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BABY SHOWER GAMES
There is nothing like a baby shower to bring out the "kid" in all of us. It is a time of celebration as well as a way to help the new mother to obtain the items she needs for her new baby. Enjoy some of the following traditional and original baby shower games at the next baby shower you give or attend.
BABY SHOWER GAMES
1. Estimate Size of the Mother-to-be's Waist GamePass around a ball of string (or yarn or ribbon) and a pair of scissors. Each party member cuts off a piece of string guessing the length to fit around the Mother's middle. Mom tries on each string. The person with the closest length wins a prize. Meanwhile, Mom gets to show off her proud tummy! Great for coed baby showers! Some showers use toilet paper instead of string, ribbon would work well, too.
Another version of this game is to have a roll of toilet tissue and have everyone tear off the number of squares they think will measure around the mom-to-be's belly.
2. Baby QuestionsPass out note cards and pencils to each attendee. Each person writes a common baby question such as "What do you do when a baby cries?" or "How do you get a baby to sleep through the night?" Then collect the cards and redistribute them face down (so you cannot see the question) and have each attendee write the answer to their initial question on the blank side. Then read the cards and get ready to laugh!
For example, you could have a card with the question "What do you do when a baby cries?" on one side and the answer "Shake it up and down until it's ready" on the other.
3. Baby Word Scramble GamePick 10 or so words related to babies and scramble the letters. Photocopy the scrambled words on a sheet of paper for each party attendee. Give a time limit of about 5 minutes for each person to try to unscramble the words. Here is a sample of 20 words to get you started (some easy, some hard). **Printing tip, save the web page on your hard disk, then print it out. It will be much faster than printing directly from the web.
Sitbenas Bassinet Searance Cesarean Raxbont Kisch Braxton Hicks Treesbidganef Breastfeeding bothmireh homebirth fidimew midwife Irnbhgit Moro Birthing Room Raragice Carriage Peidar Diaper Kirgonc Hicar Rocking Chair Yabb Gnisw Baby Swing Gapar Sett Apgar Test Licoc Colic Rupb Burp Raprengdtasn Grandparents Tspi Pu Spit Up Webnonr Newborn Tolbet Bottle Akeblnt Blanket Ditmnhig Nesegfid Midnight Feedings Declra Cradle Goconi Cooing
4. Remembering Baby Items on a Tray GamePlace several baby items on a tray. Present the tray to the attendees for 15 seconds. Then hide the tray and have them write down the baby items they remember. The baby shower attendee with the most correct items wins! The tray is then given to the guest of honor since she will need the items. Here are some sample items:
Baby Pins Travel Baby Shampoo Travel Baby Oil Ear syringe Tweezers Rattle Cotton Balls Syrup of Ipecac Pair of socks Small baby toys Wash cloth Small bottle/sipper
5. Finding Baby Pins in Rice GamePlace a dozen plain safety pins (of different sizes) in a large bowl of rice. Blind fold the player and give him/her 60 seconds to pull out as many pins a possible. The one who pulls out most pins during that time wins.
6. Guess the Number of items in the Baby Bottle (or breast pump bottle) GameJelly Bean Count: Fill a baby bottle with little jelly beans (or other small candy). Show the attendees the baby bottle and have them guess how many beans are in the baby bottle. The person with the closest guess wins, and gets to share the jelly beans with the other guests. How about picking the mom's favorite small candy to use to fill the container?
Cotton Ball Count: Gather a baby bottle and a package of cotton balls. Have everyone guess how many cotton balls will fit into the bottle. Allow everyone to count as the cotton balls are stuffed into the bottle. The guest with the closest guess wins.
Baby Pin Count: Baby pins can be used instead of candy in the guessing game, if the mom is unable to eat the candy.
7. Baby Product Logo GameCollect several magazine ads of baby products. Cut out the brand name and put the ads on stiff paper. Number the ads from one to twenty. The guests can either look at the ads on a wall or the ads can be passed around. The guest who names the most wins.
Variations include taping the commercials on a cassette tape or reciting the catch phrase.
8. Embroidered Cloth Baby DiapersEvery baby needs spit up wipes. If your baby shower attendees are handy with a needle, provide needles, embroidery thread and cloth diapers. While sitting around talking, everyone embroiders one (or more) diapers. Ideas to embroider are the baby's last name (or first name if known), flowers, blocks, bottles, or just trim the edges. Mom-to-be will love these after the baby is born.
9. Try Not to Say "Baby" GameEvery baby shower attendee gets a baby diaper pin to pin on his/her clothes. Everyone tries not to say "Baby" during the party. When someone does, the first person who catches the slip, gets to confiscate the pin. The one with the most pins at the end of the party, wins!
Another variation on this game that is also used for Bridal Showers is to confiscate the pin when someone crosses his/her legs. This works best for smaller showers where everyone is sitting around a living room and can watch each other's legs!
10. Taste Test Baby Food GamePurchase several varieties of baby foods. Cover take the labels or take the labels off of the jars. Write a number on each with a permanent marker. Each person takes a sample on his/her paper plate, tastes it, and writes the name of the food next to number from the bottle. Each guesses the name of the baby food and the one with the most correct guess wins!
If you do not want to taste the food, then cover the labels from the jars and guess the contents by the looking. If the jars have not been opened, these can be given to the mom-to-be for later use with her baby.
11. Baby Pictures Guessing GameEveryone brings a baby picture of him/herself. The host/hostess displays the numbered pictures. The baby shower attendee who guesses the most correct wins! Great for coed parties. (Be sure to mention in the baby shower invitation to bring a baby picture.)
12. Cotton Ball ScoopGet two large bowls and fill one up with cotton balls. The attendee is blind folded and tries with a heavy metal spoon or ladle to try and get as many cotton balls from one bowl to the other. It's actually very hard because all you feel is the weight of the spoon! The attendee who gets the most cotton balls into the other bowl wins.
13. Clothes Pin GrabTwo attendees to hold a long cord (meant to resemble a clothes line), with numerous clothes pins attached. Everyone has to try with ONE hand to get as many clothes pins off while still holding them in your ONE hand. As soon as you drop one you are out and that one does not count. One known record was 17. What was your party's record?
14. Cotton Ball TransferPass around a jar of vaseline and tell everyone to take as much as he/she needs. When everyone has some on his/her finger, tell them to cover their nose with it! The objective of the game is to get as many cotton balls from a big bowl to the floor in 60 seconds only using the vaseline covered nose. The attendee with the most balls on the floor wins (balls on the nose do not count).
Hint: To get the balls off the nose, shake your head or blow on the balls. Most likely, laughing will not make them come off!
15. Mom-to-be Trivia GameCompile a list of about 20 questions about the mom-to-be to ask the attendees to see who knows her the most. The attendee with the most correct answers wins. You might be surprised who wins!
What names does she have for picked for the baby?, Does she hope for boy, girl or either?, What are the color of her eyes?, What are the colors she has picked for the nursery?, What is she wearing today?, What is her favorite children's character (Pooh, Bart Simpson, etc)?, Has she had any crazy food cravings and if so, what was it?
16. Dirty DiapersVersion 1: Fold white napkins or cloth into little diapers and close with small diaper bin. Hand one out to each attendee when he/she arrives. At the end of the party, each attendee opens his/her diaper and the one with the brown "poop" spot wins a prize. It has been suggested that you use an unwrapped Hershey's chocolate kiss for the "poop." Great idea!
Version 2: Purchase a package of newborn disposable diapers. Take one per guest and put into a bag. Place either a glob of peanut butter or a squirt of chocolate syrup in one of the diapers, then fold back into original shape. Have each guest pick a diaper. The guest selecting the "dirty" diaper wins. Give the remaining package of diapers to the guest of honor.
Version 3: Before the party, take ten disposable diapers (number doesn't matter) and number the outside from one to ten. Then smear the inside of each with some smelly food item (i.e. tuna, horseradish, Italian dressing, garlic, mustard, chocolate syrup, coffee, curry paste, tea, ginger, salsa, herbs, etc.) Close each diaper up.
To play: Pass out paper and pens. Each diaper is then passed around for the players to smell. The one with the most correct guesses wins! One mother played this at her shower and got some great pictures of people holding up the smelly diapers to their nose.
A bonus prize: Sometimes babies will swallow small items and the only way to know if a baby has swallowed anything is to inspect the diaper. At one party a penny was hidden inside one of the diapers (this one was in peanut butter) and the "lucky" bonus prize winner has to find it.
Dirty Diaper Corsages: Cut one triangle for each guest from white felt. Place a dab of mustard or chocolate syrup in the center of one of the triangles. Fold the triangles like a diaper, and then close with a safety pin. Give each guest a diaper to wear, attaching with a straight pin. Near the end of the shower, have everyone undo their diapers. The one with the dirty diaper wins.
17. Baby Name Song GuessA suggestion is a tape be made with short snippets of songs (10 - 25 seconds in length) with names in the title. If the sex of the baby in known, use names for that gender.
Play the songs and have people guess the name of the song and the artist. The one with the most correct song titles and artists wins!
Examples of songs for a girl would include: "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel, "Mona Lisa" and "Ramblin' Rose" by Nat King Cole, and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by the Beatles, "Sara Smile" by Hall and Oats, "Rio" by Duran Duran (This was my daughter's (Rio) favorite song).
Examples of songs for a boy would include "Fernando" by Abba, "Hey Jude" by the Beatles, "Thomas O'Malley Cat" from the Disney movie "Aristocats", the James Bond Theme by Monty Norman Orchestra, and "Don't Mess Around with Jim" by Jim Croce.
For baby of unknown gender, you could mix some of each of the songs above. Or you could use songs with the word "baby" in them.
18. Name Poem with AdviceIf you already have a name picked out, have the attendees make a poem with the letters of the name. For example if the first letter is N, the tip could be "Never pull on daddy's mustache ." The next letter could be E and the tip could be "Eat all your veggies!"
19. Baby Shower Bingo GamesStork Bingo: This game works like regular bingo, but instead of using the word "bingo" across the top of the card, use the word "stork" instead. Also use baby words such as bassinet, homebirth, midwife, crib, bottle, labor, etc., for the content of the card.
Baby Item Bingo: Make home-made bingo cards filling the squares with baby items such as: bottle, blanket, pacifier, nightgown, stroller, carseat, monitor, etc. Place the words in different squares on each card. Give each guest a card, and have them mark their cards as the gifts are opened. The first one to get a bingo wins.
As a variation of this game, instead of giving the guests filled out bingo cards, you may give each guest a blank bingo grid at the beginning of the shower. Allow the guests to fill in the blanks themselves with the presents they think might be given. Play as described above.
20. Baby Crossword PuzzleCreate a crossword puzzle with baby related clues. For example, the color for a girl is #1 across.
21. Baby ExpressionCreate a sheet of four to six baby pictures (from magazines, mother-to-be photo album, family albums, etc.). Make photocopies of the sheet to each guest. The guests try to create funny captions of what they think the baby is trying to say!
22. A Mother's PurseRead of a list of items and each attendee tries to find it in her purse. You can assign a number of points for each item (the more unusual the item, the higher number of points). The person with the most points wins. Hints: Best for an all woman shower, especially when most are moms!
Ideas for items are:
Something that rattles (besides keys and loose change). Something that a child could write on. Something that is pink. Something that bounces. Something that is blue. Something that squeaks. A crayon. Something that is soft and pliable. A baby picture. A napkin or wet wipe. A picture of children. A piece of candy. At least a dollar in change. A non-sweet snack. A toy. A safety pin.
23. Scramble Name GameAttendees try to come up with the words using the letters in the mother's and father's name. Use a five minute time limit. After checking for correct spelling, call the win's name. Instead of giving out a gift, each player must pay a dime for each word on their list. All the money goes into the baby's bank!
Another version of this word game is to take the words "BABY SHOWER" and spell as many words from these letters as possible within a 2 minute minimum time limit. Submitted by Mrs. Gleason, Conroe, TX
24. Playdough Sculpture GameThe attendees are separated into teams. The mother-to-be creates a list of baby items. The list is cut up and put into a bowl. She pulls one slip from the bowl and shows it to one member of each team. That person goes back to the team and tires to make a sculpture of the item. The team that thinks they know the item raises their hands. The mother-to-be asks them the word. If they are incorrect, the remaining teams keep going until someone guesses. Remember all the teams are working on the same word at the same time. Oh, one more thing, no talking during the sculpturing, but laughing is allowed.
25. Ice Breaker GameAttendees try to find someone at the party who as a child did that was unique. The host/hostess may check up on the attendees before the party for specifics. Here are a sample of items from one baby shower:
Played a string instrument. Did not have any sisters. Wore glasses. Born in a foreign country. Wore braces. Won a trophy. Born the same month as the baby's due date. Wore a cast. Walked before their first birthday. Had 3 or more brothers. Sang in the choir. Walked to school (in the snow?). Was not born in a hospital. Had a horse (not rocking). Sent to the principal's office. Was chalkboard monitor.
Each attendee is given a piece of paper with the above and a line for the name. Attendees circulate so they can ask each other the questions. A name can only appear once on each attendee's sheet.
Great game if the attendees do not know each other well.
26. Guess the Famous MomsOn as many pieces of paper write names of famous moms. One per sheet of paper. (Examples: Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Melanie Griffith, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Grace Kelly, etc.)
Choose as many participants as you have names and attach a sheet of paper with the name on their backs. The participants have to guess who they are supposed to be by asking the attendants questions that can be answered only with YES or NO answers. (Example: Am I American? Am I alive?, etc.)
The first to guess which famous mom she is wins. A great ice-breaker game.
27. RaffleThe attendees buy raffle tickets for a door prize. About $1 per ticket is common. The grander the prize the better. Maybe one of the attendees could offer a service (house cleaning, massage, etc.) based on his/her skills. The guest of honor pulls out the lucky ticket to great fan fair (drum roll, please). Meanwhile the money is used to start the baby's first piggy bank!
28. Baby Gift GuessHave attendees bring a small item that you would use for a baby (i.e. pacifier, bib). Give each attendee a list of names of all the attendees. Have them wear these things if possible. After everyone is there and sitting down, have them remove the items and put it in a small basket.
See how many people can guess what each person was wearing when they came to the shower. When the lists are complete, have them take what they brought out of the basket. The person with the most correct wins. All items go to the mom-to-be.
29. Dress the BabyThe idea is to dress a doll just like you would a real baby. Get a doll about the size of a baby and clothing to dress them up in. Including a cloth diaper, rubber pants, socks or booties, t-shirt, pants and shirt for a boy, dress for a girl, bonnet. Give a 2 minute time limit to see who can dress the baby the fastest without being harmful to this make believe child. The attendee who gets the most clothes on the baby wins. Funny!
30. Diaper the DollGather a few disposable diapers, baby powder and baby dolls. Have a race to see who can diaper a doll the fastest. The mom-to-be then gets the remaining diapers and baby powder.
31. Cloth Diaper ChallengePurchase a package of cloth diapers and diaper pins. Give each participant a baby doll, a diaper and two pins. (Let mom-to-be watch to learn some tips, and some "how not to's.") See who can finish with the most secure diaper.
32. Bottle RacesFill several baby bottles with apple (or other pulp-free) juice. Have a race to see who can finish the juice first. Give a new bib to each participant to wear during the race.
33. Take The Clothes PinGive each guest a clothes pin to pin to their clothing. If a guest catches another guest crossing her legs, she may take the "leg crosser's" clothes pin. The person with the most clothes pins wins.
34.Nursery Rhyme GameRead a Mother Goose Rhyme book to create riddles for everyone to answer. For example, you might ask, "Who had so many children she didn't know what to do?" (The little old woman who lived in a shoe.) "Who would eat no lean?" (Jack Sprat's wife).
35. The Name GameGet your hands on a baby name book. Write the meaning of the names of the guests on slips of paper. Read the meanings to the group and have them guess whose name it is describing.
36. Baby Animal NamesGive each participant a piece of paper and pen/pencil. Ask them to write down as many animal mother/baby pairs as they can think of. Example: Cow/calf, kangaroo/joey, horse/fowl, etc. Whoever can think of the most in 60 seconds wins.
37. Questions & AnswersPass a sheet of paper and a pencil to everyone. Have them write a baby care question down. Then fold the paper in half and pass it to the left several times. Be sure that no one ends up with their paper. Then have everyone write the answer to their original question on the back of the paper. Everyone gets to then read the questions and the funny answers. From JPadgett - www.amazingpregnancy.com
38. Diaper DerbyDiaper a baby, easy right? Ever do it blindfolded? Do do this, you will need a diaper, powder, and a baby doll. From JPadgett - www.amazingpregnancy.com
39. Pin The Baby on The StorkGet a picture of a stork. Make a baby for all the guests. Blindfold each guest, turn them around a few times and have them pin the baby on the stork's beak. From JPadgett - www.amazingpregnancy.com
40. Baby PicturesHave each guest bring a baby picture to the shower, You can use photo corners to post them to a piece of poster board. when it's time to play the game, let everyone guess who's who! Most guesses win. From JPadgett - www.amazingpregnancy.com
41. Baby CharadesTo Prepare: Write out a bunch of different baby phrases, items, lullabies, ailments (such as diaper rash, and colic) and whatever else you can think of on strips of paper.
Have the attendee's divide into two even groups. Then have 1 person at a time (alternating teams of coarse) come up and choose a slip of paper then act out what is written on it without using their voice. Their team-mates have 90 seconds to guess what it is to get the point.
Variations:
To make it easier for game participants you can use colored paper to color code each category, ie: baby phrases on blue, lullabies on yellow, etc.
You can get a little more excitement and interaction happening if you allow "Team A" to think of and assign things for "Team B" actors to play out and vise-versa.
You can change the dynamics a bit and make it more challenging by allowing them to use their voice (not words) but limiting their gestures to those of a baby (nothing too obvious). I have gotten a lot more laughs when I use this version. From Brandee Bzowski - Email: Brandee Bzowski
42. Baby Bib & T-Shirts ActivityTo Prepare: Purchase a bunch of plain baby bibs or T-shirts and some fabric paint. (Bibs easily can be made out of inexpensive wash cloths prior to party, if you are creative with a needle and thread. Attachments can be ties, velcro, snaps).
Hand out a bib or T-shirt to each participant. Have each party participant decorate the fabric with something cute and individual. You can never have too many bibs or T-shirts for the new baby. From Wendy In Canada - Email: Wendy & Elden Pinheiro
How did these baby shower games work for you? What ideas do you have for baby shower games? Let me know at moondragon2@aol.co If you e-mail me with games and suggestions, I would be happy your game to the list along with giving you credit for the submission. I would love to hear from you.
BABY SHOWER GIFT IDEAS
Baby Shower-Games Party Supplies - Supplies for your Baby Shower.
Baby Comfort Strap - (Strap for holding baby safely in shopping cart and/or stroller)
Baby Necessities Gift Baskets - (Baskets with fun as well as vital care items)
BabyWatch - (Watch the calculated developments of the unborn child by the second using this new computer program)
Bosom Buddies Nursing Pillow(Special pillow designed to position the baby correctly for nursing)
Baby Quilts - (Beautiful!)
A Basket for All Seasons - (Can prepare a baby basket for as low as $15!)
Baby Packs - (Unique gift baskets for newborn to 1 year)
Babycakes - (Baby gift items packaged to look like a cake! Great idea!)
Blanket Sleepers - (Themed sleepers including: Barbie, Hot Wheels, Godzilla, & Teams in the NFL,NHL, & NBA)
Children's Name Poems - (A custom poem made from the your child's name)
CityKids - (Carry the high quality Winner-Ferguson products)
Cute Scottin' Baby - (Adorable custom made embroidered baby clothes)
Greggy's Creations - (Lost of personalized baby shower presents and other gift items)
It's A Parent! - (CD features fun, upbeat songs on pregnancy, childbirth and new parenthood)
Keepsake Creations - (Type "Baby" in her search engine and find several great items!)
Kidstuff Records - (Audio cassette tapes with lullabies, bedtime stories and nursery rhymes)
Make Way for Baby! - (Video teaches love in the womb)
MemoirTRACKER - (Award Winning PC Software That Organizes Your Real Life!)
My Precious Baby - ( My Precious Baby is an electronic baby calendar designed to organize all of the baby's multimedia information. For the Mac)
Newborn E-Mail Cards - (Send a free email card congratulating the parents)
NewBorn Keepsake - (Beautiful plaque for new parents, grandparents, and others)
Personalized Baby Blankets - (Blankets with the baby's name knitted right in.)
Prematurely Yours - (Baby books and other items for Preemies)
Stork Store - (The Store where the Stork shops)
Sera's Quilts - (Baby and lap quilts made by a grandmother!)
Songs for New Parents - (CD of songs written by a mom about a parent's love for a child)
Tidy Tots Bibs - (Bibs with a disappearing pockets in lots of cute fabric)
Whimsie Balls - (Fabric balls made from soft quilts!)
Water Bottles - (It's a boy/girl labels for water bottles. Great for nursing moms)
OTHER IDEAS FOR BABY SHOWER GIFTS:
Baby Bibs (large and small) Rompers (Spring or Summer baby) Blanket Sleepers (Fall or Winter baby) Baby Receiving Blankets Baby Brush/Comb Set Baby Tub and Bathing Toys Baby Tub Seat Baby Swing Portable Baby Feeding Seat Baby Nail Care Set Plastic Diapers/Diaper Service Start Baby's College Fund Picture Books Gift Certificate for you to baby sit (or go out to lunch together) Gift Certificate for you to cook and bring over a meal
Amazon.com has a gigantic collection of baby gift ideas and products.
If you have suggestions or links that you would like to have included, please let us know at moondragon2@aol.com I design, sew, and make a gothic line of baby wear, quilts, and layette items. If you are a Pagan, Goth or Wiccan and you would like something a little "witchy" for your new "witchling", please send me an e-mail and let me know what you may be interested in and I will contact you and we can discuss your plans. Here are a few examples of what I have already done in the past few years. Items can be sewn to your specifications.
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MoonDragon's Pregnancy Information & Survival Tips
