Higher or Lower game is a fantastic, fun activity for youth groups. This easy interactive game keeps kids engaged, laughing, and learning.
The Higher or Lower guessing game challenges players to determine whether a given number is higher or lower than a reference point. This lighthearted activity works well as an icebreaker or team-building exercise. The game can even serve as an introduction to a Bible study.
Plus, you can add creative twists and thought-provoking questions to fit your needs. Now gather your teens and start guessing!
How To Play the Higher or Lower Game
The rules of the Higher or Lower game are simple. First form teams. A leader presents a number, fact, or statistic. Then teams take turns guessing if the answer is higher or lower than the given reference.
Players earn points for correct guesses. You can play as long as time allows.
Creative Ways to Use a Higher or Lower Game with Teens
Next, the basic format of the game is fun on its own. But you can make it more meaningful with different themes and variations.
- Icebreaker Activity—Use Higher or Lower as a warm-up game at the beginning of a youth group meeting or retreat. This will help students feel comfortable, encourage interaction, and lighten the mood.
- Bible Trivia Edition—Replace general trivia with Bible-related questions. For example:
- “The number of Psalms in the Bible is 120. Higher or lower?” (Answer: Higher—150)
- “Jesus fed 7,000 people with five loaves and two fish. Higher or lower?” (Answer: Lower—5,000.) This version is a fun way to reinforce biblical knowledge.
- Mission or Charity Challenge—Turn the game into a giving challenge. Each correct answer earns a point. At the end of the game, points translate into funds or items donated to a project.
- Team Competition—Form teams and encourage healthy competition. Award small prizes to winners.
- Life-Application Discussion—After playing, discuss topics such as making wise choices and trusting God. Use the game to lead into deeper conversations about faith.
- Virtual Game Night—For online groups, use a slide presentation or screen-sharing feature to play a digital version of Higher or Lower. This works well for remote youth meetings.
- Outdoor or Large-Scale Version—For large groups, turn the game into a physical challenge. Have teens move to designated “Higher” or “Lower” areas based on their guesses.
15 Kid-Friendly Higher or Lower Questions
These questions cover pop culture, history, and sports. Click to the next page for Bible-specific questions.
- An adult human body has 250 bones. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—206.)
- A penny costs 5 cents to make. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—3.7 cents.)
- The first iPhone was released in 2010. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—2007.)
- A standard soccer game lasts 120 minutes. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—90 minutes.)
- The average lifespan of a domestic cat is about 20 years. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—About 15 years.)
- The world’s longest river is 3,000 miles long. Higher or lower? (Answer: Higher—The Nile is about 4,135 miles.)
- A basketball hoop is 12 feet tall. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—10 feet.)
- The Great Wall of China is 5,000 miles long. Higher or lower? (Answer: Higher—About 13,000 miles.)
- The U.S. population is 500 million. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—330 million.)
- The average human heart beats 120 times per minute. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—About 80 times.)
- The ocean’s deepest trench is 20,000 feet deep. Higher or lower? (Answer: Higher—The Mariana Trench is 36,000 feet deep.)
- A giraffe’s neck has 15 vertebrae. Higher or lower? (Answer: Lower—7, just like humans.)
- About 3,000 languages are spoken in the world today. Higher or lower? (Answer: Higher—More than 7,000.)
- The longest someone has held their breath underwater is 15 minutes. Higher or lower? (Answer: Higher—The record is over 24 minutes.)
- A blue whale’s heart weighs 100 pounds. Higher or lower? (Answer: Higher—400 pounds.)
