# Sleeping Bunnies

“Sleeping Bunnies” is an English-language preschool action song of uncertain date that alternates a quiet sleeping verse with an energetic hopping refrain.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Unknown |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | Exact date and author not established |
| Best for ages | 1–5 |
| Mood | playful, dancing, calming |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/sleeping-bunnies/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

See the little bunnies sleeping till it’s nearly noon.
Shall we go and wake them with a merry tune?
They’re so still, are they ill?
Wake up, little bunnies!

Hop, little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!
Hop, little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!
Hop, little bunnies, hop, hop, hop!
Hop, hop, hop, and stop!

## How to sing it

1. Begin slowly so everyone can hear the repeated words and the action cue.
2. Curl up like sleeping bunnies, rise only on “Wake up,” hop in a clear space, and freeze on “stop.”
3. Repeat the song once and invite a different child to lead the cues.

## Common questions

**Who wrote Sleeping Bunnies?**

No author or early publication was established by the sources retrieved for this page. Current UK early-years materials document the action song, but they do not prove where or when it began.

**Why does Sleeping Bunnies switch from quiet to energetic?**

The first section asks the children to lie still like sleeping rabbits. The wake-up cue then changes the same game into hopping before a final stop, making the contrast part of the activity.

## Sources

- [Highland Council Early Learning and Childcare — Sleeping Bunnies activity](https://bumps2bairns.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/sleeping-bunnies.pdf)
- [Falkirk Early Learning — Sleeping Bunnies activity](https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/fa/falkirkearlyyears/family-songs-at-home-3/)