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Debate Night
Everyone leaves the table thinking just a little bit differently
TWEENS (11 - 14 YEARS)
8/15/20262 min read
Pick a topic, choose your sides and let the arguments begin. Debate Night is one of the most stimulating, hilarious and surprisingly bonding activities you can do with a tween - especially one who has opinions about everything (and they all do at this age!).
The topics can be serious or completely ridiculous. The debates can be fierce or dissolve into laughter. Either way, everyone leaves the table thinking just a little bit differently.
Why This Works
Debate develops critical thinking, public speaking confidence, the ability to see multiple perspectives and the art of constructing a logical argument - skills that will serve your tween for life. It also gives them a structured, respected space to voice their opinions, which is deeply important at this age.
Activity Details
Age Group: Tweens 11–14
Time: 60–90 minutes
DifficultyEasy–Medium
What You Need
A list of debate topics
Timer (2–3 minutes per speaker)
Notepad for preparing arguments
A designated judge (or rotating judges)
Optional: gavel for the judge!
Sample Topics
Homework should be banned
Cats are better than dogs
Social media does more harm than good
School uniforms should be compulsory
Space exploration is more important than ocean exploration
Everyone should learn to cook
Steps
Choose your debate topic - write several on paper and draw one randomly for added excitement.
Assign sides - for and against. If someone gets the side they disagree with, even better!
Give everyone 5–10 minutes to prepare their arguments and write notes.
Each side presents their opening argument (2–3 minutes each).
Allow rebuttals - each side responds to the other's argument.
The judge asks questions of each side.
Each side delivers a closing statement.
The judge delivers their verdict and explains their reasoning.
Kim's Tips 💕
The best debates happen when people argue for the side they don't agree with!
Keep it light and fun - the goal is thinking, not winning
A timer keeps things moving and fair
Rotate the judge role so everyone gets a turn in the hot seat
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Let's stay connected!
This post is part of my Tweens Activity Hub - packed with ideas for 11–14 year olds.
With love, Kim xx
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