Don’t let a baby shower go by without making the most of it. This is a special moment before the big day, when an expectant mother can spend some time relaxing and connecting with her friend and relations. After the baby comes there won’t be another occasion like it for a long time. The last thing you want if you’re hosting such an event is for people to meet for a while and go home without ever really breaking the ice and giving the new mom a day to remember. Baby shower games are an easy and reliable way to guarantee laughter, sharing and fun. The best part is they don’t take any great expense or logistics. Here are some easy standbys which are sure to get the fun started.
Baby Pics
This is a straightforward baby-themed game to start off with. Tell everyone to bring some old photos of their early childhood. Post the pics on a big display board and give each image a letter. If you have a large gathering where not everyone knows each other, be sure to distribute name tags. Now have everyone guess who is the baby in each photo and write their guesses down. Whoever gets the most correct matches is the winner. Laughter is guaranteed!
Baby Tunes
Have your party form two teams. Each team has to come up with as many famous tunes with the word “baby” in the title as they can in five minutes and write them down. The winning team gets to choose which song the losers have to sing. Victory is sweet – and hilarious!
Baby Bottles
If you’re planning a coed shower, here’s a game that’s perfect for the guys. Get some baby bottles and fill them with punch. Your friends and family will be on the floor with laughter while the contestants try to see who can suck their bottle dry the fastest. If you’re feeling mean you can poke an extra small hole in Daddy’s bottle.
Words of Praise
If it’s just the girls at your party, you can try this cheeky and side-splitting game. Everyone is in on the game but the guest of honour. While she’s opening her gifts write down what she says. Afterwards, tell her you’ve got a list of what she said on the night of conception!
Baby Food Buffet
Here’s another classic baby-themed game. Get several flavours of baby food and write down the names. Put the list up on the wall and take the labels of the bottles. Write a number on the bottles and have each guest put a serving on their plate. Everyone has to taste their sample and then try to guess what it really is. Is that sweet potatoes or strained peas? Everyone writes their guesses down next to the appropriate number on a sheet of paper. Don’t forget to have a camera ready to capture all the awful faces. Mom will see those faces again when she’s feeding baby!
Mommy Tummy
If the expectant mother is good natured and not too vain, you can try this game. Pass a spool of gift ribbon around and have each guest guess her waist size by cutting off the appropriate length from the roll. When each guest has their ribbon, let Mommy try them out and whoever has the best guess is the winner.
Stroller Racing
Here’s a perfect game if you’re having an outdoor party. Place several large objects like chairs and boxes out on the lawn to make an obstacle course. Every guest has to “pilot” a stroller with a baby doll through the track. Contestants are timed with a stopwatch, and are penalized if they hit an object. Whatever you do, don’t “lose” your baby along the way, as it’s an automatic disqualification!
Remember the object of these games is to get folks talking and laughing. Bring a video camera to record the fun. These will be memories you can share for many years.