Pick a joke, read the question, and let someone guess before you reveal the answer. These twelve animal jokes keep the humour gentle, with no grown-up punchlines or scary endings.

Short animal jokes to tell out loud

Why did the rabbit put a carrot beside its alarm clock?
It wanted a reason to hop out of bed.

Why did the puppy bring a tennis ball to school?
It was ready for a pop-fetch quiz.

What did the kitten say to the empty cardboard box?
Your next tenant has arrived.

Why did the elephant bring two umbrellas?
One was just for its trunk.

Why did the duck put a towel in its lunchbox?
It was planning to take a dip with lunch.

What did the snail say at the finish line?
Sorry I'm late. I stopped to smell every flower.

Why did the bee bring a tiny chair to the garden?
It needed a pollen break.

Why did the penguin take a notebook to the snowball fight?
It wanted to keep a cool record.

What did the giraffe say when the ball landed on the roof?
At last, a job at my level.

Why did the sheep bring a pillow to the counting game?
It knew how this usually ended.

Why did the hamster refuse a second exercise wheel?
It was already going around in circles.

What did the crab say when asked for directions?
Straight ahead is a bit tricky to explain.

Make the punchline land

Speak slowly enough for everyone to hear the question. Pause for a guess, then say the answer clearly. If a word sounds like another word, try saying it both ways. The groan can be part of the fun!

Choose another animal

Try our frog jokes, cow jokes, pig jokes and turtle jokes for more gentle wordplay.