Your next adventure could be a moment together.
Now that you have met Pigúiça here, discover the story behind her world. See the illustrations, read the beginning and choose a book to share with your child, one page at a time.
Looking for family riddles for kids? Here are 20 with answers, about mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, little brother, the baby, auntie, a cousin, the family dog and even a surprise birthday party. They are sorted by age, so you can start gently and raise the difficulty as your child gets excited.
The 20 family riddles
Read each clue slowly, let your child think and only then show the answer. If they get stuck, repeat the clue and add a hint, like «Is it a person or a thing?» or «Where is it in our house?».
Ages 3 and 4
- I sing you to sleep, give you a goodnight kiss and know exactly where your favorite toy is. Who am I? Answer: mom.
- I am big, I carry you on my shoulders and I tickle you until you cannot stop laughing. Who am I? Answer: dad.
- I bake cookies, keep treats in the jar and tell stories about when your dad was little. Who am I? Answer: grandma.
- I wear diapers, I cry when I am hungry and I giggle when you make a funny face. Who am I? Answer: the baby.
- I am furry, I wag my tail when you walk in the door and I sleep in my own bed. Who am I? Answer: the family dog.
- I share your room and your toys. Sometimes we squabble, but then we go back to playing together. Who am I? Answer: your little brother.
- I have four legs, but I never go anywhere. Every evening the family sits around me to eat and talk. What am I? Answer: the dinner table.
Ages 5 and 6
- I wear glasses, I can whistle and I teach you to play checkers. I also tell stories about when I was a boy. Who am I? Answer: grandpa.
- I am your mom's sister. I show up with a little gift and a big squeezy hug. Who am I? Answer: your auntie.
- I am the child of your aunt or uncle. At family parties, you and I race around the yard. Who am I? Answer: your cousin.
- I have lots of pages, but I am not a storybook. Inside me are the pictures of when you were a baby. What am I? Answer: the photo album.
- Everybody hides, turns off the light and stays quiet. When the birthday kid walks in, everybody shouts «Surprise!». What am I? Answer: a surprise birthday party.
- I have no body, but I slip into your ear very softly. When I play, the baby closes her eyes and falls asleep. What am I? Answer: a lullaby.
- I am your mom's brother or your dad's brother. I am one of the best playmates in the whole family. Who am I? Answer: your uncle.
Ages 7 and 8
- I have branches, but I give no fruit. Each branch is a person in your family, from your great-grandparents to you. What am I? Answer: a family tree.
- I am your grandma's mother. I have seen lots of birthday parties in my life and I know lots of stories. Who am I? Answer: your great-grandmother.
- To your uncle and your aunt, you are a very special kid. What is your relationship to them? Answer: niece or nephew.
- We are two siblings born on the same day, and we look a lot alike. Who are we? Answer: twins.
- I happen once a year, with cake, candles and everybody singing. What am I? Answer: a birthday.
- I have no brothers or sisters, but I have a mom, a dad and lots of cousins. Who am I? Answer: an only child.
How to play at each age
Ages 3 and 4
Use the easy riddles and ask for an action as soon as your child gets it right: give a mom-sized hug, bark like the dog, rock an imaginary baby. Little ones often get it right with their bodies before they find the word.
Ages 5 and 6
With the medium riddles, ask for a second clue: «Does this person live in our house?» or «How are we related?». That way your child learns who is who in the family, not just the name.
Ages 7 and 8
For the challenge, let your child invent a riddle about someone in the family for you. They have to pick two good clues, which is great practice for vocabulary and reasoning. Afterwards, draw the family tree together.
Table game: who am I in the family?
Here is the tip that works best: at dinner, each person thinks of a relative and gives two clues. The child guesses, and whoever gets it right picks the next one. Grandma and grandpa love to join in when they are around. If they live far away, you can play over a video call.
Another idea is to grab the photo album and turn each picture into a riddle: «I am holding you in my lap, wearing a blue hat. Who am I?». Your child looks, remembers and tells what they know about that day. It is fun, and it strengthens the bond between generations. Just agree that nobody wins or loses: the prize is laughing together.
To keep the fun going
After the last riddle, the free coloring pages to print are a perfect break: your child colors the scene they liked best and gives it to someone in the family. Pigúiça's free game runs in the browser, with no sign-up and no ads. And to meet the blue-eyed husky, read who Pigúiça is.
For bedtime, the book Dogavios, by Lucas dos Reis Arieme, takes Pigúiça and her friend Fofuxo to the Magic Garden.
Frequently asked questions
At what age do kids understand family riddles?
Around age 3 or 4, when they already recognize mom, dad, grandma and the baby. Start with the easy ones and let your child set the pace.
Can I make up my own family riddles?
You can, and you should. Pick a person, think of two or three things your child knows about them, like what they do, what they like and where they are, and finish with «Who am I?». If your child helps you create it, the fun doubles.
What if my child does not know the answer?
That is fine. Give an extra clue, show a photo or act it out. The goal is to have fun together, not to pass a test.
Your next adventure could be a moment together.
Now that you have met Pigúiça here, discover the story behind her world. See the illustrations, read the beginning and choose a book to share with your child, one page at a time.
Your next adventure could be a moment together.
Now that you have met Pigúiça here, discover the story behind her world. See the illustrations, read the beginning and choose a book to share with your child, one page at a time.
