After sharing the activity from Matt Brown last week, about the soft toy pyramid, where you didn’t need to move too much – how about an indoor activity for kids where you get to go to sleep? It can be exhausting juggling childcare with running a household or working from home. Sometimes you just need a few minutes break and this game as part of our games for lazy parents series is perfect! This game is a great way to grab a few minutes respite whilst connecting and entertaining your children all at once.
Don’t forget to check out Trapped Indoors with Kids: 100 Ways to Play, Have Fun and Stay Sane. It is on Amazon for an insane 99p.
You will play the part of a sleeping dragon, protecting its hoard of treasure, whilst your children attempt a daring heist.
Materials
- A sofa
- Some small items of treasure – e.g. marbles, coins or polished stones
Introduction to the Game
If you’re searching for a way to combine fun, learning, and a dash of adventure, the Sleeping Dragon game is a perfect pick for your next family play session. This adventure game invites kids and parents to step into a world of exploration, puzzle solving, and storytelling, all centered around the mysterious and captivating character of the dragon. As you play, you’ll find that the game’s genre is all about narrative and discovery, encouraging children to use their language skills as they create their own stories and interact with the world around them. The Sleeping Dragon game isn’t just entertaining—it’s a wonderful opportunity for kids to explore their imaginations, learn about the legendary dragon, and enjoy meaningful playtime with their parents. Whether your child loves to solve puzzles, invent stories, or simply pretend, this game offers a unique blend of excitement and education that will keep everyone engaged.
Benefits of Playing the Game
There’s so much more to the Sleeping Dragon game than just a few minutes of peace for parents! Playing this game helps children sharpen their puzzle solving abilities, boost their language skills, and unleash their creativity. As kids sneak around the “sleeping” dragon, they’re practicing careful control, strategic thinking, and even teamwork—all skills that come in handy in everyday life. The storytelling aspect encourages children to express themselves, build empathy, and develop their communication skills as they interact with the dragon and each other. For children with special needs, the game offers a gentle, supportive environment to practice pointing, sign language, and fine motor skills, all while having fun. Parents can feel confident knowing that the Sleeping Dragon game is designed to support a wide range of learning styles and abilities, making it a fantastic choice for fostering both cognitive and emotional growth in every child.
Game Overview
The Sleeping Dragon game takes your family on a magical journey through the dream lands, where adventure and mystery await at every turn. Kids will love guiding the main character, Hiru, as they explore the dragon’s castle, solve clever puzzles, and collect hidden memories. The game is packed with engaging challenges and dozens of collectibles, ensuring that every play session is fresh and entertaining. With simple, intuitive controls, children of all ages can jump right in and start exploring without frustration. The story is full of surprises, keeping kids eager to see what happens next as they uncover the secrets of the sleeping dragon and the enchanting world around them. Whether your child is a seasoned gamer or just starting out, this game offers hours of captivating, story-driven fun.
How to play:
- Lie down on the sofa and make yourself comfortable. Yes, really!
- Hide the small items of treasure about your person (and perhaps under your person, and under your cushion)
- Challenge your children to steal your treasure as you pretend to sleep.
- As you close your eyes and pretend to snore, suppress your chuckles and listen as your children try to pluck up the nerve to search about your person without waking you up. Remind them that listening carefully for subtle sounds or cues can help them avoid detection and succeed in the game.
This game is all about the peril. If you can pass as a convincing dragon, then your children will be drawn in to the suspense and danger of the scenario. They will revel in the fear and the thrill this game offers, whilst feeling the bond and security from playing with their parent. Children must be careful to avoid knocking over items or making noise while retrieving treasure, as even a small sound can give them away.
If they are too noisy or not gentle enough, stir in your sleep. Give a little growl, roll over or sleepily put an arm around your child like they are your teddy-bear. However, if they take one too many liberties, then feel free to awaken with a roar, and chase them away to the far end of the room. Each time the game is played, children learn more about being gentle, listening, and avoiding knocking things over, improving their skills with every round.
Puzzle Solving Challenges
One of the highlights of the Sleeping Dragon game is its wide variety of puzzle solving challenges. Each puzzle is thoughtfully designed to encourage kids to think outside the box, experiment with different strategies, and develop their critical thinking skills. From navigating tricky paths to unlocking secret doors, if your kids use their imagination, then the game could help keep players on their toes and rewards careful observation and creative problem-solving. As children progress, the puzzles become more intricate, providing just the right amount of challenge to keep things interesting without causing frustration. Parents will appreciate how the game’s focus on puzzle solving helps kids build confidence, resilience, and a love of learning—all while having a blast. With every new challenge, your child will be eager to see what lies ahead, making the Sleeping Dragon game a fantastic tool for supporting cognitive development and keeping playtime both fun and meaningful.
Keep at it!
It may take a few attempts for your children to steal all the treasure. Encourage them to think about what happened in previous rounds so they can adjust their approach and succeed in the game. You don’t need to move too far off the sofa before you yawn and amble back into bed.
“Quick. Do you think he’s asleep again?”
“Not sure. That fire singed my bottom last time. Maybe we should wait…” “We could try a lullaby?”
Again, who would have thought you might be able to grab 40 winks while you are playing with the kids, hey?
If you’re looking for more indoor activities to try with your kids why not have a look at these?
Indoor activities to do with kids
Balancing game for toddlers: Soft toy head pyramid game
This game is also included into Trapped Indoors with Kids: 100 Ways to Play, Have Fun, and Stay Sane. If you like Sleeping Dragon, you will also need to check this one.
5 floor games your kids will enjoy playing indoors today
If you have to stay indoors, you will have to read this article. Have fun with these 5 floor games to avoid being bored at home.
4 fun word games to play as a family
Let's have a stronger family bond and get everyone to practice the language skills by playing these 4 fun word games.
Self isolation kids activities: 100+ things to do at home #31DaysOfLearning
A massive list of things to do indoors with the kids to help you to while away the time.
10 things for parents of special needs children to do when they are stuck indoors
More indoors ideas, but this time for parents of those with special needs.
Other indoors kid activity ideas
Here are some more ideas of things to do indoors with kids to keep them entertained at home.
Indoor Activities for Kids
Check out over 100 indoor activities to have fun with kids.
Indoor Activities For Kids
You will never be running out of indoor activity ideas in this article.
Hundreds of Indoor Activities for Kids Under 5
Here is a list of hundreds indoor activities for kids under 5 years old. If you have kids under 5 years old, this article will be very helpful.
These indoor activities are perfect adventures for children, offering engaging ways to learn and have fun at home.
Parents can also explore the market for more adventure games and trusted sources of activities to keep their children entertained and inspired.
Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter if you like our games for lazy parents, and the site generally, then you won’t miss anything else.
Thanks so much for stopping by as always.
Helen
Helen Neale
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, website editor and a qualified counsellor with experience of working with both children and adults. She is a registered member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapists, with her own private practise. She also freelances with her local Mind organisation. Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, use those grey cells at the same time, and supplement her counselling income. KiddyCharts has reach of over 680k across socials and the site. The site works with big family brands to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. She is a specialist counsellor for neurodivergent individuals and brings this expertise to her resources and the site. She is also an ADHDer herself. KiddyCharts gives 51%+ profits to charities, focused on supporting mental health and a community in Tanzania Helen has also worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!