Who doesn’t love a good joke? While it’s true that many adults love the power of a good, clean, classic joke, there is nobody that loves them quite as much as children. We are here with a collection of funny jokes for kids that you will want to share with your child!
Kids love jokes so much that it’s very common for them to go through “joke phases” where you are bound to hear the same jokes over and over again as your child laughs ferociously. If you are getting sick of the same old jokes, that’s understandable. Hopefully, they will find a few that they like that they can add to their stand-up roster.
Note: we made every effort to source the jokes above from the public domain (or from our own brains). Many of these jokes go back decades, but remain funny and relevant to this day! Maybe there are some that you will recognize from your own childhood.
The History of Jokes
Jokes have been around as long as myth and legend, and scientifically, jokes are categorized as an element of folklore. This places them in the same family as superstitions, riddles, and nursery rhymes. Some jokes are built around wordplay, while others are built around storytelling or anecdotes.
How Kids Can Learn to Tell Jokes
Many children may demonstrate their sense of humor by learning how to tell simple jokes and “funny stories.” In some cases, you might have a child with a precocious interest in spoken humor, jokes, and storytelling.
If your child wants to become better at telling jokes, here are some ways that you can help them:
- Work on memorizing simple jokes. Knock-knock jokes and one-liners are easy for children to memorize and can charm other kids and adults alike. Most short jokes for kids can be broken into smaller parts, making them easier to memorize and recite.
- Teach your kid about timing. There’s a good time to tell jokes and an inappropriate time to tell jokes. It’s smart to sit down with your kid if they’re a budding jokester and talk to them about the socially appropriate time to crack wise.
- Encourage their talent. If your child shows an interest in performing comedy, help them locate some open mic events or other outlets where they can practice performing comedy in front of others. Who knows? They might eventually make a career of it!
The list below of funny jokes for kids is the perfect jumping-off point for teaching your children about jokes!
90+ Funny Jokes for Kids to Get Them Laughing
Animal-Themed Funny Jokes for Kids
Animal jokes are a great choice for kids since many kids have a natural interest in animals. Many animal puns are also age-appropriate, which makes them a good option over many other puns or one-liners.
- What do you call a horse that lives next door?
A neigh-bor. - Which animal makes the best pet?
A cat. Because it’s purr-fect. - Why are fish so smart?
Because they live in schools. - What is black and white and red all over?
A penguin wearing a bowtie. - Which animal is the worst one to play cards with?
A cheetah. - Can an elephant jump higher than a building?
Of course! Buildings can’t jump. - What did the one say to the other cow?
Mooooooove! - What makes a leopard bad at hide and seek?
He is always being spotted. - What is the cat’s favorite musical?
The sound of mewsic! - What do you call a fish with no i’s?
Fsh! - Why didn’t the girl believe the tiger?
She thought she was a lion. - What did the snail say while it was riding on the turtle’s back?
Whee!! - What kind of math do owls like?
Owlgebra! - Why is a bee’s hair always sticky?
Because it uses a honeycomb. - How does a dog stop a video?
He presses “pawse”.
Knock Knock Jokes
Knock-knock jokes are a classic joke form for kids since these jokes are naturally short and easy to remember. Knock-knock jokes are a fun way for children to learn jokes that have an element of audience participation, which helps with comedic timing.
- Knock knock
Who’s there?
An interrupting cow. - An interrupting cow—
MOOO! - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Banana
Banana who?
Banana
Banana who?
Banana!
BANANA WHO?
Orange
Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn’t say banana? - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Little old lady
Little old lady who?
I didn’t know you could yodel! - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Nobel
Nobel who?
Nobel…that’s why I knocked - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Figs
Figs who?
Figs the doorbell, it’s broken! - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Cargo
Cargo who?
Cargo beep! - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Leaf
Leaf who?
Leaf me alone! - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Kanga
Kanga who?
No, it’s kangaroo! - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Boo
Boo who?
Aw, don’t cry! - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Bologna
Bologna who?
Bologna sandwich with mayo and cheese, please. - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Owls say
Owls say who?
Yes. Yes, they do. - Knock knock
Who’s there?
A broken pencil
A broken pencil who?
Never mind, it’s pointless. - Knock knock
Who’s there?
I am
I am who?
You don’t know who you are? - Knock knock
Who’s there?
Spell
Spell WHO?
W-H-O
Silly Jokes for Kids
Silly jokes are favorites among children just because of how absurd they are. Sometimes silly jokes can utilize puns and wordplay, other times they just depend on the element of surprise. Even adults appreciate a good silly joke now and then!
- Why did the chicken cross the road?
To get to the other side! - What do you call a fake noodle?
An impasta! - What do you call a boomerang that didn’t come back around?
A stick. - Two pickles got in a fight. What did one say to the other?
Deal with it. - How do we know that the ocean is nice and friendly?
It waves. - Where would you find a leopard?
The same place you lost her. - What goes up but never goes down?
Your age. - Where does a king keep his armies?
In his sleevies! - What did the farmer say when he lost his tractor?
Where’s my tractor? - Why did the man go to bed?
Because the bed can’t come to him. - Why does a chicken coop have two doors?
Because if it had four, it would be a chicken sedan! - Why don’t monsters eat clowns?
Because they taste funny. - Why should you never go outside when it’s raining cats and dogs?
In case you step on a poodle! - Why is Cinderella so bad at soccer?
Because she runs away from the ball! - What kind of stars wear sunglasses?
Movie stars. - What kind of vegetable does a sailor hate?
Leeks. - What kind of tree can fit into your hand?
A palm tree. - What time is it when an elephant sits on a bench?
Time to get a new bench. - Why was the math book sad?
Because it had so many problems. - What flower talks the most?
The two-lip. - Which day of the week does an egg hate?
Fry-day. - What can you catch but never throw?
A cold. - What do you call a bear with no teeth?
A gummy bear. - What has four wheels and also flies?
A garbage truck. - What do you find a witch that you find at the beach?
A sand witch. - What should you call an illegally parked frog?
A toad. - Why are jokes so good when they’re told in an elevator?
Because they work on so many different levels. - How do you know that the cheese doesn’t belong to you?
It’s nacho cheese. - What’s something that you always know that you’ll get as a present on every birthday?
One more year older. - What do you call a piece of sad cheese?
Blue cheese.
“Punny Jokes”
Puns are special jokes that depend on the multiple meanings of some words or the different meanings they have when they are spelled differently but sound the same out loud. Puns are a fun way to teach kids about different kinds of wordplay like homophones and figurative language.
- What is a snake’s favorite subject in school?
Hiss-tory. - Why did the lake go on a date with the river? She heard she had a bubbly personality.
- Which bone has the best sense of humor?
The funny bone. - What do you have to give the lemon when it gets sick? Lemon-aid.
- Why was the coffee complaining about having a rough time? It kept getting mugged.
- What do you call an alligator in a vest?
An investigator. - Did you hear about it raining money? There was change in the weather.
- You really shouldn’t be scared of math, it’s easy as pi.
- You just can’t trust staircases. They are always up to something.
- Did you hear the joke about the mountain? It’s hill-arious.
- Why didn’t you laugh at the joke about the TV controller?
Because it wasn’t even remotely funny. - What should you never give your uncle?
An anteater. - What’s the best way to throw a party on Mercury?
You planet. - Did you hear about the old man who fell in the well?
He couldn’t see that well. - When does a duck like to wake up?
At the quack of dawn. - Why in the world did you throw the clock out the window?
To see time fly. - Why is it important for bananas to always put on sunscreen?
Because otherwise they might peel. - What’s a name for a happy cowboy?
A jolly rancher. - Why are pirates so good at singing?
They can hit the high C’s. - What’s a good name for a sleepy bull?
A bulldozer. - Why is it that hummingbirds always hum?
Because they forgot the words. - Why did the lady chase the snake?
Because she wanted her diamondback. - What’s brown and sticky?
A stick. - What do you call a factory that makes good products?
A satis-factory. - What’s got a bottom at the top?
A leg. - What’s the difference between a hippo and a Zippo?
One’s really heavy, the other’s a little lighter. - Why did the banana go to the hospital?
It didn’t peel very well. - What do you call a cow with no legs?
Ground beef. - What do you call a magic dog?
A labracadabrador. - Why didn’t the cow read a book?
Because he was waiting for the movie. - What do you call a small mother?
A minimum. - Three guys walk into a bar.
The fourth one ducks.
Funny Jokes for Kids FAQ
Why Teach Kids Jokes?
With all of the different skills and knowledge pools you can teach to kids, why is teaching kids the art of jokes important? The truth is that learning to teach jokes can teach kids several other important life skills at the same time. Here are a few of the things kids can learn by hearing and understanding jokes:
- Sense of humor: One of the most sought-after personality traits in both men and women is a good sense of humor. People who are funny or lighthearted tend to be more easygoing and charming than people who are unnecessarily serious all the time.
- Timing: Comedic timing is important for pulling off a good joke, but conversational timing is also a good skill for kids to practice in general. Learning the timing for a joke also helps kids learn give and take in a social exchange.
- Memory: Memorizing jokes and anecdotes is good for a child’s memory and can make it easier for them to memorize other things (like academic concepts).
Some kids may go through a phase where they want to tell all kinds of jokes, but this is definitely a phase that should be encouraged. Children who develop a good sense of humor early may suffer less stress later in life.
What Are Appropriate Funny Jokes for Kids?
When it comes to teaching jokes to kids, you have to keep in mind what jokes are appropriate for kids to tell. Chances are whatever funny jokes for kids they learn will surely be recited on the playground, so you don’t want to teach them any joke that you wouldn’t want to explain in a parent-teacher conference.
Here are some good rules to keep in mind when you’re picking out appropriate jokes to teach kids:
- Keep the jokes short. Kids can remember short jokes much more easily than long ones.
- Keep the jokes clean. Don’t tell kids jokes with references to drugs, sex, racial content, or other adult themes. You never know when and where they’ll repeat them.
Finding kid-friendly jokes isn’t hard, and you can read dozens of them below. Teaching kids when it’s appropriate to tell jokes is just as important as teaching them which jokes are okay for them to tell. For example, kids should be discouraged from joking around when a teacher is trying to keep the attention of the class.
So there you have it—enough jokes to bring you laughs for days. These jokes are a great way to bond with kids or keep them entertained on a slow or rainy day. We hope you enjoy them!