Turkey Day Teasers: 87 Thanksgiving Riddles for Kids

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Need some laughs this Thanksgiving? Spice up your holiday with these hilarious and family-friendly riddles! From turkey puns to food jokes and Pilgrim brain teasers, there's something to entertain kids, teens, and adults alike.

Picture this: it’s Thanksgiving, dinner is basically over, and you’re all in that food-stuffed lull where people are considering a nap. Sounds like it’s time to jazz up the atmosphere with some turkey day-themed stumpers for all! We’ve rounded up our favorite Thanksgiving riddles for kids, as well as teens, adults, and little ones, from food-based funnies to more complex holiday teasers. Let’s get into it!

Easy Riddles for Younger Kids

If you’re looking for some easy giggles from the kiddos, check out these simple riddles.

What has feathers, a beak, and is always in trouble on Thanksgiving?
A turkey!
What kind of music did the Pilgrims listen to?
Plymouth Rock!
Why did the turkey cross the road?
To prove to his friends that he wasn't a chicken!
What's orange and sounds like a parrot?
A carrot (for the veggie tray)!
What always comes at the end of Thanksgiving?
The "G"!
What has ears but cannot hear?
A cornstalk!
What did the baby corn say to the mama corn?
"Where's pop-corn?"
What month has a big parade and a feast?
November.

Turkey-Themed Brain Teasers

No Thanksgiving celebration is complete without some punny poultry riddles!

What do you call a turkey the day after Thanksgiving?
Lucky!
Why do turkeys always go "gobble, gobble"?
Because they never learned table manners!
What sound does a turkey's phone make?
Wing, wing, wing!
If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims!
What do you call a turkey with no feathers?
Thanksgiving dinner!
Why don't turkeys ever finish their meals?
They're always stuffed!
What do you get when a turkey lays an egg on top of a barn?
An eggroll!

Turkey Day Food & Feast Funnies

Thanksgiving dinner deserves its own category of riddles, from the potatoes to the pie.

Why did the cranberries turn red?
Because they saw the turkey dressing!
What's the best thing to put into a pumpkin pie?
Your teeth!
Why was the Thanksgiving soup so expensive?
It had 24 carrots!
What kind of potatoes go "oui, oui, oui"?
French fries!
What smells the best at Thanksgiving dinner?
Your nose!
What do you call a sad cranberry?
A blueberry!
Why did the sweet potato always get invited to dinner parties?
Because it was yamming good company!
What's a pumpkin's favorite sport?
Squash!
What do you call cheese that isn't yours on Thanksgiving?
Nacho cheese!
I can be a time of giving thanks, but also a time of carving. What am I?
Thanksgiving.
When the turkey is cooking, what is the most patriotic flavoring to use?
Any type of spice or seasoning, because "Oh, say can you sea-son..."
What role does the sweet potato play in the Thanksgiving play?
It plays a yam-ateur.
What do you call it when it rains turkeys?
Fowl weather.
Why did the turkey refuse dessert?
He was already completely stuffed.

Thanksgiving Pilgrim & History Puzzlers

History gets a second chance with these Pilgrim stumpers.

What did the Pilgrims use to bake their cookies?
May-flour!
What multiplication table do Pilgrims learn in school?
The Thanksgiving table!
Where did the Pilgrims land when they came to America?
On their feet!
What kind of face does a pilgrim make when something hurts?
A Pil-grimace!
Why were the Pilgrims so good at bowling?
Because they knew how to handle Plymouth Rock!
What's the smallest unit of measurement in the pilgrim cookbook?
A pil-gram!

Tricky Thanksgiving Riddles for Older Kids

Can your older children crack the case on these riddles?

What key has legs and can't open doors?
A tur-key!
I can be crushed to pieces but only if I'm given away first. You'll need me in November. What am I?
Walnuts (for crushing to make pie)!
You break me before you use me, and I'm essential for your Thanksgiving feast. What am I?
An egg!
What has an ear but cannot hear, grows in a field, and shows up at Thanksgiving?
Corn!
I'm a coat that's worn by turkeys but can only be put on when wet. What am I?
A coat of paint (or glaze)!
What table can you eat but never sit at?
A vegetable!
The more you take away from me, the bigger I become. What am I at Thanksgiving dinner?
A hole (in the pie, turkey, or your appetite)!
I'm bought by the dozen and dressed in a shell. I get beaten up and mixed with other things, but I help make breakfast special on Thanksgiving morning. What am I?
Eggs!
My favorite number is 1620. I traveled far for a new beginning. Who am I?
A Pilgrim.
What's one thing you have in common with a Thanksgiving turkey?
You're both likely to be stuffed.
Why did the turkey get kicked out of the football game?
For a personal fowl.

Silly & Punny Thanksgiving Riddles for Teens

Because as parents, sometimes that slightly appreciative teenage groan is part of the fun.

What do you call it when it rains turkeys?
Fowl weather!
What side dish tells the best jokes?
Mashed pun-tatoes.
What is a turkey’s favorite dessert?
Apple gobbler.
What do you get if you cross a turkey with a ghost?
A poultry-geist.
Why was the turkey the drummer in the band?
Because he had the drumsticks.
What's the best thing to put into a pumpkin pie?
Your teeth.
What's the best dance to do on Thanksgiving?
The turkey trot!
Why did Mom stop making Thanksgiving stuffing?
She ran out of thyme!
What do you wear to Thanksgiving dinner?
A har-vest!
How do you keep a turkey in suspense?
I'll tell you at Christmas!
What do you call a turkey on the day before Thanksgiving?
Nervous!
Can a turkey jump higher than the Empire State Building?
Yes! Buildings can't jump!
What happened when the turkey got into a fight?
He got the stuffing knocked out of him!
What social media platform do Pilgrims use?
My-space. (Because they needed their own space from their European roots...get it?)
Why do pilgrims' pants keep falling down?
Because their belt buckles are on their hats!
If the Pilgrims were alive today, what would they be most famous for?
Their age.
What did the corn cob get arrested for?
Stalking.
Why did the farmer have to separate the chicken and the turkey?
He sensed fowl play.

Riddle Me These Thanksgiving Teasers!

Dive into more than a pile of mashed potatoes with these more complex riddles about the Thanksgiving holiday…

If it takes 4 hours to cook an 8-pound turkey, and 5 hours to cook a 10-pound turkey, how long does it take to cook a 1-pound turkey?
Trick question, because turkeys don't come that small!
A farmer has 17 sheep, and all but 9 run away scared by the Thanksgiving preparations. How many are left?
9 (all but 9 ran away).
If you have a bowl with six apples and you take away four, how many do you have?
Four (the ones you took)!
A turkey, a pumpkin, and corn need to cross a river. The boat can only hold the farmer and one item. If left alone, the turkey will eat the corn. How does the farmer get everything across?
Take the corn across first, return alone, take the turkey across, bring the corn back, take the pumpkin across, return alone, then take the corn across again!
Three turkeys are sitting on a fence. The farmer shoots one. How many are left?
None—the other two flew away!
I have a body and a head, but I am not alive. I am often decorated for a fall celebration. What am I?
A scarecrow.
I am a ship that can carry many people, but I have no engine. I famously brought a group to a new land for a feast. What am I?
The Mayflower.
I can be mashed, baked, or fried. On Thanksgiving, I am often served as a side. What am I?
A potato.
I have ears, but I cannot hear. I am covered in a husk. What am I?
Corn.
You see me in a flock, but I am not a bird. I am often eaten in the fall. What am I?
A turkey.
I am a fruit, but I am often used in savory dishes. I have a very sour taste. What am I?
A cranberry.

Gratitude & Thankfulness Riddles

While people are sharing what they’re most grateful for, why not slip in some giggles to lighten the mood?

What's something everyone at Thanksgiving has to be thankful for but nobody can see?
Their blessings!
I grow bigger the more you share me with others at Thanksgiving. What am I?
Happiness (or love)!
What did the turkey say to the computer?
"Google, google, google!"
What do you call someone who's always thankful for cheese?
Grate-ful!
What room has no doors or windows but is full during Thanksgiving?
A mushroom!
The more you have of me, the less you see. What am I at a cozy Thanksgiving dinner?
Darkness (from the dimmed lights)!

Animal Riddles (Beyond the Turkey!)

And finally, Thanksgiving isn't just about turkeys, so let's explore some other animal-related funnies.

What do you call a sad turkey?
A blue bird!
What kind of cat should you never play games with on Thanksgiving?
A cheetah!
What do you call a sheep covered in chocolate for Thanksgiving dessert?
A candy baa!
Why did the scarecrow win an award?
Because he was outstanding in his field!
What do you get when you cross a turkey with a centipede?
Drumsticks for everyone!
What do squirrels give each other for Thanksgiving?
Forget-me-nuts!

Cock-a Riddle-Doo!

So, next holiday, revive the energy around your Thanksgiving table with these timely and turkey-themed riddles for kids. From snorting giggles to teenage eyerolls, you’re sure to get some good reactions as everyone waits for the pie to be served. Happy holidays from Family Education!

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