Here are 36 would you rather questions, sorted into funny, for kids, thought-provoking and work-friendly sets. The one rule that makes the game work is simple: nobody's allowed to answer neither or both, so every player has to pick a side and explain why.
Would you rather is the perfect game for car journeys, dinner tables, classrooms and the first five minutes of a meeting, because it needs no kit and everyone can play. The magic is in the explaining. A question like 'Would you rather always be ten minutes late or twenty minutes early?' tells you more about someone than half an hour of small talk. I've grouped these by audience so you can pick the right set without accidentally asking a ten-year-old something awkward.
How to play would you rather
Wikipedia describes would you rather as a conversation or party game that poses a dilemma between two options, which can both be good, both be tempting or both be bad. Answering neither or both is against the rules, and that's what leads players to debate their reasons. Here's an easy way to run it:
| Step | What happens | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One person reads a question aloud | Pass the phone or card around so everyone gets a turn |
| 2 | Everyone picks one option | No neither, no both, no 'it depends' |
| 3 | Each player gives a reason | The reasons are where the fun is |
| 4 | Anyone can challenge an answer | Keep it friendly; there are no wrong choices |
Research on conversations backs up why it works. The American Psychological Association reported a study finding that people underestimate how much others want to hear their deeper thoughts, and a good dilemma gives everyone a playful way to share them.
Funny would you rather questions
Silly dilemmas for parties, road trips and family nights. You'll get arguments, and that's half the fun.
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Would you rather have spaghetti for hair or sweat maple syrup?
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Would you rather always have to sing instead of speak or dance everywhere you walk?
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Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon the size of a cat?
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Would you rather sneeze glitter or burp bubbles?
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Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout?
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Would you rather have a rewind button or a pause button for your life?
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Would you rather be followed everywhere by a narrator or a soundtrack?
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Would you rather have hands for feet or feet for hands?
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Would you rather live in a house made of cheese or a house made of chocolate?
Would you rather questions for kids
Family-friendly and classroom-safe. They're great for wet playtimes and long car journeys.
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Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?
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Would you rather live under the sea or on the moon?
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Would you rather have a talking dog or a cat that can do magic?
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Would you rather eat only pizza or only ice cream for a week?
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Would you rather be a giant or the size of a mouse for a day?
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Would you rather have a slide or a trampoline instead of stairs at home?
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Would you rather be the best player on a losing team or the worst player on a winning team?
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Would you rather visit the past or the future?
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Would you rather always be cold or always be hot?
Thought-provoking would you rather questions
For older teens and adults. These spark real discussions about values, so don't be surprised if one question takes twenty minutes.
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Would you rather know how you'll die or when you'll die?
Work with meWant AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
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Would you rather be able to read minds or see the future?
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Would you rather have more time or more energy?
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Would you rather be famous or be the best friend of someone famous?
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Would you rather never be able to lie or never be able to tell when others are lying?
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Would you rather relive your best day over and over or skip your worst day?
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Would you rather lose all your memories or never be able to make new ones?
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Would you rather live a hundred years in the past or a hundred years in the future?
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Would you rather be loved by everyone or understood by one person?
Work-friendly would you rather questions
Safe for meetings and team days, and light enough for a Monday morning when nobody's quite awake.
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Would you rather have a four-day week or a two-hour lunch every day?
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Would you rather never have another meeting or never answer another email?
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Would you rather work from a beach or from a cabin in the mountains?
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Would you rather have a desk with a view or a desk next to the snacks?
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Would you rather present to a thousand people or write a hundred reports?
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Would you rather always be ten minutes late or always be twenty minutes early?
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Would you rather have a personal assistant or a personal chef?
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Would you rather learn every language or play every instrument?
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Would you rather be able to pause time or skip the boring bits?
How to get better would you rather games
- Enforce the no-neither, no-both rule. It's the whole point of the game.
- Always ask why. The reasons are more fun than the answers.
- Match the set to the group. Keep the thought-provoking ones for adults who know each other.
- Let players write their own questions after a few rounds. Kids love this, and they'll come up with ones you'd never think of.
- Stop while it's still fun. Ten good questions beat fifty tired ones.
For more games that need no kit, my round-up of party board games has picks for any group size, and families might like my 2 player Switch games for siblings for rainy days.
My advice for playing would you rather
Start with the funny set to warm everyone up, then switch to the set that fits your group. Kids will happily play the kids' set for an entire car journey, and adults usually end up deep in the thought-provoking set long after they meant to stop. Keep the rule strict and the mood light, and it's one of the easiest ways I know to get people talking.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of would you rather?
One person asks a question offering two options, and everyone must choose one. Answering neither or both is against the rules, so players have to explain their choice.
What are good would you rather questions for kids?
Try 'Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?' or 'Would you rather live under the sea or on the moon?'
What are funny would you rather questions?
Silly ones like 'Would you rather sneeze glitter or burp bubbles?' or 'Would you rather have spaghetti for hair or sweat maple syrup?'
Can you play would you rather at work?
Yes. Keep to light questions about meetings, lunches and working spots, like the work-friendly set above.
How many people do you need to play would you rather?
Just two, but it works with any group size. In big groups, split into smaller circles so everyone gets to explain their answer.
