This or that is the simplest question game there is: read two options, everyone picks one. The 60 pairs above take a second to answer, which makes them useful when a group is new, tired or mixed in age. The kids’ group works from about age four up.
How to play
There are no points and no winner. Pick whichever way suits the room:
- Hands up: read the pair, then ask for hands for the first option, then the second.
- Walk to a side: name one side of the room for each option. Everyone moves. This is the best version for classrooms, parties and kids with energy to burn.
- Pairs: with a big group, split into twos and read five pairs. Each pair reports the one answer they disagreed on.
Read quickly. The game works because nobody has time to overthink.
Getting more than one-word answers
Every few rounds, ask one person to explain their pick. “Why waffles?” can lead to a story about a grandmother’s kitchen or a diner on a road trip. Don’t ask after every pair, or the game slows into an interview.
When a group is ready for longer answers, move on to would you rather questions or the 21 questions game.
Make your own pairs
The best pairs come from the room. Use the town you live in (“the lake or the mall?”), a family joke or the snacks on the table. At work, keep to food, travel and weekends, and skip anything about money or family life. On a long drive, the car ride questions mix this or that with games for the back seat.