120 This or That Questions for Kids, Teens and Adults

This or that is the fastest conversation starter there is: two options, one choice, no wrong answers. It works for shy kids and chatty grown-ups alike, and each answer tells you something about the person who gave it. Here are 120 this or that questions, sorted by theme and by audience, plus fun ways to play.

Food and drink

1. Pizza or tacos?
2. Pancakes or waffles?
3. Chocolate or vanilla?
4. Sweet or salty?
5. Apples or bananas?
6. Hot chocolate or lemonade?
7. Fries or mashed potatoes?
8. Breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast?
9. Cookies or cupcakes?
10. Popcorn or pretzels?
11. Spicy or mild?
12. Cereal or toast?
13. Ice cream cone or ice cream cup?
14. Pasta or rice?
15. Picnic or restaurant?

Animals and nature

16. Cats or dogs?
17. Beach or mountains?
18. Sunrise or sunset?
19. Owls or eagles?
20. Summer or winter?
21. Rain or snow?
22. Dolphins or penguins?
23. Forest or desert?
24. Butterflies or ladybugs?
25. Lions or tigers?
26. Stars or clouds?
27. Hamster or goldfish?
28. Spring or fall?
29. Lake or ocean?
30. Thunderstorm or rainbow?

Fun and free time

31. Board games or video games?
32. Books or movies?
33. Drawing or building?
34. Bike or scooter?
35. Swimming or skating?
36. Indoor day or outdoor day?
37. Puzzles or crafts?
38. Singing or dancing?
39. Comics or chapter books?
40. Roller coasters or water slides?
41. Camping or hotel?
42. Early bird or night owl?
43. Sleepover or movie night?
44. Soccer or basketball?
45. Magic tricks or jokes?

School and learning

46. Math or reading?
47. Art or music?
48. Recess or lunch?
49. Pencil or pen?
50. Science experiments or history stories?
51. Field trip or class party?
52. Work alone or in a group?
53. Front row or back row?
54. Write a story or draw a comic?
55. Spelling bee or science fair?

Travel and adventure

56. Plane or train?
57. City or countryside?
58. Road trip or cruise?
59. Visit the past or visit the future?
60. Explore space or explore the ocean?
61. Postcards or photos?
62. Hot place or cold place?
63. Window seat or aisle seat?
64. Theme park or museum?
65. Treehouse or castle?

Silly and imaginative

66. Fly or be invisible?
67. Talk to animals or speak every language?
68. Unicorn or dragon?
69. Superhero or wizard?
70. Robot helper or pet dinosaur?
71. Live in a submarine or a treehouse?
72. Shrink to ant size or grow to giant size?
73. Pirate or astronaut?
74. Time machine or teleporter?
75. Chocolate river or candy mountain?
76. Always hiccup or always sneeze?
77. Have a tail or have wings?
78. Walk backward forever or hop forever?
79. Trampoline floor or slide stairs?
80. Talking pet or flying car?

For teens

81. Texting or calling?
82. Concert or festival?
83. Early start or late finish?
84. Sneakers or boots?
85. Playlist or podcast?
86. Big party or small hangout?
87. Photos or videos?
88. Thrift store or mall?
89. Plan everything or go with the flow?
90. Learn guitar or learn to code?

For adults

91. Coffee or tea?
92. Cook or order in?
93. Mountains or city break?
94. Tidy desk or creative chaos?
95. Paper book or e-reader?
96. Gardening or baking?
97. Save it or spend it?
98. Weekend trip or staycation?
99. Morning workout or evening walk?
100. Classic movies or new releases?

For work and meetings

101. Email or quick call?
102. Standing desk or comfy chair?
103. Coffee break or walk break?
104. Whiteboard or sticky notes?
105. To-do list app or paper notebook?
106. Morning meetings or afternoon meetings?
107. Headphones on or office buzz?
108. Team lunch or solo lunch?
109. Spreadsheet or slides?
110. Early finish Friday or late start Monday?

Quick-fire round

111. Left or right?
112. Circle or square?
113. Red or blue?
114. Loud or quiet?
115. Salty popcorn or sweet popcorn?
116. Sun hat or sunglasses?
117. Stripes or spots?
118. Slippers or socks?
119. Morning or night?
120. This or that?

Ways to play

• Classic round: read a question, everyone answers, then share one reason why.
• Move to choose: point to opposite sides of the room for each option; players walk to their choice. Great for classrooms and parties.
• Quick-fire: ask ten questions in a row with only two seconds to answer each.
• Guess my answer: before a friend answers, everyone guesses what they’ll pick.
• Family bracket: pick the favorite food from eight options, two at a time, until one wins.
• Car game: take turns asking questions on long drives; see our screen-free road trip games.

This or that vs would you rather

This or that questions are quick, everyday choices. Would you rather questions usually describe bigger, sillier or tougher scenarios that invite longer debates. Mix both for a longer game night, and add tongue twisters as a forfeit for anyone who can’t choose.

Tips for teachers and hosts

• Keep it inclusive. Avoid choices tied to money, family situations or body image.
• Let people pass. Nobody should feel forced to explain a choice.
• Follow up with “why?” to build speaking and listening skills.
• Let players write their own questions for the next round.

Frequently asked questions

What are this or that questions?

Quick questions that offer two options, such as “cats or dogs?”, where players pick one. They’re used as icebreakers and party games.

How do you play this or that?

Read a question, everyone chooses one option and, if they like, explains why. You can also play by moving to different sides of a room.

Are this or that questions good for kids?

Yes. They’re simple, inclusive and help children practice decision-making and explaining their thinking.