This or That Questions for Kids: Sparking Imagination, Laughter, and Conversation

Parenting tips

By  Pastory Team  |  16.10.2025  |  Upd. 16.10.2025

Welcome to the ultimate guide to the “Would You Rather” game—a timeless way to spark family bonding, critical thinking, and laughter. These kid-friendly choices open a window into children’s personalities, values, and imagination. Perfect for road trips, family nights, or classroom fun, these “This or That” prompts are easy, engaging, and adaptable for all ages. Beyond silly questions, this guide also highlights the developmental benefits of the game and offers practical tips for parents, teachers, and caregivers.

What is This or That Game for Kids?

The “This or That” game, most famously known as the “Would You Rather” game, is an engaging activity for kids where players are presented with two equally compelling, often outlandish, choices and must select one. The core of the game is not just making a choice, but explaining why they chose it.

The rules of the game are incredibly simple, which is part of its universal appeal. A player asks a “Would You Rather” question, such as: “Would you rather have a pet dragon or a pet unicorn?” The other player chooses their preference and then explains their reasoning. There are no right or wrong answers, only imaginative and often hilarious justifications. This simple structure is precisely why it sparks creativity and serves as an easy conversation starter among family members and friends. Kids will love the sheer absurdity and the low-pressure environment to share their unique opinions.

How to Play

Playing “Would You Rather” is straightforward and requires no materials, making it a perfect, portable game for kids. Here is the step-by-step process for parents, teachers, or group leaders:

1. Introduce the Prompt: State the question clearly, ensuring both options are understood. A good example is: “Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout?”
2. Encourage Deliberation: Give the child a moment to consider their choice. This is where critical thinking skills begin to develop.
3. The Choice: The child announces their decision.
4. The Why: This is the most crucial step. Prompt the child to explain their reasoning. Asking questions like “Why did you pick that?” or “What would life be like if you chose the other one?” encourages deeper engagement and storytelling.
5. Rotate: Pass the turn to the next person, who can either ask a new question or answer the same one.

When to Play

One of the great features of “Would You Rather” questions for kids is their versatility. They can turn almost any dull moment into a fun way to get everyone talking.

• Long Car Rides & Travel: These questions are the perfect antidote to the dreaded “Are we there yet?” They help pass the time and keep kids entertained on a long car ride or airplane flight.
• Family Dinners: Use them as a lighthearted icebreaker to move beyond the usual “How was your day?” and get to know your kids on a deeper level.
• Classroom Warmups/Homeschooling: Teachers and homeschooling parents can use a few quick rounds to energize the class, encourage kids to share, or transition between subjects.
• Parties and Sleepovers: They are fantastic for breaking the ice among children who don’t know each other well.
• Waiting in Line: A quick, easy way to keep little kids occupied when waiting for appointments or at the grocery store.

Why Kids Love It

The “Would You Rather” format taps directly into a child’s natural developmental needs and desires.

Funny This or That Questions for Kids

Laughter is a powerful tool for learning and bonding. These silly questions are designed to elicit a giggle and a chuckle, making them ideal for cheering up a grumpy child or injecting some fun into a tedious journey.

Silly Everyday Choices

These goofy options take mundane daily situations and give them an absurd twist.

1. Would you rather have socks for hands or shoes for ears?
2. Would you rather have to eat foods that are only purple or only green for a year?
3. Would you rather have to sing everything you say or dance every time you walk?
4. Would you rather wear your clothes backwards or wear them inside out for a whole week?
5. Would you rather have toothpaste that tastes like cheese or drink milk that tastes like pickles?

Wacky Adventure Choices

These imaginative and playful scenarios encourage kids to talk about the impossible.

• Would you rather accidentally switch bodies with your teacher for a day or with the school principal?
• Would you rather have a tiny, talking cloud follow you everywhere or have a personal theme song that plays loudly when you enter a room?
• Would you rather be able to talk to trees or talk to your own shadow?
• Would you rather have a personal robot that does all your chores but only speaks in whispers, or a giant gorilla that can only make funny faces?
• Would you rather slide down a rainbow to get to school or have a giant trampoline that can bounce you to any state?

Jokes as Questions

These setups use humor where both choices are designed to be funny or bizarre.

• Would you rather find a wallet full of worms or a bucket full of soggy socks?
• Would you rather smell like stinky cheese forever or have to tell a joke that no one laughs at every hour?
• Would you rather have sticky fingers all the time or have an itch you can never scratch on your nose?

Food This or That Questions for Kids

Food questions are always a hit because they tap into universal experiences and tastes. These light-hearted choices encourage kids to explore food preferences and think about what they enjoy eating.

Sweet vs. Savory Choices

This classic dilemma forces a fun debate between delicious opposites.

Fruits & Veggies Twist

Making healthy foods funny and engaging can sometimes help kids be more open to trying them.

1. Would you rather have carrots that sing when you bite them or broccoli that turns into tiny toy dinosaurs when you finish eating it?
2. Would you rather only eat foods that are crunchy or only foods that are soft?
3. Would you rather have a magic apple that grants you one wish every day or a magic banana that makes everyone around you laugh?
4. Would you rather drink a smoothie made of mud or a milkshake made of grass clippings?
5. Would you rather only be able to eat your favorite vegetable for a month or never eat your favorite dessert again?

School Lunch Favorites

These kid-friendly questions are relatable to the daily routine of school life.

• Would you rather have every school lunch be your favorite meal or have every recess be twice as long?
• Would you rather have talking food in your lunchbox or make all of your own school lunches from scratch?
• Would you rather spill milk on your best friend or spill juice on your favorite teacher?

Animal This or That Questions for Kids

Animals provide a boundless source of fantasy and fun. These questions encourage creativity and allow children to dream big about the natural and mythical world.

Real Animals

Simple comparisons that reveal deep-seated preferences for specific animals.

1. Would you rather be able to talk to cats or talk to dogs?
2. Would you rather ride an elephant to school or a giraffe?
3. Would you rather keep a tiny mouse as a pet or a gigantic snake?
4. Would you rather be a slow, steady turtle or a quick, zippy cheetah?
5. Would you rather have wings like a bird or the strength of a gorilla?

Fantasy Creatures

Tapping into myths and legends allows for high levels of imaginative play.

• Would you rather meet a friendly unicorn or a playful baby dragon?
• Would you rather live in a mermaid city under the sea or a phoenix nest on the highest mountain?
• Would you rather fight a giant with a sword or trick a troll with riddles?

Animal Superpowers

These prompts focus on the abilities of the animal kingdom.

• Would you rather swim like a dolphin or jump like a frog?
• Would you rather have the sticky grip of a gecko or the camouflage of a chameleon?
• Would you rather be able to shrink down to the size of a bug or grow to the size of a house?

Adventure and Travel This or That Questions for Kids

These questions are a brilliant way to get kids thinking about exploration, different cultures, and the excitement of the unknown. They are perfect for sparking ideas for your next family road trip.

Vacation Destinations

Exploring different types of travel experiences helps children articulate their ideal getaway.

1. Would you rather travel to a beautiful, sunny beach or a cozy, snowy mountain cabin?
2. Would you rather travel to a new country every summer vacation for a week or stay at your favorite amusement park for two weeks of summer break?
3. Would you rather visit an ancient castle or explore a bustling, modern city?
4. Would you rather spend your whole vacation camping in a deep forest or staying in a fancy hotel in a big city?
5. Would you rather visit the North Pole to see polar bears or the Amazon rainforest to see monkeys?

Travel Styles

These questions get into the logistics of how they’d like to journey.

• Would you rather take a ride in a hot air balloon across your state or ride a giant sled pulled by a team of huskies?
• Would you rather take a speedy plane to your destination or a slow, scenic train?
• Would you rather teleport to a different state every morning or be able to fly there instead?

Everyday Adventures

Making the mundane exciting with a little twist of fate.

• Would you rather find a secret slide in your bedroom closet or a secret trampoline in your backyard?
• Would you rather spend the day at your local playground with your friends or at a massive amusement park with your family?
• Would you rather discover a hidden treasure chest or find a map to a secret, unnamed island?

School and Learning This or That Questions

Engaging kids with questions about their daily school life in a fun, non-academic way can help shift their perspective and develop empathy for others in the classroom.

Subjects and Activities

A fun way to explore subject preferences without the pressure of a test.

1. Would you rather be amazing at math problems or brilliant at art and painting?
2. Would you rather have every class be outside or have every class be a field trip?
3. Would you rather be able to instantly memorize anything you read or be able to invent anything you imagine in science class?
4. Would you rather always have to do group work or always have to do projects solo?

School Life

Relatable situations that kids of all ages can connect with.

• Would you rather have extra recess every day or get to go home an hour earlier?
• Would you rather have a super quiet classroom or a super loud classroom where everyone is laughing?
• Would you rather never have to take a test again or get to choose what you eat for school lunch break every day?

Teacher vs. Student Choices

Fun role-swap questions that encourage kids to see different perspectives.

• Would you rather be the one to give out all the homework or be the one to decide the new school rules?
• Would you rather be the best student in your class or be the funniest kid in your class?
• Would you rather have a favorite teacher who assigns too much homework or a teacher who is super silly but never teaches anything?

Fantasy and Superpower This or That Questions

This is where the game truly lets kids dream big and allows their most imaginative thoughts to run wild. These scenarios are an excellent source for creative storytelling and building conversational flow.

Magical Powers

Classic superpowers that everyone has wondered about having.

1. Would you rather be able to become invisible whenever you want or be able to fly anywhere instantly?
2. Would you rather have super strength that lets you lift a car or super speed that lets you run around the world in an hour?
3. Would you rather have the power to instantly clean any room or the power to make any object float?
4. Would you rather have the ability to talk to animals or the ability to know what people are thinking?

Fantasy Characters

Stepping into the shoes of fictional heroes and villains.

• Would you rather be a powerful wizard who can cast any spell or a masked superhero who fights crime?
• Would you rather be a brave pirate searching for treasure or a graceful princess ruling a kingdom?
• Would you rather have a magic lamp with three wishes or a magic wand that can only turn things into chocolate?

Imaginative Worlds

Exploring different settings and environments.

• Would you rather live in a majestic medieval castle or a high-tech underground lair?
• Would you rather explore deep space in a spaceship or the deep underwater trenches in a submarine?
• Would you rather travel back in time to meet a dinosaur or travel to the future to see flying cars?

Sports and Outdoor Fun This or That Questions

Focusing on active, energetic choices appeals to their desire for play and physical movement. These are great for energizing a group before an activity.

Outdoor Games

Simple yet effective choices that reveal playtime preferences.

1. Would you rather play hide-and-seek for an hour or play tag for an hour?
2. Would you rather always win at every board game or be the best at every outdoor sport?
3. Would you rather have a trampoline in your backyard that lets you jump over your house or a swimming pool that has a secret slide that goes into a lake?

Sports Favorites

Highlighting popular team and solo sports.

• Would you rather be the star player in a soccer game or the best dunker in a basketball game?
• Would you rather be the fastest runner in the world or the best swimmer?
• Would you rather compete in the Olympics or be the champion of a video game for kids?

Seasonal Fun

Choices based on different weather and times of the year.

• Would you rather have a giant snowball fight every day in winter or a giant water balloon fight every day in summer?
• Would you rather be able to control the rain or control the sunshine?
• Would you rather go sledding down a massive hill or build the world’s biggest sandcastle at the beach?

Friendship and Social This or That Questions

These prompts encourage kids to think about relationships, empathy, and social dynamics. They are a good easy way to build social and communication skills.

Best Friend Choices

Thinking about how to interact with the people they care about most.

1. Would you rather share a favorite toy with a friend or share a favorite snack?
2. Would you rather have one best friend who lives far away or ten friends who live right next door?
3. Would you rather give a surprise gift to a friend or get a surprise gift from a friend?

Party Fun

Exploring social event preferences.

• Would you rather have an exciting birthday party with all your friends or a fun sleepover with just your best friend?
• Would you rather have a pizza party or a movie marathon?

Group Games

Fun would you rather questions about different modes of play.

• Would you rather play a board game with your family or a new video game with your friends?
• Would you rather play dress-up and imagine a story or build a giant fort out of blankets?
• Would you rather win a prize for being the kindest kid or win a prize for being the smartest kid?

Tricky and Thought-Provoking This or That Questions

These more challenging questions help build advanced critical thinking skills and encourage deeper, more meaningful conversations. While still appropriate for kids, they require more deliberation.

Hard but Fun Dilemmas

These choices involve a fun sacrifice or an enduring inconvenience.

1. Would you rather always have to whisper everything you say or always have to shout?
2. Would you rather know what everyone is saying about you or know what everyone will look like in 20 years?
3. Would you rather be able to skip every meal or never have to brush your teeth again?

School Challenges

Pondering the pros and cons of academic and social trade-offs.

• Would you rather have to do an hour of extra homework every day or have no recess for a week?
• Would you rather have a superpower that only works at school or a superpower that only works at home?

Future Dreams

Encouraging them to look ahead and articulate their aspirations.

• Would you rather be an astronaut and explore space or be a famous rock star and play music for millions of people?
• Would you rather discover a cure for a major disease or invent something that makes everyone’s life easier?
• Would you rather be a brilliant scientist or a celebrated artist?

How to Use This or That Questions with Kids

The true value of these questions lies in their application. They can be used intentionally to foster learning and connection.

Family Game Night

Turn the game into a regular tradition. Create a downloadable or printable set of questions and put them in a jar.

• The “Why” Rule: Make it mandatory for every player to give a minimum of two sentences explaining their choice to promote deeper communication skills.
• The Judge: Have a rotating “judge” who chooses the best (funniest or most thoughtful) answer for a given round.

Classroom Icebreakers

Teachers can use a handful of questions to build community and make kids comfortable.

1. The Quick Poll: Ask a question, and have kids stand up for Option A and sit down for Option B. This gets the energy up.
2. Writing Prompts: Use a “Would You Rather” question as a short writing prompt, asking students to write a paragraph arguing for their choice. This is a powerful, easy, and fun way to develop persuasive writing skills.

Road Trips & Travel

The ultimate distraction for long car rides.

• The Chain Game: The answer to one question becomes the start of the next question, forcing a silly narrative (e.g., “I chose the flying banana because I wanted to fly over a town where everyone would you rather eat a snail or a worm?”).
• Audio Recording: Record the kids’ answers and play them back later; their funny responses will be a memory everyone will love to keep.

Storytelling & Writing Prompts

Use the questions as a creative springboard.

• Character Creation: Have the child choose both options and explain why a fictional character would choose one, and why another character would choose the other.
• The Daily Prompt: Start a day of homeschooling or family time with one question and tell a short story based on the outcome of their choice.

Benefits of Playing This or That with Kids

Beyond the laughter and fun, “Would You Rather” questions are a powerful pedagogical tool that aids in holistic child development. Research in play theory and early childhood education supports the idea that low-stakes decision-making games enhance cognitive and social development.

Critical Thinking

The need to choose between two options—neither of which is inherently “better”—forces the child to engage their critical thinking skills.

• Weighing Pros and Cons: They practice analyzing two separate, often complex, scenarios.
• Justification: The act of justifying their choice strengthens logical reasoning and argumentation skills. For example, choosing to only whisper means weighing the social challenges against the potential benefits.

Creativity and Imagination

The game is a pure exercise in imaginative play, allowing children to temporarily suspend reality.

• Inventing Scenarios: Kids must invent stories and reasons for their choices, enhancing their narrative skills.
• Abstract Thought: Imagining things like what it would be like to travel to a new country every summer vacation or to have the power of invisibility is crucial for developing abstract thought processes. This kind of imaginative play is highly correlated with enhanced problem-solving abilities later in life.

Social and Communication Skills

These questions are a great way to foster healthy social-emotional development.

• Conversation Starter: It’s an effective, non-threatening conversation starter that can help shy children break the ice and participate.
• Active Listening: To respond thoughtfully, a child must actively listen to the two options and the reasoning of other players.
• Understanding Others: By hearing their peers’ or parents’ surprising choices, they get to know others better and learn that people can have different, valid reasons for their preferences, which builds empathy.

FAQ About This or That Questions for Kids