The term for a young lion is a cub. Lion cubs are born blind and rely heavily on their mothers for care during their early months. They are typically born in litters, and depending on factors such as food availability, a lioness can give birth to two to five cubs at a time. Excitingly, these cubs begin exploring their surroundings as early as three months old and begin to play, which is crucial for developing their hunting skills. Young lions usually stay with their pride until they are about two to three years old, after which males may leave to establish their own territories.