The Hunt Is On

A free party game for little ones

Snooze Bandit

Ages 4 and up ยท 4 to 20 players

One of you is the sneaky Snooze Bandit. One wink and you're off to sleep. Can the Wide-Awake Owl catch them?

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Poster for Snooze Bandit: a raccoon in pyjamas winks from a blanket fort with a bag of glowing snoozes, beside a yawning koala, a possum and an owl.
Play nowFree party game, ages 4+Lights onOne room

Snooze Bandit

Party game, same room

A winking game for little ones. The Snooze Bandit steals snoozes with a wink, and the Wide-Awake Owl has three guesses to catch them. Your phone deals the secret cards.

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Deal the cards

Choose who plays, then deal. Everyone sees their own card in secret, and nothing about anyone's card is kept.

How to play

  1. Deal the cards. Pass one phone round the circle, or everyone scans in on their own phone. One player is the Snooze Bandit, one can be the Wide-Awake Owl, and everyone else is a Sleepy Friend.
  2. Lights on. Sit in a circle or wander about, looking at each other.
  3. The Snooze Bandit winks. They catch someone's eye and wink when nobody else is looking.
  4. Off to sleep. Winked at? Count to three in your head, then yawn, stretch and curl up for a nap. Snoring is allowed.
  5. Catch the bandit. The Owl has three guesses. Catch the Snooze Bandit and the Owl wins. If everyone is asleep, or the Owl runs out of guesses, the bandit wins.

For the grown-ups

  • The lights stay on. Play on a soft floor with room to curl up, away from steps and sharp corners.
  • A grown-up hosts and deals. Older kids can pass the phone round themselves.
  • Nobody types anything, and names are nicknames. Nothing is kept after the game.

More party games

Snooze Bandit is one of our party games: more for older kids, teens and grown-ups are on the way.

Questions about Snooze Bandit

Is it scary?

No. Nobody gets hurt in Snooze Bandit: a wink just sends you off to sleep, and you yawn, stretch and curl up for a nap. The lights stay on the whole time.

Is this the old winking game?

It's our own kids' winking game, made for little ones: a cheeky raccoon who steals snoozes, a sleepy koala and friends, and a Wide-Awake Owl who tries to catch the bandit.

Does every child need a phone?

No. One phone passed round the circle works for everyone. If the grown-ups have phones, they can each scan in instead.

How many can play?

4 to 20, in one room. It's best with 6 or more.

What age is it for?

Four and up, with a grown-up hosting. Older kids can deal the cards themselves.

Do we need an app?

No. It runs in the phone's web browser. Pass one phone round, or the host opens a party and everyone scans the QR code.