❓ Riddle Poems KS2 | Fun Poetry Activities for Primary Schools
Who doesn’t love a riddle? Children in KS2 absolutely do — especially when it comes in the form of a poem! Riddle Poems KS2 combine wordplay, problem-solving, and poetry. They get pupils thinking carefully about vocabulary, rhythm, and clues, all while having fun.
In this post, you’ll find some of my own What Am I? riddle poems with PHOTOCOPIABLE WRITING FRAMEWORKS, alongside expert teaching activities to help your class write, share, and perform their own.
If you’d like your children to create poems like these, I’d love to visit your school for an Online Workshop or an In-Person Poetry Day.
Great for teachers looking to save time!
🔥 What Am I? (Iron)
I hiss with steam, I’m very hot,
I’ll flatten all the clothes you’ve got.
I smooth out shirts and pairs of socks,
Blouses, skirts and mum’s old frocks.
I’ll even press your dad’s new tie!
What am I?
👉 Related: Riddle Poems Download
👉 Related: Riddle Poems Writing framework
✍️ Activity Idea: Vocabulary Clues
As a class, list the clues in this poem — hiss, steam, flatten, press. Discuss how they give hints without naming the object.
Step 1: Model writing a riddle about a school object (e.g. a pencil). Show how to hide the answer but give clever clues.
Step 2: Pupils brainstorm strong verbs and adjectives for their chosen object.
Step 3: Write a “What Am I?” riddle in 4–6 lines. Encourage rhyme, but remind pupils it’s optional — the focus is on clever description.
Step 4: Share and perform as a class. Children can read aloud while the rest of the class guesses the answer.
👉 Related blog: Poetry Writing Starters KS2 👉 Poems About School Rules 👉 How To Run A Poetry Assembly KS2
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✈️ What Am I? (Aeroplane)
I’ve got two wings like a giant bird,
The noisiest engine you’ve ever heard.
High up from the distant ground,
Faster than the speed of sound
Zooming through a bright blue sky.
What am I?
✍️ Activity Idea: Riddle & Research
Link this riddle to Geography or Science. Children can:
Research how planes fly, then write scientific riddles (e.g. about engines, clouds, planets).
Write a travel-themed riddle poem about a train, car, or bus.
Create a class display of “Transport Riddles” with drawings of each vehicle.
👉 Related blog: Journey & Adventure Poems KS2
👉 Related: Riddle Poems Download
👉 Related: Riddle Poems Writing framework
🏢 What Am I? (Lift)
I go up and down, I work all day,
I’ll go to any place you say.
Just wait until I close my door,
And I’ll take you to another floor.
I’ll take you down and way up high.
What am I?
✍️ Activity Idea: Drama Riddles 🎭
This riddle works brilliantly for performance!
In groups, children act out their chosen riddle poem without saying the answer.
The audience guesses the answer from their performance.
Add sound effects — creaking doors, “ding” noises, zooms, or stomps.
This develops oracy skills, imagination, and teamwork, while making riddle poetry lively and memorable.
👉 Related blog: Performance Poetry KS2
👉 Related: Riddle Poems Download
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🌙 What Am I? (Moon)
A silvery disk a misty light
I sometimes will appear at night
Some say I might be made of cheese
I have some mountains holes and seas
Just look for me beyond the sky
What am I?
✍️ Activity Idea: Riddles & Imagery 🌌
This poem is full of imagery — silvery disk, misty light, mountains, holes and seas.
Explore imagery in pairs: what pictures do these words paint in your head?
Write a riddle poem about a natural object — the sun, a rainbow, a volcano.
Use similes and metaphors to make the clues rich and descriptive.
👉 Related blog: Nature Poems KS2
👉 Related: Riddle Poems Download
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Hundreds of FREE poetry ideas, activities and resources-ready to download!
🍬 What Am I? (Sugar)
I come in cubes and also grains
I’m gathered from the fields and plains
Some people use me as a treat
I’m sometimes white but always sweet
In kitchen cupboards I may lie
What am I?
✍️ Activity Idea: Class Riddle Collection 📖
Each child writes their own riddle about a food.
Collect them into a class anthology called The Riddle Recipe Book.
Illustrate with pictures of each food and display in the classroom or library.
Great cross-curricular link with Food Poems KS2.
👉 Related blog: Food Poems KS2 | Funny, Creative & Performance Ideas 🔗 KS2 Poetry Comprehension Worksheets
👉 Related: Riddle Poems Download
👉 Related: Riddle Poems Writing framework
🎯 Why Riddle Poems Work in KS2
They encourage close vocabulary choices.
They make children think like writers: “How do I give clues without telling the answer?”
They are fun to perform, with built-in audience interaction.
They build cross-curricular links — science, geography, food, nature.
👉 In my Poetry Days in primary schools across the UK I work hard to get the children excited about writing and performing their own poems. I visit over 100 schools every year and I’d love to work with your children and teachers.
📅 You can book me for:
In-person Poetry Days across the UK
Online Poetry Workshops (affordable and flexible)
➡ Secure your date here: Poets in Schools – Ian Bland
