Last Updated on April 29, 2024 by Editorial Team
“It’s the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”- Aristotle
A perfect critical-thinking quote that captures the essence of a debate just fine. Debates are a wonderful public speaking activity that helps the participants comprehend the topics effectively, perceive them from different perspectives, and form a structured motion for or against the topic, in order to clearly present one’s views and opinions.
Debates are super useful to develop advanced intellectual abilities and instill a wide range of interpersonal skills in children, ranging from improved grammar to exceptional interpersonal skills. It prepares kids for the real world and teaches them how to put forward their opinions.
Encouraging kids to engage in formal or informal debates from a young age is necessary for their social, moral, emotional, and intellectual development. However, complex topics can make young kids lose their interest in debates since they will be challenging to work with.
For such scenarios, we have compiled a list of funny debate topics for kids that are thought-provoking yet funny. Before moving to the list of topics, let’s understand why engaging in debates is crucial for kids.
Benefits of debate for students
Engaging in debates is important for various reasons, such as it helps in personality development, make individuals emotionally mature, and improve their logical reasoning skills. Some other benefits are-
1. Improved critical thinking
Not only books and games, but debates are a wonderful way to improve the critical thinking skills of developing kids and help them engage in more analytical thinking. When kids engage in debating, they put forward their research-based opinions, question and re-evaluate their own as well as the opponent’s opinions, find logical fallacies in other’s arguments, and provide relevant arguments to prove their points. Engaging in such a process helps kids view things from multiple perspectives and find the most relevant piece of information, resulting in better critical thinking skills.
2. Enhanced communication skills
Debates are not some random conversation with a bunch of people. Rather, it is a fact-based and high-level thinking activity that requires an individual to put forward their valid opinions while countering the opponent’s argument. It is a perfect way to boost the communication skills of young kids and prepare them for the outside world.
Debates teach kids how to communicate with others without losing their cool, prove their arguments valid, listen to others, understand others’ perspectives, and make others understand your perspective. All of this makes a kid a better communicator by enhancing communication skills.
3. Boosts confidence
Speaking in front of a large audience requires self-confidence and belief in oneself. Debates boost kids’ confidence and improve their self-esteem. When kids engage in a debate, they open themselves to new possibilities, master their fear, learn to control their emotions, and most importantly understand their strengths and weaknesses, which simply leads to improved confidence in young kids.
4. Improved problem-solving and decision-making skills
From preparing one’s arguments to presenting them in front of an audience, kids face multiple challenges that require efficient solutions. When kids overcome those challenges and find solutions to their problems, they engage in advanced problem-solving skills. Similarly, presenting one’s opinions and countering opponents’ opinions requires quick decision-making skills. Kids need to be fast while deciding their counterarguments and in proving fact-based points timely, this requires an amalgam of decision-making and problem-solving skills.
5. Academic and professional excellence
Debate is a wonderful activity to make kids academically and professionally excellent. Engaging in debates broadens kids’ knowledge base and makes them intellectually smart. They learn to have their own opinions and willingly express themselves when needed. A wonderful set of traits that is appreciated in academics as well as the professional world.
6. Enhanced research skills
When kids are preparing for a debate topic, they research that topic effectively. Finding multiple sources of information, assessing the credibility of the source, preparing counterarguments, etc, require exceptional research skills. Debates help kids develop these skills and refine them. A well-researched and fact-based research topic makes kids more confident in their skills and prepares them better for the debate.
Fun Debate Topics for Students
The list of fun debate topics is suitable for both formal and informal events and will surely make the kids giggle a little. The fun debate topics are-
1. Fishes do get thirsty. Agree or disagree?
2. Instead of relaxing on weekends and working on weekdays, we should do the opposite. Agree or disagree?
3. Are aliens among us?
4. Do aliens despise us? Is that the reason they don’t visit or communicate with us?
5. Pineapple should be banned as a pizza topping.
6. Which meal is better? Lunch or dinner?
7. Is it possible to survive on pizza for a whole life?
8. Does singing in the shower make you a better singer?
9. Homework should be removed from the schools.
10. Is it better to be a giant like dinosaurs or tiny like bugs?
11. In a fight between a pirate and a wizard, who is likely to win?
12. Are ancient mythical books a secret pathway to a hidden magical world?
13. Do toys talk to each other when humans are not around?
14. Who came first? Chicken or eggs?
15. Do robots make good friends?
16. Is it better to have a homework robot to complete students’ homework?
17. Which season is better? Summers or winters?
18. Should the new cartoon movie release day be declared a national holiday for kids?
19. Time traveling to the past or time traveling to the present. Which is better?
20. Is water wet or does it just make other things wet?
21. Save your allowances or spend it?
22. Is it better to be an early riser or a late-night owl?
23. Is it better to be rich and famous or to be smart?
24. Who is scarier? A spider or a snake?
25. Does the afterlife exist?
26. Can ghosts be friends with humans?
27. Which is a better pet? A dog or a cat?
28. Who is more likely to win a battle between a zombie and a vampire?
29. Which is better? Board games or video games?
30. Which is the better pizza topping? Pepperoni or pineapple?
31. Does life exist in space?
32. Which is better? PlayStation or an Xbox.
33. Emojis are a legitimate way of communication. Agree or disagree?
34. Should we give animals the right to represent themselves and speak for themselves?
35. Classical music is better than pop music. Agree or disagree.
36. Who gossips more? Men or women?
37. Which is better? Being happy or being rich?
38. Video games make kids more aggressive. Agree or disagree.
39. Pizza tastes better with ketchup. Agree or disagree.
40. Kids should help with household chores. Agree or disagree.
41. Fruits are a type of dessert. Agree or disagree?
42. Which is a better superpower? Invisibility or ability to fly?
43. Who is stronger? Superman or Batman?
44. Books or movies. Which is better?
45. Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. Which is better?
46. Which could be a better place to live? Underwater or in space?
47. Which is more fun? Staying indoors or wandering outdoors?
48. Do you think Santa Claus is real?
49. Birthdays should be declared as holidays for birthday boys/girls. Agree or disagree?
50. Mac and Cheese should be declared as a national food. Agree or disagree.
51. Straws are not necessary to drink a beverage. Agree or disagree?
52. Napping should be made compulsory.
53. Technology is making kids smart or lazy?
54. Are we living in some real world or some simulated reality?
55. Hot chocolate or chocolate shake. Which is better?
56. Pizza is a better breakfast option. Agree or disagree.
57. Who will make for a better pet? A unicorn or a dragon?
58. Wearing pajamas in public should be made an accepted dress code. Agree or disagree.
59. It is not mandatory to wear socks with shoes. Agree or disagree.
60. Two-day weekend or a four-day weekend.
61. Supervillains are cooler than superheroes. Agree or disagree.
62. Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?
63. Schools should remove the dress code. Agree or disagree.
64. Which is more important, academics or sports?
65. Are pets useful or harmful?
66. Desserts should be made mandatory after dinner. Agree or disagree.
67. Round-shaped pizza or rectangle-shaped pizza. Which is better?
68. Tacos or hotdogs, which is better?
69. Peanut butter or Nutella, which is better?
70. Fiction or nonfiction, which is better?
71. Making a snowman is better than snow skiing.
72. Monday should be declared as the worst day of the week.
73. Which is better, daydreaming or nightdreaming?
74. Is it better to be the oldest child, the middle child, or the youngest child?
75. Which is better, mind reading or telepathy?
76. Should schools provide mandatory video game classes once a week?
77. Textbooks should be replaced with comic books once a week. Agree or disagree.
78. Who is more likely to win a race, Santa Claus or Easter Bunny?
79. Eating dessert before dinner should be made normal. Agree or disagree.
80. Do fruits and vegetables have feelings?
81. Does wearing socks inside out bring good luck?
82. Living on Mars would be much better than living on Earth.
83. Having a relaxed day at home is better than going out and having fun with friends.
84. The week should start from Sunday rather than Monday.
85. Clowns are scary rather than funny. Agree or disagree.
86. Which one is better? Being a street smart or book smart.
87. Are teddy bears evil?
88. Is it possible that in reality cats are spies for aliens?
89. Which is better for learning and understanding, the internet or teachers?
90. Junk food should be banned from school cafeterias. Agree or disagree.
91. Indoor games or outdoor games. Which is better?
92. Smartphones are making us lazy. Agree or disagree.
93. Should teachers also need to wear school uniforms?
94. Should pets also name their owners, just like owner’s name their pets.
95. Schools should start late in the afternoon rather than early in the morning. Agree or disagree.
96. Should there be an Olympics for animals?
97. Rainy days or snow days. Which is better?
98. There is no such thing as too much chocolate. Agree or disagree.
99. Pillow fights should be named as national sports. Agree or disagree.
100. Are birds trained musicians?
Concluding thoughts
Debates provide a plethora of benefits that are hard to overlook. It makes kids street-smart and aids in their overall development. Additionally, it makes kids opinionated and helps them master their emotions. These funny debate topics are a perfect resource to begin a kid’s debate journey and teach them the basics of debates. With time, kids can refine their skills and engage in more complex and brain-stimulating debate competitions.
I am Sehjal Goel, a psychology student, and a writer. I am currently pursuing my Masters’s from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Child psychology has always fascinated me and I have a deep interest in learning about disabilities in children and spreading awareness regarding the same. My other areas of interest are neuropsychology and cognitive psychology. Connect me on Linkedin