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Homeless Rabbit

One player, the Hunter, chases the Homeless Rabbit around a field of chalk circles — but any circle the Rabbit ducks into bumps its owner out into the open. It works because nobody's ever safe for more than a few seconds: the role keeps moving, so the whole group stays in motion.

15 min5–30 peopleEasyChalk or hula hoopsIn-person onlyClassroom ✓
By Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker · Last updated February 19, 2024

What is Homeless Rabbit?

Homeless Rabbit is a chasing game built around one twist: safety is temporary. The Hunter tries to tag the Homeless Rabbit, who can duck into any open circle to escape — but that instantly evicts whoever's already standing there, and they become the new Homeless Rabbit. Roles never stop moving, so nobody gets stuck watching from the sidelines.

It works because the chase resets itself. There's no elimination and no permanent role: catch the Rabbit and you become the Hunter, get bumped from your circle and you're running next. That constant swap keeps a group of 5–30 kids moving the entire time, chasers and fleers both.

It needs real room to run — an open space, indoors or out, clear of anything sharp underfoot — so it's not built for a tight classroom, a quiet call, or any group that can't sprint safely. Best fit is kids aged 6 and up, with an adult keeping an eye on the youngest ones.

The rules

  1. Nominate one player to be the Hunter.
  2. Everyone else steps into a chalk circle or hoop — one fewer circle than there are players.
  3. The player left without a circle is the Homeless Rabbit.
  4. When the Hunter calls out "Rabbit," the Homeless Rabbit takes off running.
  5. The Homeless Rabbit can duck into any open circle to be safe — but that bumps whoever's standing there into the Homeless Rabbit role.
  6. If the Hunter tags the Homeless Rabbit first, the caught player becomes the next Hunter.

Before you start

  • Space: an open area, clear of anything sharp. Indoors or out, as long as there's enough room to run in every direction. Clear away sharp or unsafe objects before you start.
  • Draw one fewer circle than you have players. Chalk circles or hula hoops both work as burrows — always one short, so somebody starts as the Homeless Rabbit.
  • Group size: 5–30 kids, ages 6 and up. Works best with a medium to large group. Younger kids in the mix do fine with a bit of supervision.
  • No prep beyond the circles. Nothing to build in advance — draw the circles or drop the hoops and you're ready.

How to run it

  1. Nominate the Hunter 1–2 min

    Choose one player to be the Hunter and explain the job: catch the Homeless Rabbit.

  2. Everyone else claims a circle 1–2 min

    The rest of the group stands inside the drawn circles or hoops — one short of enough for everyone, so one player starts without a spot.

  3. Call "Rabbit" to start 10 sec

    The Hunter calls out "Rabbit." The player without a circle — the Homeless Rabbit — starts running.

  4. Bump someone into the role 5–8 min

    Whenever the Homeless Rabbit slips into an open circle, whoever was standing there becomes the new Homeless Rabbit and has to run.

  5. Catch, swap, repeat 1 min

    Once the Hunter tags the Homeless Rabbit, that player becomes the next Hunter and the round starts over.

← nobody's out for long.

Facilitator tips

Let scooters and wheelchairs into the chaseModify the rules for players with mobility limitations — a scooter, wheelchair, or other assistive device is a valid way to run the circuit.
Rotate the roles on purposeMake sure every kid gets a turn as both Hunter and Homeless Rabbit, rather than leaving it to however the tags happen to fall.
Make the circles impossible to missLarge, brightly colored circles or hoops help colorblind or visually impaired players spot a safe zone fast.
Keep a quiet corner on standbyDesignate a break space for anyone who needs a sensory reset mid-chase.
Agree on a stop word firstSet a word any player can call out to pause the game temporarily — it keeps the room feeling respectful to everyone.

Variations

Hula hoops instead of chalk

Swap drawn circles for hula hoops — easier to reset between rounds, and easier for players who have trouble standing for long stretches.

Why it works

Nobody sits outThe instant swap rule means the Hunter and Homeless Rabbit roles never stop moving between players — no bench, no permanent losers, no lull in the action.
Reaction time, liveThe Homeless Rabbit has a split second to pick which open circle to run for. That decision, repeated every round, is the actual skill this game trains.
Both sides of the chasePlaying Hunter one round and Homeless Rabbit the next means every kid feels both roles — catching and being caught build different kinds of awareness of the group.
Cardio without the gymEvery "Rabbit" call and every bump into a new role triggers a fresh sprint, so the group is working speed and direction changes the whole time, not just jogging steadily.
HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I love handing this one to a big group because nobody sits out for long — the second someone slips into a circle, someone else is up and running. No winners, no losers, just constant motion and a lot of laughing."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

For classrooms, camps, or any group ready for the debrief — a couple of minutes here turns the chase into an actual conversation.

  1. What did you enjoy most about playing Homeless Rabbit?Surfaces which part of the chase actually landed, so you know what to lean into next time.
  2. Did you find it easy or challenging to switch between chasing and fleeing roles? Why?Shows how comfortable the group is with switching roles and adapting on the fly.
  3. How did you decide which circle to run to when you were the Homeless Rabbit?A quick read on decision-making under pressure — everyone's strategy shows up here.
  4. What strategies did you use to catch the Homeless Rabbit if you were the Hunter?Gets the Hunters comparing tactics, which is handy intel for whoever plays that role next round.
  5. How did you feel when you were caught by the Hunter or had to become the next Hunter?A read on how the group handles getting caught and bouncing back.
  6. Did you make any new connections or friendships while playing Homeless Rabbit? If so, how?Checks whether the chase actually built any connections, not just laughs.
  7. How did playing Homeless Rabbit compare to other chasing and fleeing games you have played in the past?Surfaces what this group specifically likes in a chasing game — useful for picking the next one.

If this fits, so will these

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Mother May I?

Steps toward "mother" only happen with permission asked first — skip it and you freeze in place.

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Spiders and Flies

Two teams, one dark dash across the room, and a lot of tagging in the chaos.

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Copycat

Mirror the leader's every move and stay in the game as long as you can keep up.

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Seagulls and Crows

Two teams sprint on cue, and picking the right moment to bolt is the whole strategy.

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Cat and Mouse

A cat, a mouse, and a swinging jump rope neither one can afford to trip on.

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The Cat and Sparrows

Sparrows scatter, the cat gives chase, and everyone rotates through both roles.

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Wolves and Rabbits

The same chase-and-burrow energy as Homeless Rabbit, built for a bigger group outdoors.

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Duck Duck Goose

The classic tap-and-chase, played in a circle everyone already knows how to join.

Jon Zajac

Founder & Chief Icebreaker

I started IcebreakerSpot because I believe strong connections are the foundation of successful teams. This site exists to make it easy to find and share the icebreakers and team-building activities that build trust, spark collaboration, and help groups do great things together.

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