Fun Summer Brain Teasers for Kids: Boosting Thinking and Intelligence

Children are still enjoying their summer vacation, which mothers try to make the most of. A successful mother can make the most of this time by choosing simple and effective programs that can be done either at home or in family gatherings. The goal is to ensure that children benefit from their vacation in ways that stimulate their intelligence and improve their focus, rather than returning to school without gaining anything.

It is a mother’s responsibility, in addition to caring for her children, to encourage their intelligence and thinking skills. One way to do this is by dedicating a segment for riddles and brain teasers during summer sessions, which can also be held after completing homework, as a way to spend time away from tablets and devices.

Through a discussion with Basic Education teacher Wasim Youssef, Nadormagazine compiled some fun riddles that encourage deep thinking, especially for children around 10 years old. These include riddles about animals, food, language, and more.

Benefits of Including a Riddle Segment in Your Child’s Daily Program

• Develops a Smart Child:
  Riddles significantly improve a child’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills, especially after age ten. They encourage analysis, logical thinking, and “out-of-the-box” solutions.

• Improves Memory and Focus:
  Daily riddles help enhance memory and concentration, for example, by recalling shapes and colors.

• Boosts Motor Skills and Coordination:
  Some riddles that involve assembling pieces can improve hand-eye coordination.

• Expands Knowledge:
  Riddles can teach children facts, statistics, dates, and important events, increasing their general knowledge.

• Enhances Social Skills:
  Riddles encourage children to interact with others, promoting social communication. Group games with riddles also provide cognitive and behavioral benefits.

Riddles for Kids That Encourage Thinking About Letters

1. Something you see once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in an hour. What is it?
   Answer: The letter "M"

2. What do you see three times at night and once during the day?
   Answer: The letter "L"

3. Which month becomes the name of a fruit if you remove its first letter?
   Answer: July (Tamooz in Arabic, becomes "Mooz" = Banana)

These riddles help children learn the value of time and recognize the names of months in an easy and fun way, rather than through rote memorization.

Riddles That Use Wordplay or Trickery

1. Something with one eye but cannot see?
   Answer: A needle

2. The more you take, the more it decreases.
   Answer: Age

3. A house without doors or windows?
   Answer: A poem (House of poetry)

4. Something you cannot touch but exists?
   Answer: Air

5. Something that goes into water but does not get wet?
   Answer: Shadow

6. Something that grows when you take from it?
   Answer: A hole

7. Something with four legs but cannot walk?
   Answer: A chair

Riddles About People

1. Three people crossed a bridge. The first saw the bridge and walked on it, the second saw it but did not walk on it, the third did not see the bridge nor walk on it. How is this possible?
   Answer: A pregnant woman carrying her small child

2. A family has six daughters, and each has a brother. How many people are in the family?
   Answer: Seven

3. Your cousin (female) but not your aunt—who is she?
   Answer: Your mother