72 This or That Questions for Children Who Answer Instantly

These this or that questions for kids need zero reading, zero equipment and about thirty seconds of setup. Every pair puts two things a five to ten year old already loves on opposite sides, so the room splits fast and the noise level rises faster. Print the cards, read the pairs aloud, and let the arguing begin.

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How to Play

Read each pair aloud and ask every child to pick one option by moving to a side of the room, raising a hand, or shouting their answer. There are no wrong answers and no points. Work through all twelve pairs in a round, then move to the next round. The cards let a parent, teacher or older helper run the game without memorising anything: print them, cut along the lines, and read from the stack. Use one round as a quick warm-up or run all six for a full party game.

Round One: Food

Food pairs land instantly because every child has a strong opinion and is not shy about it.

1. Pizza or tacos?
2. Ice cream or cake?
3. Apples or oranges?
4. Pancakes or waffles?
5. Chicken nuggets or fish fingers?
6. Strawberries or blueberries?
7. Mac and cheese or grilled cheese?
8. Chocolate milk or plain milk?
9. Carrots or cucumber?
10. Cookies or brownies?
11. Popcorn or crisps?
12. Watermelon or pineapple?

Round Two: Animals

Animals get every child talking at once, especially when the two choices feel equally appealing.

1. Dog or cat?
2. Lion or tiger?
3. Dolphin or whale?
4. Bunny or hamster?
5. Elephant or giraffe?
6. Penguin or polar bear?
7. Horse or pony?
8. Parrot or owl?
9. Frog or turtle?
10. Shark or octopus?
11. Monkey or gorilla?
12. Butterfly or ladybug?

Round Three: Playing

Playing pairs tap into what children actually do all day, so opinions are strong and instant.

1. Playground or swimming pool?
2. Building blocks or drawing?
3. Hide and seek or tag?
4. Board games or card games?
5. Bikes or scooters?
6. Trampoline or bouncy castle?
7. Sand castle or snowman?
8. Video games or outdoor games?
9. Colouring or painting?
10. Puzzles or clay?
11. Kite or frisbee?
12. Camping or water park?

Round Four: School

School pairs spark real debate because children have decided feelings about every corner of the school day.

1. Maths or reading?
2. Art class or music class?
3. Lunch break or recess?
4. Science or history?
5. PE or library?
6. Pencils or coloured markers?
7. School trip or class party?
8. Sit at a desk or sit on the floor?
9. Work alone or work with a partner?
10. Homework on Friday or homework on Sunday?
11. School play or school talent show?
12. Packed lunch or school lunch?

Round Five: Silly Pairs

Silly pairs make children giggle before they even answer, which keeps the energy high going into the final round.

1. Wear shoes on your hands or a hat on your foot?
2. Talk like a robot or walk like a penguin for one minute?
3. Have spaghetti for hair or broccoli for fingers?
4. Sneeze glitter or hiccup bubbles?
5. Sound like a duck every time you laugh or moo every time you sneeze?
6. Be the size of a mouse or the size of a house?
7. Only be able to hop everywhere or only be able to walk backwards?
8. Have a tail like a dog or ears like a rabbit?
9. Eat only purple food or only round food?
10. Sleep in a hammock or sleep in a bunk bed?
11. Have hands that are forks or feet that are flippers?
12. Speak in rhymes for a whole day or only whisper for a whole day?

Round Six: The Funniest Round

Save this round for last: the pairs get progressively more outrageous and children will still be talking about them on the way home.

1. Be chased by one horse-sized duck or one hundred duck-sized horses?
2. Have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon?
3. Only eat food that is blue or only eat food that is square?
4. Burp every time someone says your name or fall asleep every time someone says the word the?
5. Live in a cloud castle or live underwater?
6. Be best friends with a grumpy giant or a friendly witch?
7. Have a sneezing superpower that blows people over or a yawning superpower that puts people to sleep?
8. Only be able to high-five people on the nose or only be able to greet people by spinning in a circle?
9. Everything you touch turns into cheese or everything you draw comes to life?
10. Swap bodies with your teacher for a day or swap bodies with your pet for a day?
11. Win a trophy for the world’s loudest burp or the world’s silliest dance?
12. Have a slide instead of a staircase at home or a zip line instead of a school bus?

How to Keep It Moving and When to Stop

Momentum is everything with this age group. Give children about five seconds per pair before calling the next one: longer than that and the energy drops. If the room is split down the middle on a pair, ask two children from each side to defend their answer in one sentence, then move on.

Six rounds of twelve pairs runs about twenty to twenty-five minutes at a lively pace, which is exactly right for a party. For a classroom warm-up, one round of twelve is plenty. Stop while children are still asking for the next pair rather than waiting until the room loses focus. The Would You Rather questions for kids collection makes a natural sequel if the group wants to keep going, and the charades ideas for kids list works well as a follow-up activity that burns off any remaining energy.

Print two sets of cards if you plan to run the game at more than one table at once. A quick laminate and a binder ring keep each round together and make the deck reusable for next time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many players do you need for this or that questions for kids?

Any number works, from two children up to a full classroom of thirty. The more players, the more satisfying the room-split moment when half the group shouts one answer and half shouts the other.

What age group are these this or that questions designed for?

The pairs are written for five to ten year olds. Every option is something children in that range know instantly, and none of the questions require reading because an adult reads them aloud.

How long does a full game of six rounds take?

At a good pace, six rounds of twelve pairs takes about twenty to twenty-five minutes. One round alone works as a five-minute warm-up or a quick filler between activities.

How do you print the card decks?

Print on white cardstock rather than regular paper so the cards hold up. Cut along the dashed lines, laminate for durability, and thread a binder ring through one corner to keep each round together.

Can these be used in a classroom as well as at a party?

Yes. The School round works especially well as a morning meeting warm-up or a transition activity. Run one round rather than all six to fit a short classroom slot.

Do children need to give a reason for their answer?

Not usually, and not in the base game. But asking one or two children per pair to explain their choice in one sentence adds depth and keeps the quieter children involved.