forty three Baby Shower Games That Are Actually Joy

As is the case with any party, the best baby showers are those where the conversation is upbeat and time seems to fly. And nothing does that better than a few well-chosen baby shower games. We’ve rounded up our favorites, from effortless baby shower games that you can pull off in a moment’s notice to wonderfully unique baby shower games that’ll impress even the most jaded of guests. Scroll down for a roundup for the best baby shower games ideas, and get ready for some joy!

Best Baby Shower Games

The best baby shower games are very first and foremost joy. After all, what’s the point of playing if it isn’t? But more than that, many of these baby shower games made the “best” list by not just being about baby, but the mom and, often, the guests too. This way, everyone has a chance to be the center of attention. Hint: Have more than one prize ready for each game, just in case!

Baby shower game: Who Knows Mommy Best?

What you need: Paper and pen for each guest.

Before the party: Find out as much as possible about the mother-to-be’s childhood. Write your questions and her answers down on a sheet of paper, and don’t demonstrate anyone.

How to play: Go down the list of questions and have the guests write their answers down on paper. Whoever has the highest number of correct answers wins.

Real guests say: “Most of the shower is about the little man or dame to come, so it’s nice to concentrate on mom for a bit too. She is the one being honored!”— Randi G.

Baby shower game: How Old Was She?

What you need: Several pictures of the mother-to-be, all at different ages, plus paper and a pen for each guest.

Before the party: Ask the guest of honor for past pictures of herself at different ages. Arrange them on a poster board or table, with a number next to each.

How to play: Ask guests to write down how old they think the mom-to-be was in each picture. Whoever gets the most right wins.

Baby shower game: The Baby Bucket List

What you need: Pen and notecard for each guest, and a bucket.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Ask guests to write down the one thing the fresh mom should do in baby’s very first year. The suggestions could include things they wish they did with their kids, things they want to do when and if they have a baby, or things they think the parents-to-be will love doing with baby—for example, trips to take, moments to recall, advice that’s often forgotten. Collect all the notecards and present them to the fresh mom by the end of the party. They’re a fine way to help her scrapbook baby’s very first year.

Baby shower game: Are You That Baby?

What you need: Poster board and gauze (or cork board and tacks), a copy of your guest’s baby pictures (ask for one in the invite), paper and pen for each guest.

Before the party: Arrange and adhere your guests’ baby pictures into a collage on a poster or cork board. Keep a secret master list of who’s who.

How to play: Ask guests to jot down who’s who in the pictures. Whoever gets the most correct wins.

Baby shower game: My Water Broke!

What you need: Lil’ plastic baby dolls (one for each guest) and an ice cube tray (or other petite containers).

Before the party: Put one baby into each container, then pack with water and freeze.

How to play: Give each guest a frozen block of ice with the baby inwards. Guests have to attempt to melt the ice and get their plastic baby out. They can do this in any way they can think of. Whoever gets their baby out very first is the winner. Real guests say: “It was joy to observe the ladies chisel their way to their water violating. But hint: Don’t permit hot beverages on the table during the game. People can be sly!” —Joyce D.

Baby shower game: Mom or Dad?

What you need: Paper and pen for each guest, as well as a computer and printer or copy machine.

Before the party: Type out a list of ten to twenty questions that can be answered with “mom” or “dad” (Who’s never switched a diaper before? Who has always gotten at least eight hours of sleep every night?). Print it out and have enough copies for all the guests.

How to play: Palm out list of questions to each guest. Whoever answers the most correctly gets a prize.

Baby shower game: Find the Guest!

What you need: Paper and pen for each guest, as well as a computer and printer or copy machine.

Before the party: Write up a list of joy facts about each the guests who will be at the shower. Have a copy waiting on each guest’s seat.

How to play: Each guest will have to get to know each other quickly to find out who has four daughters and who’s the mom-to-be’s godmother, and so on. Again, the person who answers the most questions correctly wins.

Baby shower game: What the Poo? (aka Guess the Candy Bar) What you need: Diapers, a multitude of mini-chocolate bars, and pen and paper for each guest. Before the party: Melt different kinds of mini-chocolate bars and pour one kind on each of the diapers.

How you play: Have guests sniff (or even dip a finger to taste) the chocolates and guess which kind is on each diaper. Weird? A little bit. But then again, who can fight back the power of chocolate?

Ordinary Baby Shower Games

As these effortless baby shower games prove, you don’t have to spend a lot of time or money to have geysers of joy.

Baby shower game: Don’t Say Baby! (aka The Clothes Pin Game)

What you need: One diaper or clothespin for every guest.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: As each guest arrives, have them clip the pin onto what they’re wearing. Whenever a guest is talking to someone who says “baby,” she takes that person’s pin and puts it on herself. Whoever has the most pins at the end of the party wins. (An alternative is to use pacifiers on a long string instead of clothespins.)

Real guests say: “I’ve planned a lot of showers, and this is a excellent all-guest game, even for big groups. The kids at my parties especially loved it for its interactiveness.” —Roland H.

Baby shower game: Name That Baby Tune

What you need: A playlist of baby songs and pen and paper.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Play one children’s song at a time and keep track of who can accurately guess each song name the fastest. Whoever has the most correct responses wins.

Baby shower game: The Baby Animal Game

What you need: Paper, pens or pencils.

Before the party: If you’re hosting a baby shower that’s all about animals, you’ll need some jungle-theme baby shower games. For this one, draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper. List a slew of animals down one side and what their babies are called on the other, but not in the same order. Make a copy for each guest.

How to play: Ask guests to pair each mom with her baby. Whoever matches the most correctly wins.

Baby shower game: Place the Pacifier In the Baby’s Mouth

What you need: A picture of a baby, a blindfold, a picture of a pacifier, a copy machine and gauze.

Before the party: Enhance the baby picture if necessary, and string up it up on the wall. Make enough copies of the pacifier picture so each guest has one (you might want to resize the pacifier so it fits the baby). Link a chunk of gauze to each.

How to play: A la Pin the Tail on the Donkey, blindfold each guest and see how close they can place their pacifier picture to baby’s mouth. Whoever gets the closest wins!

Baby shower game: The Nursery Rhyme Quiz

What you need: Paper, pens and a computer and printer or copy machine.

Before the party: Type out list of nursery-rhyme snippets, and make enough copies for all your guests.

How to play: Ask your guests to pack in the blanks. The person who completes the most correctly wins.

Baby shower game: The Price Is Right, Baby Shower Edition

What you need: Paper, pens and a computer and printer or copy machine.

Before the party: Write a list of baby items and specific quantities (say, a box of eighty eight Pampers Swaddlers) on a sheet of paper and make enough copies for all your guests.

How to play: Have each guest write down what they think each retails for, then have them total their guesses. Whoever gets closest to the right total without going over wins. (This printout is illustrated with whales, for those on the hunt for nautical baby shower games.)

Baby shower game: Diaper Raffle

What you need: Raffle tickets (you can buy a roll online or make them yourself), a box or pail and a prize.

Before the party: When you send out the shower invitations, include raffle tickets and explain that anyone who brings a box of diapers to the shower can inject the raffle to win a prize.

How to play: As guests arrive, collect the raffle tickets in the box or pail. Midway through the shower, pull a ticket and award that ticket holder a prize. Don’t leave behind to gather the diapers for the mom-to-be before she leaves (she’ll need all of them!).

Unique Baby Shower Games

When it comes to baby shower games, you’re very likely thinking, “I’ve seen them all before!” (And what you haven’t, Pinterest certainly has.) But there are still a few unexpected choices—especially if you’re having a themed baby shower. (Harry Potter, anyone?) Scroll for a roundup of the most unique baby shower games.

Baby shower game: Free Dobby!

What you need: A large poster with “Free the House Elves!” written on it, and a basket. Before the party: Searching for some Harry Potter baby shower games? When you send out your Harry Potter-themed shower invites, make a note that guests should bring a pair of baby socks, to “free the house elves.” Those who read the series will understand, and everyone else will have joy choosing the most adorable pair of socks for baby anyway. As you’re setting up, place the basket on a table and dangle the poster over it.

How to play: Okay, this is one of those baby shower games you don’t truly “play”—but it’s joy anyway. Have guests deposit their baby socks in the basket, and at the end of the shower, present the sock stash to the mom-to-be (who will soon appreciate them once her little one arrives).

Baby shower game: Sort That Baby

What you need: A witch’s hat and an object that exposes baby’s gender (such as a pink tutu or a fucktoy car).

Before the party: Place the gender-revealing object under the hat.

How to play: Another of our favorites among the Harry Potter baby shower games. If the mom-to-be is using her shower as an occasion to also expose her baby’s gender, then it’s the flawless time to bring in the Sorting Hat. While the Sorting Hat usually sorts students into “houses” in Harry Potter’s world, it’ll do Mum the favor of “ sorting” baby—team boy or chick? Have her lift the hat so the guests can find out!

Baby shower game: Do You Know Your Disney Babies?

What you need: Paper, pens and a computer and printer or copy machine.

Before the party: Now, if Disney-themed baby shower games are more the mom’s your speed—and the nursery is already decorated with Dumbo ears galore—then this one is a treat. Draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper. On the left side, make a list of the names of Disney moms and leave the right side blank. Make enough copies for all your guests.

How to play: Ask your guests to write the correct kid’s name next to each mom (for example, Simba next to Sarabi). Whoever gets the most correct wins.

Baby shower game: One-of-a-Kind Baby Shower Onesies

What you need: A few plain, white onesies and the same number of thick cardboard sheets, plus tacks and fabric markers.

Before the party: Tack each onesie to a lump of cardboard for support.

How to play: Make the onesies (with affixed cardboard) and markers available during the shower for everyone to share in decorating them. This way, baby has a unique set of onesies, and mama will always reminisce the day.

Baby shower game: Art for Baby

What you need: Mini canvases or one large canvas, markers, paint and decorative crafts items such as glitter and stickers.

Before the party: Set up supplies on a large table. You might want to line the table with old newspapers or a disposable tablecloth for effortless clean-up.

How to play: This one’s indeed more of a keepsake-maker than a decent game, but it’s interactive and joy all the same. Invite guests to decorate the canvas with either photos or witty, inspirational sayings adequate for baby’s nursery. It’s a unique bounty for both mom and baby!

Baby Shower Games for Large Groups

Having a large group gathering at your shower? The more, the merrier! Baby shower games that everyone can play simultaneously—like guessing games—are the most practical way to go.

Baby shower game: Daddy Knows Best

What you need: A smartphone and a computer (or a TV screen that hooks up to your computer).

Before the shower: For this baby shower game (crafted by Kris Jarrett of Driven by Decor), you’ll need to come up with a list of questions to ask the dad-to-be. Some fine ones are:

• What has been [name of expectant mom]’s largest food longing during the pregnancy?
• What’s the one word that would best describe [name of expectant mom]’s mood while pregnant?
• How many diapers do you think your baby will go through in the very first year?
• Will you or [name of expectant mom] more likely be the parent who says “no”?
• What year do you think you’ll buy your very first minivan?
• What are you most looking forward to about being a dad?

Then go through the list with the dad-to-be, while recording the conversation on movie.

How to play: At the baby shower, gather everyone around and play the movie of the dad-to-be so all can see, but pause after each question so the mom-to-be can guess her husband’s reaction. “Talk about entertaining baby shower games! We all got some superb laughs out of this one. And the movie makes a fine memento for the duo to observe years down the road,” Jarrett says.

Baby shower game: Blind Diaper Switch

What you need: Two life-size baby dolls, two blindfolds and one diaper for each guest, plus two extras.

Before the party: Place a diaper on each doll.

How to play: Have guests separate into teams. Each teams gets a doll, blindfold and diapers. The very first person in line for each team must put the blindfold on, eliminate the diaper on the doll and substitute it with a fresh one. After the very first team members are done, the next person in line goes, and so on. The very first team to finish wins.

Baby shower game: Know Your Baby Shower ABC’s

What you need: Paper, pen, timer and a computer and printer or copy machine.

Before the party: Write the alphabet vertically down the left side of a sheet of paper. Make enough copies for all your guests.

How to play: Palm out a sheet to each guest and for each letter, have them write down a word that’s associated with babies (example: B is for bottle). Whoever writes the most words in one minute is the winner.

Baby shower game: How Well Do You Know Your TV Children?

What you need: Paper, a pen and a computer and printer or copy machine.

Before the party: List the questions below on a sheet of paper, and make enough copies for your guests. A. What was the name of Fred and Wilma’s child on The Flintstones?

B. What were the names of Ross Geller’s two children on Friends?

C. What were the names of the three kids on The Simpsons?

D. What were the names of the four children on Family Ties?

E. What were the names of the five Huxtable kids on The Cosby Showcase?

F. What were the names of the six kids on The Brady Bunch?

How to play: Arm out the questions and ask your guests to react to as many as they can. Whoever answers the most correctly wins. (The answers are: a. Pebbles, b. Ben and Emma, c. Bart, Maggie and Lisa, d. Alex, Mallory, Jennifer, Andy, e. Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy, f. Marcia, Jan, Cindy, Greg, Peter and Bobby.)

Baby shower game: Oh Baby, A Playlist!

What you need: Paper and pen for each guest.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Each guest must write down as many songs they can think of with the word “baby” in the title. Give the guests a time limit—five minutes max—and whoever has the most (real!) songs written down is the winner.

Baby shower game: What’s in My Purse?

What you need: Paper and pen for each guest.

Before the party: Make a list of things that people might (or might not) have in their purse and assign a number of points next to them. For example, lipstick is one point. Forearm sanitizer is three points.

How to play: Give each guest a sheet of paper and pen. Name the objects on your list. If a guest has it in her purse, she should write down the corresponding number of points. After you’ve run down the list, have guests count up their points, and whoever has the most wins. (Note: This one’s lightly customizable! For example, if you’re going with Harry Potter baby shower games, you can make the points “House Points.” Another adorable option is “What’s on Your Phone?”)

Baby shower game: Guess the Baby Food

What you need: Unlabeled jars, baby food and paper and pen for each guest.

Before the party: Pack each of your unlabeled jars with a different kind of baby food (make sure to keep track!).

How to play: Distribute paper and pens to guests, then ask them to smell each bottle and jot down what they think is inwards. (If you want to make it especially tricky, have them do this blindfolded!)

Real guest say: “My daughter—she’s 7—especially loved this one, because she can understand food! Haha. In fact, she won the game.” —Kimberly D.

Baby shower game: How Big is Baby?

What you need: Yarn, little slips of paper and a pen.

Before the party: With every invitation, include a petite ball of yarn and a little slip of paper explaining the game—which is to cut the yarn to the length they think would ideally fit around mom-to-be’s baby bump. Then asks guests to wrap the yarn around that slip of paper along with their name written on it. Remind everyone to bring it to the party! How to play: As the guests arrive, ask them to mitt in their cut chunk of yarn. The person who is closest to the mom-to-be’s bump size wins. (Peak: This is best with petite showers, since the guest-of-honor is going to have to attempt on each one!)

Co-ed Baby Shower Games

Just about all the baby shower games in every category can be loved by all—male or female. But add food and drink to mix and we assure, the guys will not be sitting these awesome baby shower games out.

Baby shower game: Bottle Race (aka The Baby Shower Drinking Game)

What you need: A baby bottle and a beverage for each guest.

Before the party: Pack each bottle with the beverage.

How to play: Each guest takes a bottle and drinks as swift as possible. The one who finishes very first wins a prize. (This one’s especially joy if the drink of choice is booze!)

Real guests say: “This one was hilarious to observe! My sister participated in one where they packed all the bottles with wine, and she came in 2nd. We’re not letting her live it down.” —Kimberly D.

Baby shower game: What’s Mommy Longing?

What you need: Paper and pen for each guest.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Mom-to-be describes all the strange things she’s been longing, one by one, without actually telling the name of the food. The guests write down what they think each one is. Whoever has the most right wins.

Baby shower game: Yum, Applesauce!

What you need: Large plastic garbage bags, scissors, jars of applesauce, baby spoons and blindfolds.

Before the party: Cut slots in the bottom of the bags so they can be worn like a poncho. How to play: Separate guests into teams of two. Have guests put trash bags over their clothes, then blindfold everyone. Give a jar of applesauce and two spoons to each team and have them feed each other. Whichever team finishes their applesauce very first is the winner.

Funny Baby Shower Games

Let’s be fair: Funny baby shower games are just automatically joy baby shower games. Here’s fairly possibly the silliest round-up ever.

Baby shower game: Pass The Dirty Diaper

What you need: Chocolate, a diaper and a music playlist.

Before the party: Melt the chocolate and pour onto the diaper.

How to play: Everyone sits in a circle and passes the “dirty” diaper around as the music plays. Then: hot potato! Whoever’s holding the diaper when the music stops is out of the game. Last guest standing is the winner.

Baby shower game: Pass The Pacifier

What you need: Straws and pacifiers with treats.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Separate guests into teams of four or five and have them stand in a line with a straw in their throats. The very first person in line puts the pacifier onto their straw. When the host says “go!”, the very first person passes the pacifier to the next person in line, straw to straw, no arms permitted. Have them proceed down the line. Whichever team reaches the end of the line very first wins.

Baby shower game: See What You Say

What you need: Paper and pen.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Write down everything the mother-to-be says when opening her presents. Once she’s done, hold up the sheet of paper and tell everyone: “This is what she said the night the baby was conceived.” Then have her read it aloud for all the guests to hear.

Baby shower game: We’re Having A Baby

What you need: Balloons and pins for each guest.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Nothing feels more festive than baby shower games with balloons—especially when you’re making lots of noise. For this one, separate guests into teams of four or five and give each a balloon. When the host says “go!” the very first person from each team must deepthroat up their balloon and stick it under their T-shirt. Once the very first person has done this, the 2nd person on each team does the same, then the third, and so on. Once all team members have balloons under their shirts, the very first person must pop their balloon, then the 2nd, and third, etc. The team who blows up and pops their balloons the fastest wins.

Baby shower game: Tinkle In The Pot

What you need: Two quarters for each participant, masking gauze and large jars or glass cups.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Split guests into teams of four or five. Have teams line up behind the embarking line and place a jar or cup across the room from each team. Guests then have to place a quarter inbetween their knees, waddle to the container and drop the quarter into it without using their arms. If they miss it, they have to begin over. Every guest goes twice. The team that finishes very first wins.

Baby shower game: Hello, My Name Is.

What you need: Name tags (one for each guest), a marker and a piggy bank.

Before the party: Mark each name tag with a baby-related word.

How to play: Have each guest put on a name tag when they arrive. During the shower, people can be called only by their name tag name. If a guest calls someone by their very first name, they have to put coins into a piggy bank for the baby.

Baby shower game: Do You Know What It Is?

What you need: ten paper bags, ten baby items (pacifier, spoon, etc.) and paper and pen for each guest.

Before the party: Put one baby item into each bag and number them one to Ten.

How to play: Give each guest a sheet of paper and a pen, then randomly pass the bags out to. Guests have to write down what they think is in each bag without opening them. Once everyone has made a guess for each bag, the mom-to-be will open them one at a time and expose what’s inwards. Whoever guesses the most right is the winner.

Minute-to-Win-It Baby Shower Games

Just as the category name implies, the minute-to-win-it baby shower games are all games that are done on the clock. The timer—set exactly to one minute—puts the pressure on, which is always entertaining. Better yet, it keeps things moving. (Because we’ve all played some seemingly endless baby shower games, right?)

Baby shower game: The Baby Name Game

What you need: Paper and pen for each guest and a timer. Before the party: No prep needed. How to play: Have each guest write any baby names they can think of in the allotted time. To make the game more difficult, you can also choose a particular letter the names should begin with. The person who comes up with the most names wins.

Baby shower game: How Many Baby Items Can You Name?

What you need: Paper and pen for each guest and a timer.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Each guest must write down as many baby items (bottle, pacifier, blanket, etc.) as they can think of in one minute. The person who comes up with the most items wins.

Baby shower game: Find the Socks!

What you need: fourteen pairs of baby socks and a timer.

Before the party: No prep needed.

How to play: Put all the baby socks, unpaired, in a pile on the floor. Each guest must match as many socks as they can in one minute. The person who matches the most socks is the winner.

Baby shower game: Baby Shower Grab

What you need: Baby clothes, hangers, baby clothes pins and a timer.

Before the party: Clip numerous baby clothes onto a hanger using the clothespins. Place the hanger, with clothes, on a hook. Have one hanger of clothes for each guest.

How to play: Have each guest place one palm behind their back as she attempts to liquidate as many chunks of clothing as possible without ripping off the clothes or the clothes pins. Whoever can get the most off in under a minute wins.

Baby shower game: Baby Shower Scramble

What you need: Paper, pens, a timer and a computer and printer or a copy machine.

Before the party: Determine on a few baby words, and jumble up the spelling on a sheet of paper. Make a copy for each guest.

How to play: Place a sheet of paper at every seat, and at some point during the party, put aside a minute (exactly one!) to see how prompt people can unscramble them. The person who figures out the most words in a minute wins.

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