Mine has a sole along the bottom.” You have changed the answer without needing a new worksheet.

For another animal activity, our English and Spanish animal-name cards show 16 illustrated animals. That resource is about names; these riddles are about choosing from clues. Leelalu also has three free browser games: Shape Match, Color Match and Big & Small. You can try them together after this activity or stay with the pictures here.

Questions parents ask

Does my child need to read to play these riddles?

No. An adult reads the clues aloud. Your child can point to a picture, say an answer or watch you choose. The explanations are there for you to share.

Do we have to finish all 20 riddles?

No. Pick the pictures that interest your child and finish whenever you wish. One riddle can be enough; the collection can wait for another day.

Can I use the clues with everyday things?

Yes. You can describe a familiar ball, spoon or shoe while looking at it together. Make sure both features fit the thing you actually show. Keep the picture version if you prefer.

Keep playing together

Play the three free browser games togetherExplore the 16 English and Spanish animal-name cards

Sources and context

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