Playing the “Would You Rather” Game with Kids: Have Fun and Promote Conversation
Hey there, parents, teachers and caregivers! Want to keep kids entertained and engaged on long trips, during sleepovers, parties or family reunions? One enjoyable, free and hilarious activity you can add to your bag of tricks is the “Would You Rather” game.
If you’re not familiar with the game, it’s pretty simple. The facilitator poses a “would you rather” question, giving two options that range from funny and thought-provoking to hard or gross.
The other players then choose which option they would prefer, and each answer is a starting point for a conversation.
Let’s explore some funny, hard and gross “Would You Rather” questions you can ask kids, and why this game is more than just silly fun.
Funny Would You Rather Questions for Kids
- Would you rather have super strength but have to wear your underwear outside your pants, or be able to fly but only backwards?
- Would you rather eat a sandwich made of jellyfish or a smoothie made of grasshoppers?
- Would you rather have a pet unicorn or a pet dragon?
- Would you rather fart in public or burp loudly after eating?
- Would you rather have a million dollars or smell like stinky cheese all the time?
These questions are light-hearted and silly, but they get kids laughing and sharing opinions.
They might also help children relax and lower their guard, creating a more welcoming atmosphere for deeper conversations later.
Hard Would You Rather Questions for Kids
- Would you rather give up all electronics for a year or give up all sweets for life?
- Would you rather save your best friend from drowning or save a stranger from being hit by a car?
- Would you rather be a genius with no friends or average with many friends?
- Would you rather tell the truth and lose your job or lie and keep it?
- Would you rather live in a world without music or without books?
These questions can be challenging and thought-provoking, requiring kids to think critically and weigh different values and priorities.
They can also spark debates and reflections on what is right and wrong, fair and unfair, or important and trivial.
Gross Would You Rather Questions for Kids
- Would you rather lick a snail or eat a worm?
- Would you rather drink pickle juice or toilet water?
- Would you rather smell like rotten eggs or skunk spray?
- Would you rather eat a plate of bugs or step on a pile of poop barefoot?
- Would you rather brush your teeth with hot sauce or sand?
These questions are not for the faint of heart, but they can reveal kids’ tolerance for discomfort, their sense of humor, and their courage to take risks.
They can also be a reminder to appreciate the little things in life, such as a fresh breath or clean shoes.
Benefits of Playing the “Would You Rather” Game with Kids
Now, you might be wondering what the point of this game for kids is, besides laughing and cringing.
Well, the “Would You Rather” game has several benefits for children’s social and emotional development, such as:
- Promoting Conversation and Laughter: By providing a fun and open-ended activity, the game encourages kids to communicate with each other, listen to different perspectives, and express their own opinions freely. The game also creates opportunities for humor and playfulness, which can release tension, boost morale, and foster positive emotions.
- Helping Kids Get to Know Each Other Better: By asking questions that reveal personal preferences, fears, values, and interests, the game can help children build rapport, empathy, and understanding with each other. Learning about others can also broaden kids’ horizons and challenge stereotypes or biases.
- Encouraging Creative Thinking and Decision-Making: By presenting hypothetical scenarios that require kids to imagine alternatives, evaluate trade-offs, and make choices, the game can enhance their ability to think critically, logically, and creatively. This skill may transfer to other situations where kids face dilemmas or puzzles.
- Providing Entertaining and Enjoyable Activity for Kids: Let’s be honest, sometimes you just need something that can keep kids engaged and happy for a while, especially when you are on a long car or plane trip, a sleepover, a party, or a family reunion. The “Would You Rather” game can provide hours of entertainment without breaking the bank or requiring any technology.
Conclusion
In sum, playing the “Would You Rather” game with kids can be a win-win situation for everyone involved. Whether you choose to ask funny, hard or gross questions, the game can promote conversation and laughter, help kids get to know each other better, encourage creative thinking and decision-making, and provide entertaining and enjoyable activity for kids.
So, next time you are stuck in a boring situation with kids, why not start a game of “Would You Rather” and see where it takes you? You might be surprised by what you learn and how much fun you have!
Tips for Playing the “Would You Rather” Game with Kids: Create a Safe and Fun Environment
Now that you know some funny, hard, and gross “Would You Rather” questions to ask kids, you might be ready to jump into the game.
But before you do, here are some tips to make the game more enjoyable and rewarding for everyone involved.
Choose Appropriate Questions for Age and Audience
One of the keys to making the game interesting and relevant is to choose questions that are age and audience-appropriate. If you are playing with younger kids, you might want to avoid questions that involve violence, sex, death, or complex concepts that they might not understand.
Instead, you can focus on questions that relate to their daily experiences, preferences, and imagination. For example, “Would you rather have a pizza party or an ice cream party? “, “Would you rather be a pirate or a ninja? “, or “Would you rather have a magic wand or a flying broomstick? “.
If you are playing with older kids, you can ask more challenging questions that require deeper reflection and discussion. For example, “Would you rather save the world from climate change or from war? “, “Would you rather be famous and rich or anonymous and happy? “, “Would you rather have a high-paying job that you hate or a low-paying job that you love? “.
In any case, make sure that the questions you choose are sensitive to the cultural, religious, ethnic, or personal backgrounds of the participants, and that they do not offend or hurt anyone’s feelings.
Encourage Respectful and Considerate Responses
Another way to ensure that the game is positive and productive is to encourage respectful and considerate responses among the participants. You can model this behavior by giving praise, empathy, and support to every answer, even if you don’t agree with it or find it weird.
You can also remind the players to use “I-messages” and “we-messages” when expressing their thoughts, instead of “you-messages” that might sound accusatory or judgmental. For example, instead of saying “You’re wrong, that’s a dumb answer”, you can say “I see your point, but I have a different perspective” or “We all have different tastes, that’s what makes the game interesting”.
By promoting kindness, empathy, and courtesy, the game can become a platform for practicing communication and conflict resolution skills, which can be useful in other contexts of life.
Allow for Creative Interpretation and Responses
Another way to enhance the game is to allow for creative interpretation and responses to the questions. The game doesn’t have to be a strict “either/or” format; players can also add their own twists and explanations to the options, or propose alternative options that they find more appealing.
This can open up new avenues of discussion and discovery, and make the game more unpredictable and fun. For example, instead of choosing between “Would you rather have a pet turtle or a pet chameleon? “, a player might say “I’d rather have a pet churtle, a cross between a turtle and a chameleon that changes color whenever I put a different hat on it”.
Or, instead of choosing between “Would you rather live in a house made of marshmallows or in a house made of gingerbread? “, a player might say “I’d rather live in a house made of leaves, like a fairy in a forest”. By allowing for flexibility, imagination, and variety, the game can encourage creative thinking and problem-solving, and spark curiosity and wonder.
Emphasize That the Game is Just for Fun
Finally, it’s important to emphasize that the game is just for fun, and that there are no right or wrong answers. The game is not a competition, and there are no winners or losers.
The game is a chance to explore different perspectives, share experiences, and have some laughs. By framing the game as a non-threatening and lighthearted activity, you can reduce the pressure to perform or conform, and allow the players to be themselves.
You can also remind the players that the game is confidential, and that they don’t have to share anything they are not comfortable with. By creating a safe and fun environment, you can foster trust, respect, and enjoyment among the players.
Conclusion
In conclusion, playing the “Would You Rather” game can be a great way to entertain and engage kids in long trips, sleepovers, parties, or family reunions. By choosing appropriate questions, encouraging respectful and considerate responses, allowing for creative interpretation and responses, and emphasizing that the game is just for fun, you can create a safe and fun environment for everyone involved.
By doing so, you can promote conversation, social skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, and empathy in kids, and have a blast while doing it!
In conclusion, playing the “Would You Rather” game with kids can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience that promotes conversation, laughter, creativity, and empathy. By choosing appropriate questions, encouraging respectful and considerate responses, allowing for creative interpretation and responses, and emphasizing that the game is just for fun, parents, caregivers, and teachers can create a safe and fun environment that expands kids’ social and emotional skills, and builds lasting connections between them.
So, next time you want to spice up your time with kids, try playing the “Would You Rather” game, and see how much fun and learning you can achieve together!
