Baby Shower Games You Won't Hate
So it’s time to throw your very own baby shower, but who wants to play the same old baby shower games? Do you really want all your friends to know your belly’s ever-growing circumference? Do your friends really want to reveal their own baby pictures? Probably not, according to Marilyn Sullivan, a party planner in Anaheim, California. “You want to keep things light and happy, of course, but you also want to mix in a variety of games with activities that will have meaning to the participants and to your baby.” Check out these updated must-dos!
1. Guess the Contents: Place 10 or 15 small baby items (such as a pacifier, a onesie, booties, baby bottles and the like) inside a diaper bag. Give each guest a pen and notepad and set a timer for two minutes. One at a time, guests stick their hands inside the bag and without looking, identify as many items as possible. The person with the most correct items wins a prize and the mom-to-be gets the diaper bag and its contents.
2. Guess the Flavor: Freeze at least six different flavors of baby food in Popsicle molds or ice cube trays. Give guests one of each of the Popsicle flavors and have them guess what flavors they’re eating. Hint: they don’t always have to be sweet: You could use carrots, corn and beets! The guest with the most correct answers wins a prize.
3. Momma’s Little Helpers: Give guests colorful pens and acid-free cardstock and ask them to write down tips for the mom-to-be during baby’s first year. The suggestions could be hints for reducing stress, calming your baby down or general advice. Collect the cardstock and save them for baby’s first scrapbook.
4. Who Said What: Compile a list of 25 questions and print them out for each guest. The questions can range from “Who has never held a baby before?” to “Who would never think twice to walk around with baby spew on their shirt?” or “Who has a cousin that adopted three rescue dogs,” and everything in between. The guest with the most correct answers wins.
5. Advice for Baby: This activity also calls for colorful pens and acid-free cardstock. Take pictures of each guest and have her write down her best advice for when baby turns 18. You can then turn the photos and cardstock into scrapbook entries or a time capsule for your baby. To turn it into a game, put all the answers in a pile and read them one by one. Have your guests guess who shared each piece of advice.
Sullivan adds, “Unlike in the past, baby showers now are a lot more memory-focused. Sure, you still want your guests to have fun, but having a baby is a life-changing event, not just for you but also for them in terms of their relationships with you. Mix up the activities so you create a fun shower but also so your guests know they’re contributing to the importance of the event and celebrating love and life.”
Shelley Moench-Kelly, MBA, is a New England-based writer and editor whose freelance clients include Google, L’Oreal Paris and TheWeek.com.
