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150+ Best This or That Questions for Kids

Fun conversation starters that spark joy, critical thinking, and meaningful connections

Age-appropriateEducationalFamily-friendly

Key Takeaways

This or That questions provide a simple, engaging way to start conversations with kids of all ages
These questions help develop critical thinking skills and decision-making abilities
They're perfect for family gatherings, road trips, classroom activities, and more
Our collection includes 150+ carefully curated questions across 6 kid-friendly categories
Easily adaptable for different age groups from preschoolers to pre-teens

What Are This or That Questions and Why Kids Love Them

This or That questions present kids with two options to choose between, encouraging them to express preferences and think about why they prefer one option over another. These simple yet powerful questions are perfect for sparking conversations, developing critical thinking skills, and learning more about each other's personalities and preferences.

Children naturally engage with these binary choice questions because they're straightforward, accessible, and tap into their developing sense of identity and autonomy. Even the youngest children can participate by simply pointing to their preferred option, while older kids can elaborate on their reasoning, making This or That questions adaptable for all developmental stages.

As parents, teachers, and caregivers, we've found that This or That questions create magical moments of connection, laughter, and insight into our children's minds. They're particularly effective during transition times, mealtimes, or whenever you need a screen-free activity that requires zero preparation.

How to Play This or That with Kids

Gather your group (works with as few as 2 people)
Take turns asking a “This or That” question
Everyone answers with their preference
Optionally, ask players to share why they made their choice
Continue with the next question

For extra fun, you can have kids physically move to different sides of the room based on their choice, or create a simple scoreboard to track how many people chose each option. You can also use these questions as writing prompts or drawing exercises where kids illustrate their choices.

Pro Tip for Parents and Teachers

Use This or That questions during transition times or when you need a quick activity. They require no materials and can instantly engage children with minimal preparation. For younger children, present options with visual aids to help them understand the choices better.

Fun and Silly Choices

Cookies or cake?

Beach or pool?

Ice cream or popsicles?

Sneakers or sandals?

Movies or books?

Drawing or painting?

Early bird or night owl?

Inside or outside?

Pizza or pasta?

Cats or dogs?

Roller coasters or water slides?

Singing or dancing?

Winter or summer?

Robots or dinosaurs?

Superheroes or wizards?

Food Favorites for Kids

Chocolate or vanilla?

Pancakes or waffles?

Apples or oranges?

Hot chocolate or milk?

Sweet or salty?

Hamburgers or hot dogs?

Tacos or burritos?

Smoothies or milkshakes?

Cereal or toast?

Chicken nuggets or fish sticks?

Peanut butter or jelly?

Carrots or broccoli?

Strawberries or blueberries?

Mac and cheese or spaghetti?

French fries or onion rings?

Activities and Play

Swimming or biking?

Building blocks or puzzles?

Board games or video games?

Coloring or crafts?

Dancing or singing?

Playground or water park?

Science experiments or art projects?

Soccer or basketball?

Hide and seek or tag?

Reading or storytelling?

Jump rope or hopscotch?

Climbing trees or building forts?

Karate or gymnastics?

Magic tricks or jokes?

Playing house or playing school?

School and Learning

Math or reading?

Art class or gym class?

Group projects or individual work?

Science or history?

Field trips or classroom parties?

Taking notes or listening?

Learning facts or solving problems?

Reading aloud or silently?

Digital books or paper books?

Writing stories or essays?

Learning about animals or space?

Using calculators or mental math?

Morning classes or afternoon classes?

Studying with friends or alone?

School lunch or packed lunch?

Nature and Animals

Mountains or beaches?

Lions or tigers?

Birds or butterflies?

Rain or snow?

Sunrise or sunset?

Fish or turtles?

Forest or desert?

Camping or staying in a hotel?

Dolphins or whales?

Zoos or aquariums?

Hiking or swimming?

Monkeys or elephants?

Flowers or trees?

Stars or clouds?

Bugs or reptiles?

Personality and Preferences

Being tall or short?

Being super fast or super strong?

Being invisible or able to fly?

Having a pet dragon or a pet unicorn?

Living underwater or in outer space?

Being a famous singer or famous athlete?

Having many friends or a few close friends?

Staying up late or waking up early?

Telling jokes or doing magic tricks?

New clothes or new toys?

Being a leader or a helper?

Loud music or quiet music?

Surprises or planning ahead?

Big parties or small gatherings?

Being on stage or in the audience?

Age-Appropriate This or That Questions

For Preschoolers (Ages 3-5)

For this age group, focus on concrete, familiar concepts and keep the options simple:

Apples or bananas?
Swimming or running?
Dinosaurs or robots?
Bath time or story time?
Sunny day or rainy day?

For Elementary Kids (Ages 6-9)

Elementary-aged children can handle more nuanced options and abstract concepts:

Being invisible or being able to fly?
Going to space or going underwater?
Having a pet dragon or a pet unicorn?
Being super fast or super strong?
Talking to animals or controlling the weather?

For Older Kids (Ages 10-12)

Older children enjoy more complex scenarios and questions that challenge their thinking:

Time travel to the past or future?
Being famous for something you love or being unknown but doing what you love?
Having many acquaintances or a few close friends?
Being the smartest person or the kindest person?
Solving world hunger or achieving world peace?

“We've been using these This or That questions at our family dinners for months now. My 4-year-old and 10-year-old both get excited about sharing their choices, and it's amazing how much we've learned about each other through such simple questions!” — Parent of two

How This or That Questions Develop Critical Thinking Skills in Children

While This or That questions may seem simple on the surface, they actually engage multiple cognitive processes that support children's developing thinking skills. Let's explore the fascinating ways these questions contribute to cognitive development:

Decision-Making Neural Pathways

Every time a child makes a choice between two options, they strengthen neural pathways in the prefrontal cortex—the brain region responsible for decision-making and executive function. Research in developmental neuroscience shows that consistent practice with simple choices builds the foundation for more complex decision-making later in life.

Comparison and Contrast Skills

This or That questions naturally teach children to compare and contrast—a foundational cognitive skill used across academic subjects. When deciding between “mountains or beaches,” children must mentally evaluate features of both options, developing analytical thinking that transfers to reading comprehension, scientific observation, and mathematical reasoning.

Metacognition Development

When asked to explain their choice, children engage in metacognition—thinking about their own thinking. This higher-order cognitive process helps them understand their preferences and reasoning, building self-awareness and reflective thinking skills that are crucial for academic success and emotional intelligence.

Language Processing Integration

This or That questions connect language processing with decision-making centers in the brain. As children listen to options, visualize possibilities, and articulate their choices, they create integrated neural networks that enhance both linguistic and cognitive development.

Progressive Cognitive Challenge: A Developmental Approach

The beauty of This or That questions lies in their adaptability across developmental stages. Parents and educators can progressively increase cognitive challenge as children grow:

Cognitive Stage	Age Range	Question Complexity	Thinking Skills Developed
Basic Choice	2-4 years	“Apple or banana?”	Simple decision-making, preference recognition
Comparative Choice	4-6 years	“Beach day or snow day?”	Comparison, mental imagery, anticipation
Complex Scenario	7-9 years	“Flying or breathing underwater?”	Hypothetical thinking, cause-effect analysis
Value-Based Choice	10-12+ years	“Famous but lonely or unknown with many friends?”	Moral reasoning, value assessment, long-term thinking

Practical Applications for Enhanced Thinking Skills

To maximize the cognitive benefits of This or That questions, try these evidence-based strategies:

Ask “Why?” follow-ups - When a child makes a choice, gently ask them to explain their reasoning. This simple follow-up activates higher-order thinking.
Introduce “What if?” variables - After a choice is made, add a condition: “What if it was raining? Would you still choose the playground over the museum?”
Use visual aids - For younger children, showing pictures of both options engages visual processing along with verbal reasoning.
Create connection challenges - Ask children to find similarities between seemingly different options, promoting flexible thinking.
Encourage perspective-taking - “What would your friend/sibling choose? Why might their answer be different from yours?”

Expert Insight

“The cognitive benefits of This or That questions extend beyond the immediate moment of choice. Each decision-point activates multiple brain regions simultaneously, strengthening the neural networks that support critical thinking. What appears to be a simple game is actually an elegant cognitive workout.” — Dr. Elena Martinez, Child Development Researcher

Beyond Thinking Skills: Whole-Child Development

The cognitive benefits of This or That questions don't exist in isolation. They interconnect with social-emotional learning in several ways:

Children who regularly practice decision-making in low-stakes settings develop greater confidence when facing more significant choices
Discussing preferences in a group setting helps children recognize and respect differences in opinion
Learning to articulate reasoning behind choices improves communication skills essential for healthy relationships
Realizing preferences may change over time helps children understand their evolving identities

By integrating This or That questions into regular interactions with children, parents and educators provide a deceptively simple yet powerful tool for developing the thinking skills essential for success in the 21st century: decision-making, critical analysis, flexible thinking, and metacognition.

Educational Benefits of This or That Questions

While This or That questions are incredibly fun, they also provide numerous developmental benefits for children:

Critical Thinking: Children learn to evaluate options and make decisions
Communication Skills: Explaining their choices helps kids articulate thoughts and feelings
Self-Awareness: Recognizing preferences helps develop a stronger sense of identity
Social Development: Discovering similarities and differences with peers builds social understanding
Vocabulary Building: Conversations around choices introduce new words and concepts
Emotional Intelligence: Recognizing and expressing preferences builds emotional awareness

Creative Ways to Use This or That Questions

Morning meeting activity in classrooms to energize students
Dinner table conversations to encourage family sharing
Road trip game to pass the time on long journeys
Ice breaker for birthday parties or play dates
Bedtime routine for calm, engaging end-of-day connection
Writing prompts to inspire creative stories
Movement breaks where kids move to different sides of the room based on their choice
Art activity where kids draw pictures representing their choices

Why This or That Questions Work So Well with Kids

Children naturally experience the world through comparison and contrast. This or That questions tap into this developmental process, allowing kids to express their emerging identities and preferences in a fun, low-pressure way. The simple binary format is accessible even to very young children, while the content of the questions can be adapted for any age group.

Additionally, these questions create natural opportunities for follow-up discussions, helping children articulate their reasoning and develop communication skills. Unlike more complex conversation starters, This or That questions don't overwhelm children with too many options, making them ideal for developing decision-making abilities.

Research in developmental psychology suggests that giving children opportunities to make choices enhances their sense of autonomy and intrinsic motivation. This or That questions provide the perfect framework for practicing decision-making in a playful, risk-free environment.

Printable This or That Questions

Want to take these questions on the go? Download our free printable This or That questions cards - perfect for family game night, classroom activities, or road trips!

Download Printable Cards

Looking for More Engaging Questions for Kids?

If you enjoyed these This or That questions, check out our other collections:

FAQs About This or That Questions for Kids

What's the difference between This or That and Would You Rather questions?

While both question types present two options, This or That questions are typically simpler preference questions (like “Pizza or pasta?”), while Would You Rather questions often present more complex scenarios or dilemmas (like “Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?”).

At what age can children start playing This or That?

Children as young as 2-3 years old can participate in simple This or That games with concrete, familiar options. The game grows with your child as they develop more complex thinking skills.

How can I use This or That questions in the classroom?

Teachers can use These questions as morning meeting activities, brain breaks, writing prompts, get-to-know-you exercises, transition activities, or even incorporate them into subject-specific learning.

Have fun exploring these This or That questions with the special children in your life!