Our local Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit utilized all their magic, juggling and musical skills at every opportunity to entertain patients, families and employees in our children’s hospital. We also improvised verbal gags and did pre-planned skits to vary our performances in each patient room and common area, but we never underestimated the power of a silly riddle.
Sometimes the patients would have a long stay and they’d already be familiar with some of our tricks or skills, so telling funny stories or trying new family-friendly jokes on them was a treat not only for listeners, but for clown partners as well (sometimes we didn’t reveal these to our partners before the shift so that they would have a nice surprise and genuine reaction during the performance).
My group called these “jokes”, but essentially these were riddles and they were not only effective with pre-teens, even some teenagers and many adults found them either silly enough to laugh at, or witty enough to want to learn them.
Riddles to try:
(Hint: Delivery is very important when saying the punchlines!)
Why did the cookie go to the doctor? He was feeling crummy.
What did one wall say to the other wall? I’ll meet you at the corner.
Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired.
What do you call a nosey pepper? Jalapeño business!
Why did the painting go to jail? Because it was framed.
Why did Elsa loose her balloon? She let it go.
Why did the chewing gum cross the road? It was stuck on the chicken’s foot.
What did one elevator say to the other elevator? I think I’m coming down with something.
What do you do when an elephant sits in front of you at a movie theater? Miss most of the movie.
Some are corny, but you might get a kick out of trying them out with young audiences. Enjoy and have a Happy, Silly New Year!
Lucy E. Nunez is an LPN and has been a theatrical performer since 2002. She created Nurse Lulu for the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in 2014. She was a resident clown there and at Baptist Children's Hospital. For more information please visit: www.sunnybearbuds.wix.com/buds