A baby shower is often an event that expectant mothers look forward to. It is a day that the mother-to-be is able to celebrate her baby with close friends and family members. A baby shower, or sprinkle also gives guests the opportunity to give a gift to the mother for either herself or for the newest addition.
Whether you are planning your own baby shower, or you are planning that of a friends or family members, games can add an aspect of fun to the celebration of both the mother and baby. Before you decide on which games you will plan for the baby shower, you will first need to consider the location, time, day and the guests that will be invited. Planning games that will suit the event and the guests will ensure the day runs as smooth as possible.
The majority of baby showers will include between 2 and 4 pre-planned games.
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Questions to Consider When Planning Baby Shower Games
- What is the theme of the baby shower?
Some baby showers have a simple color theme while others are more specific. Consider the theme of the baby shower prior to planning out games. - What is the budget of the baby shower?
Some baby shower games are simple and cost-effective while others require planning and a trip to the shops. - Who are the guests?
You should select games that will be appropriate for all guests that are attending. For example, if the expectant mother’s great grandmother is attending, perhaps exclude physical-based games. - How many guests have been invited?
You will need to have a rough estimate of the number of guests invited so that you can plan baby shower games accordingly. If you have a large number of guests invited to the shower, group games may be more appropriate.
Baby Shower FAQ’s
Before we discuss a number of appropriate baby shower games (remember that the games will need to also suit a heavily pregnant woman) we’ve gathered a number of frequently asked baby shower questions to clear up any doubts you may have as the host.
Q: Who Should Host the Baby Shower?
Traditionally speaking, a close friend of the expectant mother organizes the baby shower. In other circumstances, a family member or even the mother herself will plan and pay for the shower. While there is no one answer to this question if you are involving yourself in the planning of the baby shower ensure you reach out for help from family and friends.
Q: When Should the Baby Shower be Held?
Often the baby shower is held when the woman enters the third trimester of her pregnancy or more specifically 4-6 weeks before the baby’s due date. This allows leeway in case the woman is to go into labor early and it also gives her time to pack away, wash and sort any gifts she receives for herself and for the baby.
Q: Who Should be Invited to a Baby Shower?
When compiling a guest list for a baby shower, consult with the woman or her family to ensure you have not missed anyone. As a close friend of the expectant mother, you may have a clear understanding of who to invite, and who not to invite but asking for guidance is never an issue.
Q: What Should I Purchase the Expectant Mother?
The expectant mother may have put together a registry either in-store or online of items that she still needs for baby. If there is no registry, you may like to ask the expectant mother, or gifts such as diapers, wipes, and bathing products are always useful. Try to avoid clothing as the sizing may be hard to pick and the mother often likes to select out pieces of clothing herself. If you are unsure, a voucher for a baby store will always be appreciated by the mother to be.
Q. When Should I Start Planning the Baby Shower?
It’s best to give yourself enough time to plan out the shower so that it is a successful stress-free day. Many organizers aim to begin planning the shower 6-8 weeks prior to the proposed day.
Why are Games Played at a Baby Shower?
If you’ve ever attended a baby shower before, chances are you would have played a number of the games we’ve included below. Baby shower games are included at these events for a number of reasons including to break the ice, to give the party structure, as a different way to give a gift to the guests, for parenting practice and for a laugh.
Games to Include at a Baby Shower
Games are a great way to keep the crowd entertained at the baby shower. After either the formal lunch or nibbles have concluded, the baby shower host generally gathers the guests to play a handful of games before present opening and then good-byes. Below you can find 20 fun and simple games that you may want to include at your own baby shower.
| Game #1: Deliver the Baby While this is not so much a game, it is a bit of fun and definitely goes with any baby shower theme. Basically, this game involves freezing tiny plastic ‘babies’ in ice. Place an ice cube in each guest’s drink as they arrive. Whoever’s ice cube is the first to melt and ‘deliver the baby’ is the winner of the game. You may or may not choose to award prizes for the winner. | |
| Game #2 My Water Broke This game involves blowing up a number of balloons prior to the event. Each guest is given a balloon which they must try and pop between their legs. They cannot use their hands. The first guest to pop the balloon wins the game. | |
| Game #3 Nappy Messages This is a popular game that involves having a packet of nappies and some pens. The guests each write on one nappy in hopes of entertaining the mother during those late-night changes and feeds. The guests can write something witty, or simple word of encouragement. | |
| Game #4 Big Baby Bump A simple yet fun game that you’ll only need a piece of string and some scissors to play. Each guest cuts a piece of string that they think is the size of the mother’s baby bump. Once all guests have their string, a piece of string is measured around mom and the guests compare the length of the string they cut. The closest wins! | |
| Game #5 Don’t Say Baby This game involves creating small pins or purchasing some offline. When each guest arrives, place a pin on their shirt. Once all guests arrive let them know that they cannot say the word ‘Baby’. If anyone hears another say the forbidden word then they are able to steal their pin. Prior to opening gifts, the person with the most pins win. Often pegs are used instead of pins for this game. | |
| Game #6 Who’s Who? This game involves some preparation as you will need to ask each guest for a photo of themselves as a baby. Then hang the photos up and allow the guests to write who they think each baby is on a piece of paper. The person who guesses the most babies correctly wins. | |
| Game #7 Don’t Drop the Baby Do you remember playing the old egg and spoon race at kid’s birthday parties? This game is similar. Each guest must team up and relay the ‘babies’ on a spoon from one side of the backyard to the other. The team who achieves this fastest… without dropping any of the ‘babies’ wins. | |
| Game #8 The Price is Right Have a basket full of items (and know their exact purchase prices). Each guest receives a piece of paper with the items listed. Guests must fill out the paper guessing how much each item is worth. The value of each item is disclosed by the host and the closest person wins. | |
| Game #9 Baby Onesie Decorations Purchase a number of onesies and fabric pens from a craft store. Set up a crafting table where each guest can sit and decorates one for the expectant mother to keep. The mother will love either keeping these, or dressing her little one in gifts made from her nearest and dearest. | |
| Game #10 Baby Animal Names Create a sheet of adult animals. The guests must guess the name of their babies. Some names of baby animals may even be harder than you originally thought! | |
| Game #11 PlayDoh Babies A bit of fun for the adults that allows them to bring out their arty side. Set up a table and each guest must ‘try’ to create a baby out of Play-Doh. The host or expectant mother then decides a winner based on a number of categories such as ‘cutest’ or ‘most-realistic’. | |
| Game #12 Baby Food Taste Tester This game involves purchasing a number of baby foods from the local supermarket. Pour the baby foods into different numbered jars (and remember which number is which baby food!). The guests have to name which baby food it is after having a taste test of each. | |
| Game #13 How Many Babies? Similar to a jelly bean guessing competition, although you can fit this with the theme of the bay shower by including gummy bears, plastic babies, chocolate babies or colorful pink or blue smarties in a glass jar. Each guest receives a piece of paper where they write how many items they think are in the jar. The closest guess wins. | |
| Game #14 Blindfolded Change The blindfolded change gives each guest the opportunity to put their ‘mommy’ skills to the test. Purchase a couple of bears or dolls, or perhaps your kids have some at home. You’ll also need some nappies. The aim of the game is for teams of guests to unchange and then put a new diaper on the bear or doll… blindfolded. The quickest team wins. | |
| Game #15 Pin the Dummy on the Baby The pin the dummy on the baby is much the same as pin the tail on the donkey. Guests are blind folded and must try and place the dummy/pacifier as close as possible to the babies mouth. The person who places it closest, or even on the mouth wins. | |
| Game #16 Who Knows Mommy Best? This is a knowledge based game and challenges each guest about how well they really known the mom-to-be. Ask the mom some questions about herself prior to the celebration and put together a piece of paper with these questions. Each guest must fill in as many answers as they can. The person to answer all questions correctly wins. | |
| Game #17 Spit the Dummy Babies are known for spitting the dummy and this baby shower game allows your guests to do just that! Purchase a number of dummy’s, and line up your guests. On the count of three, your guests must try and ‘spit the dummy’ as far as they can. The person who spits the dummy the furthest wins. | |
| Game #18 Baby Product Alphabet Baby ABC’s, or the baby product alphabet is a simple game that is perfect for a quiet low key shower. Have a piece of paper for each guest with the letters A-Z. The guests must name a baby item that starts with each letter of the alphabet within a set time period. | |
| Game #19 Bottle Bowling Bowling but with a twist. Set up a number of baby bottles as your pins. Each guest must use the bowling ball (basket ball or tennis ball) to try and knock down as many baby bottles as they can. | |
| Game #20 Next in Line for Baby Next in line for baby is much like catching the bouquet at a wedding. Bake a number of cupcakes and hide a small plastic baby in one of the cupcakes. Each guest can decorate their cupcake. Whoever receives the cupcake with the baby inside, will be the next to fall pregnant! |