200 kid-safe picks · classroom brain break · no sign-up
This or That Questions for Kids
This or that questions for kids make the easiest brain break there is: two choices, one answer, and every child in the room gets to have an opinion. The questions here are short enough for early readers, kid-safe for ages 5 to 12, and sorted by theme (animals, food, school and more), and every theme can go straight onto the big screen. Put them on the classroom screen with Present (no student accounts, no sign-up), let the class vote with hands or by moving to a side of the room, or play at home at dinner or in the car.
How to play
- Put it on the boardPress Present to show one question at a time in giant letters. Read both choices aloud so early readers and English learners can play too.
- Everyone picks a sideHands up, thumbs, or walk to the side of the room that matches A or B. At home on a tablet, just tap a card.
- Hear a reason, then nextAsk two kids why they chose their side, then press → or use a clicker for the next question.
Animal this or that questions for kids
- Otters or Pandas?
- T. rex or Long-neck dinosaur?
- Hippos or Rhinos?
- Dolphins or Orcas?
- Koalas or Kangaroos?
- Owls or Eagles?
- Bunnies or Hamsters?
- Llamas or Goats?
- Zebras or Giraffes?
- Butterflies or Ladybugs?
- Octopus or Crab?
- Foxes or Raccoons?
- Hedgehogs or Chipmunks?
- Flamingos or Peacocks?
- Baby ducks or Baby chicks?
- Ant farm or Fish tank?
- Monkeys or Gorillas?
- Pet turtle or Pet frog?
- Blue whale or Giant squid?
- Cheetahs or Tigers?
- Talking parrot or Dancing dog?
- Milk a cow or Collect eggs?
- Pet snail or Pet caterpillar?
- Pigs or Sheep?
Food and snack picks
- Rainbow sprinkles or Chocolate chips?
- Breakfast for dinner or Dinner for breakfast?
- Waffles or French toast?
- Pretzels or Fruit snacks?
- Spaghetti or Mac and cheese?
- Soft taco or Crunchy taco?
- Grapes or Cherries?
- Kiwi or Mango?
- Ice cream cone or Snow cone?
- Triangle sandwich or Square sandwich?
- Cereal with milk or Dry cereal?
- Butter noodles or Red sauce noodles?
- Corn on the cob or Mashed potatoes?
- Carrot sticks or Cucumber slices?
- Lemonade or Fruit punch?
- Blueberry muffin or Banana bread?
- Animal crackers or Cheese crackers?
- Pizza party or Taco party?
- Strawberry milk or Chocolate milk?
- Cupcake or Cake pop?
- Spoon or Spork?
- Chicken nuggets or Fish sticks?
- Apple juice or Orange juice?
- Fruit smoothie or Fruit salad?
Magic and make-believe
- Invisibility or Super speed?
- Toys come alive or Drawings come alive?
- Wizard or Fairy?
- Breathe underwater or Walk on walls?
- Robot helper or Magic genie?
- Rocket boots or Butterfly wings?
- Castle in the clouds or Castle under the sea?
- Mermaid tail or Dragon wings?
- Pet cloud or Pet star?
- Magic wand or Magic hat?
- Time machine or Teleport door?
- Pirate captain or Space explorer?
- Superhero or Secret agent?
- Candy house or Cookie house?
- Magic beanstalk or Rainbow slide?
- Jump like a kangaroo or Climb like a monkey?
- Magic school or Space school?
- Talking car or Flying bike?
- Magic map or Magic key?
- Make it snow anytime or Make rainbows anytime?
- Secret tunnel or Secret treehouse?
- Pet unicorn or Pet robot dog?
Games and playtime
- Hide-and-seek or Tag?
- Checkers or Tic-tac-toe?
- Jigsaw puzzle or Building blocks?
- Sandbox or Jungle gym?
- Trampoline or Water slide?
- Dress-up or Puppet show?
- Freeze dance or Musical chairs?
- Simon says or Duck, duck, goose?
- Stuffed animals or Action figures?
- Toy cars or Toy trains?
- Yo-yo or Spinning top?
- Pillow fort or Cardboard castle?
- Treasure hunt or Obstacle course?
- Play store or Play restaurant?
- Hopscotch or Four square?
- Toy robot or Toy dinosaur?
- Act it out or Draw it out?
- I spy or Twenty questions?
- Hula hoop or Pogo stick?
- Tea party or Dance party?
Sports and outdoor fun
- Carousel or Bumper cars?
- Soccer or Basketball?
- Swimming or Biking?
- Sleep in a tent or Sleep in a cabin?
- Climbing wall or Zip line?
- Scooter or Skateboard?
- Relay race or Tug-of-war?
- Fishing or Canoeing?
- Gymnastics or Karate?
- Kickball or Frisbee?
- Nature hike or Beach day?
- Bug hunt or Rock hunt?
- Tennis or Ping-pong?
- Sack race or Three-legged race?
- Water balloons or Sprinkler?
- Collect seashells or Build sandcastles?
- Climb a tree or Roll down a hill?
- Bowling or Ice skating?
- Stargazing or Cloud watching?
- Fly a kite or Blow bubbles?
Colors, art and music
- Paint a picture or Build a sculpture?
- Purple or Orange?
- Glitter glue or Googly eyes?
- Drums or Piano?
- Guitar or Violin?
- Sing in a choir or Play in a band?
- Finger paint or Watercolors?
- Modeling clay or Slime?
- Paper airplanes or Paper boats?
- Colored pencils or Markers?
- Fast songs or Slow songs?
- Draw animals or Draw robots?
- Make a mask or Make a crown?
- Stripes or Polka dots?
- Bright colors or Soft colors?
- Color inside the lines or Color outside the lines?
- Art museum or Music concert?
- Clap along or Stomp along?
Books and story time
- Picture books or Chapter books?
- Funny stories or Adventure stories?
- Comic books or Joke books?
- Meet a book character or Visit a book world?
- Audiobook or Read it yourself?
- Write a story or Tell a story?
- Animal stories or Space stories?
- Library trip or Bookstore trip?
- True stories or Made-up stories?
- Read to a puppy or Read to a baby?
- Bedtime story or Bedtime song?
- Lift-the-flap book or Pop-up book?
- Mystery story or Fairy tale?
- One giant book or Lots of tiny books?
- Read with a flashlight or Read in the sunshine?
- Read alone or Read with a buddy?
Seasons, weather and holidays
- Puddle jumping or Leaf pile jumping?
- Fall festival or Spring fair?
- Spring picnic or Fall hayride?
- Pumpkin patch or Corn maze?
- Rainy day or Windy day?
- Pool party or Sledding party?
- Animal costume or Superhero costume?
- Raincoat or Umbrella?
- Fireworks show or Parade?
- Spring break or Winter break?
- Catch fireflies or Watch shooting stars?
- Plant flowers or Plant veggies?
- Balloons or Confetti?
- Open presents first or Eat cake first?
- Lemonade stand or Bake sale?
- Summer camp or Family road trip?
- Snowflakes or Icicles?
- Summer cookout or Thanksgiving dinner?
- Ice cream in winter or Hot soup in summer?
- Blow out the candles or Hear the birthday song?
Home and family
- Treehouse bed or Spaceship bed?
- Bath with bubbles or Bath with toys?
- Walk the dog or Feed the cat?
- Family bike ride or Family puzzle night?
- Help cook dinner or Help bake cookies?
- Blanket burrito or Pillow mountain?
- Wash the dishes or Fold the laundry?
- Clean your room or Wash the car?
- Glow-in-the-dark stars or Fairy lights?
- Sleepover at your house or Sleepover at a friend's?
- Stay home all day or Go out all day?
- Backyard camping or Living room camping?
- Breakfast in bed or Picnic breakfast?
- Night light or Dark room?
- Socks on in bed or Socks off in bed?
- Big comfy couch or Giant beanbag?
- Rake the leaves or Water the garden?
- Bigger yard or Bigger bedroom?
Classroom this or that questions
- Pajama day or Crazy hair day?
- Math time or Reading time?
- Science experiment or Art project?
- Farm field trip or Museum field trip?
- Line leader or Door holder?
- Water the plants or Feed the class fish?
- Spelling bee or Science fair?
- Show and tell or Mystery box game?
- Sit on the carpet or Sit at a table?
- Desks in rows or Desks in a circle?
- Morning recess or Afternoon recess?
- School play or Talent show?
- Whiteboard or Chalkboard?
- Sticker chart or Prize box?
- Learn about bugs or Learn about volcanoes?
- Morning stretch or Morning song?
- Wood pencil or Click pencil?
- Gym class or Music class?
Running a class or a meeting?Show all 200 questions full screen with giant text, an optional timer and a hand count. Works with a presentation clicker.
Play in projector modeHow to play This or That as a classroom brain break
A brain break works best when it’s short, gets kids moving and needs no setup. This or That checks all three. Keep the page open in a browser tab and you can start a round in ten seconds.
- Open projector mode. Press Present on the smart board or on the computer connected to your projector. Start at the top, or use the “Play these in projector mode” link under any theme in the list.
- Set the timer. Twenty seconds suits younger kids; ten seconds turns it into a race for older ones. The OR badge in the middle counts down and shows “Time!” at zero.
- Read, move, ask. Read both choices, let kids move or raise hands, then call on one or two to explain.
- Five questions, then back to work. Three to five minutes is plenty. Save the rest for the next break.
A script you can read the first time you play:
“Brain break! I’m going to show you two choices. If you pick the one on the left, stand by the windows. If you pick the one on the right, stand by the door. No talking until everyone has picked. Ready? Here’s the first one…”
Good moments for a quick round: between subjects, after lunch or recess, during indoor recess, before a test to shake off nerves, or in the last ten minutes on a Friday afternoon.
The movement version: move to a side of the room
Many teachers know Four Corners, where each corner of the room stands for an answer. This or That is the two-corner version, and it’s easier to manage: the left side of the room is A (the left card on the screen) and the right side is B. Tape a big A and B to the walls on the first day and you’re set for the year.
- Small or crowded room? Stand up for A, stay seated for B. Or arms up for A, arms out wide for B.
- Need it quiet? Thumbs up for A, thumbs down for B, with eyes closed so nobody copies a friend.
- Make it a math minute. Once kids have moved, count each side together and type the numbers into Count hands (press H). A bar shows the class split. Then ask: How many more picked A? What fraction of the class picked B? Did more than half choose the same thing?
Hand counts stay on your computer. They aren’t sent anywhere or added to the online results, so nothing about your class leaves the room.
This or That questions for kids as speaking and writing prompts
Every This or That question is a ready-made speaking prompt, and the format is especially handy for English learners because the hardest part, the vocabulary, is already on the screen.
- Sentence frames. Post one on the board: “I like ___ better than ___ because ___.” “I prefer ___.” “I would choose ___.” Younger students answer with the frame and one word; older students add a reason.
- Comparatives. A pair like cats or dogs invites comparative adjectives: cuter, louder, easier to take care of. Ask kids to use one in their answer.
- Think, pair, share. Ten seconds of thinking, thirty seconds telling a partner, then a few pairs share with the class. Quiet students get to rehearse with one person before speaking to everyone.
- Quick writes. Turn one question into a journal prompt: state your choice, give two reasons, then end with a sentence that repeats your choice. It’s the opinion-writing structure kids use all year, in miniature.
For pre-readers and newcomers who are still learning English, read both cards aloud and point at each one: a child who can’t read strawberry yet still knows the word when they hear it.
Tips for ages 5 to 12
Ages 5 to 7
Read every question aloud and point at each card as you say it. Stick to pairs kids can picture, like animals, foods and colors. Five questions make a full round. Pointing or standing works better than raising hands, which tends to turn into waving.
Ages 8 to 10
Ask for one reason with every answer. Let a student run the clicker or the keyboard; it quickly becomes the most wanted job in the room. Keep a tally of the class’s picks over a week and turn it into a bar graph.
Ages 11 to 12
Older kids love to predict and argue. Before you show the online results, ask the class to guess which side most other players picked. Then challenge them to write their own pairs. A good This or That question needs two options that are equally tempting, which is harder than it sounds.
For longer, sillier dilemmas, try the Would You Rather questions for kids. They suit the same ages but take a bit more explaining.
At home, at dinner and in the car
This or That doesn’t need a classroom. Parents use it to get more than “fine” out of kids at the dinner table, and it saves a lot of “are we there yet?” on long drives.
- At dinner, each person asks one question, everyone answers, and the asker goes last. Kids love catching a grown-up with an unexpected answer.
- In the car, a passenger reads the questions from a phone. Siblings take turns guessing what the other will pick before they answer.
- At bedtime, pick a calm theme and stop after three questions. It’s an easy way to hear about a child’s day without asking “how was school?”
- On a playdate, play on a tablet, let the kids take turns tapping, and read the results together.
Prefer no screens? Read straight from the numbered list on this page, or print it (Ctrl+P, or Cmd+P on a Mac) and keep a copy in the glove box.
Our kid-safe promise
Every question in the kids deck has to pass one test: would a teacher be comfortable reading it aloud to a class of six-year-olds? That means:
- No dating, crushes or romance.
- Nothing scary or violent, and nothing gross beyond the silly kind.
- Nothing about how anyone looks.
- Plain words that early readers can sound out.
The game itself is built for school use, too. Kids don’t create accounts, type their names or chat with anyone. Votes are anonymous, and nobody can see who picked what. If you spot a question that doesn’t fit your class, tell us and we’ll take a look.
Questions people ask
What are some fun This or That games for kids?
The classic version is two choices on a screen and a vote by show of hands. Fun twists: move to a side of the room, freeze in a pose that matches your pick, guess what the teacher chose, or count the class votes and compare them with the split on screen. All of them work with the questions on this page and need no prep.
What are some easy This or That questions for kids?
Easy ones use things every child knows: cats or dogs, pizza or pasta, summer or winter, swings or slides, crayons or markers, apples or bananas, books or movies, beach or pool. Kids can picture both choices without reading, and there’s no wrong answer. Start with a few like these before moving on to imaginative pairs.
How do you play This or That as a brain break?
Press Present to show one question at a time on the board, set a 10- or 20-second timer, and have kids move to the left or right side of the room to show their pick. Ask one or two kids why, then go to the next question. Three to five minutes is enough for a full brain break.
What age is This or That good for?
Kids from about 5 to 12 enjoy it. Younger children need the choices read aloud and do best with simple, picturable pairs; older kids like explaining their picks, predicting how others voted and writing their own questions. Teens and adults play too, but the questions on this page are kept simple and kid-safe.
Do students need accounts or their own devices?
No. One teacher computer with a projector or smart board is enough, and nobody signs up. If students have Chromebooks or tablets, they can open the page and vote on their own. Votes are anonymous, and no names or email addresses are collected.
Can I print these This or That questions?
Yes. Use your browser’s print command (Ctrl+P, or Cmd+P on a Mac) to print the numbered list on this page. Teachers cut the printout into strips for a question jar, use it at a center, or leave it for a substitute together with the projector instructions.
Is This or That good for ESL students?
Very. The vocabulary is on the screen, the answer can be a single word, and sentence frames like “I prefer ___ because ___” let students stretch when they’re ready. Pairs invite comparatives such as bigger, faster or more fun, and talking with a partner first gives new speakers a low-pressure way in.