Sleeping Lions Game: Rules, Fair Hunter Picks and Variations
Sleeping lions is the quietest game a teacher or party host can pull out: everyone lies down and pretends to be a sleeping lion, and one or two hunters walk around trying to make them move. Any lion who wriggles, giggles or opens their eyes is out and becomes a hunter too. The last lion still lying perfectly still wins. It is a favourite for the end of a party, a wet break or the moment before home time, when a group of children needs to calm down. Here are the rules, how to choose the hunter fairly, and a few variations.
What you need
- Enough floor space for every child to lie down without touching anyone else.
- A soft floor, carpet or mats.
- One adult or child to start as the hunter.
- Optional: calm music, or a timer if you want rounds to end on time.
Rules
- All the players lie down on the floor in a comfortable position. They are the sleeping lions.
- The hunter says “sleeping lions” and from then on the lions must stay completely still, with their eyes closed.
- The hunter walks around the room and tries to make the lions move or laugh by telling jokes, making funny noises or talking to them.
- Hunters may not touch the lions. Most groups also ban shouting right into someone’s ear.
- A lion who moves, laughs, talks or opens their eyes is out. They get up quietly and join the hunters.
- The last lion still lying still is the winner and can be the first hunter in the next round.
Breathing and blinking under closed eyes do not count as moving. Agree before the game what counts as out, so the hunter is not the only judge of tiny twitches.
A fair way to choose the hunter
Everyone wants to be the hunter, and if the winner always becomes the next hunter, the same few children who are good at lying still get every turn. A fairer approach is to pick the hunter at random. Put every child’s name into the Random Name Picker and spin it at the start of each round.
There is a catch, though. If you pick with the name left on the wheel, some children will wait a long time for a turn. The table shows the chance that a particular child has not been the hunter yet after a number of rounds, when each round’s hunter is picked at random from the whole class:
| Class size | 5 rounds | 10 rounds | 20 rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 59% | 35% | 12% |
| 20 | 77% | 60% | 36% |
| 30 | 84% | 71% | 51% |
So in a class of 30, after ten rounds, about seven children out of ten have still never been the hunter. If you want everyone to get a turn over the week or term, switch on “remove and spin”: each name comes up once, and nobody is picked twice until everyone has had a go.
Variations
- Several hunters: with a big class, start with two or three hunters so the round does not drag on.
- Sleeping bunnies: a song version for little ones. The children lie still while the group sings, then “wake up” and hop about at the end of the song.
- Statues: the children freeze standing up in a pose instead of lying down.
- Timed rounds: everyone still lying at the end of two minutes is a winner, which works well with very young children.
- Quiet reward: the last lion chooses the next story or song.
Tips for teachers and parents
- Use it as a cool-down after an active game, not before one; it works best when children are already tired.
- Keep it gentle: no tickling, no blowing in faces, no touching hair.
- Lower the lights or play soft music to help the group settle.
- Children who are out can be helpers rather than hunters, for example spotting who moved, which keeps them busy and quiet.
Sleeping lions sits well next to other calm classroom games such as heads up, seven up and Simon says. For a whole party plan, see our list of kids’ party games.
FAQ
How do you play sleeping lions?
Everyone lies still on the floor with their eyes closed. One hunter walks around and tries to make them move or laugh without touching them. A lion who moves is out and becomes a hunter. The last lion still lying still wins.
Can the hunter touch the lions in sleeping lions?
No. In the usual rules hunters may talk, tell jokes and make noises, but they may not touch the lions.
How do you choose the hunter fairly in sleeping lions?
Put every child's name into a random name picker and spin. Switch on remove and spin so nobody is picked twice until everyone has had a turn.
What age is sleeping lions for?
It works from about age 3, and older children enjoy it too. For very young children, use short timed rounds so nobody waits too long.