Baby shower games everyone will play

How many games, and how long they take

Two to four games is the usual advice. One planner’s guide matches the number to the length of the party: about two games for a shower of 1.5 to 2 hours, up to three for 2 to 3 hours, and four if it runs past three. The same guide budgets 10 to 15 minutes of play per game, and 15 to 20 minutes once you add explaining the rules and handing out sheets. Pampers describes a shower as lasting about three to four hours and gives 2 to 4 hours as the broader range.

Bingo is the exception. It runs while the gifts are opened, so it does not eat into your game time.

A shower of two and a half hours, minute by minute

This is our own sample plan, not a rule.

• 0:00 to 0:30: guests arrive. Bingo cards go out at the door, and the word scramble sits at the seats.
• 0:30 to 1:00: food. The wishes cards and a pen sit on a side table.
• 1:00 to 1:15: one team game, such as trivia.
• 1:15 to 1:30: Who knows mom best, with answers read aloud.
• 1:30 to 2:10: gifts and bingo.
• 2:10 to 2:30: cake, prizes and photos.

Match the game to the crowd

• A small group of 8 or fewer: choose games that need talking, like Who knows mom best, the wishes cards and predictions.
• A big group of 25 or more: bingo, the word scramble and team trivia scale without extra work.
• Mixed ages: the nursery rhyme sheet is the one grandmothers win.
• Guests who hate being on the spot: the wishes cards and predictions let them play quietly.

Classic games that need no printing

Do not say baby. Give every guest a clothespin at the door. If you hear another guest say “baby”, you take her clothespin. Whoever holds the most pins at the end wins.

Baby photo match. Ask guests to send a baby photo a week ahead. Number the photos on a board and have everyone guess who is who.

The price is right. Collect eight baby items, like wipes and a bottle brush. Guests guess each price, and the closest guess wins each item.

Name that lullaby. Play or hum ten lullabies and nursery tunes. First to name the song gets a point.

What to skip

Skip any game that asks mom to share her weight, measurements or birth plan. Ask first before any game that involves touching or measuring her belly. Messy games with food can upset a queasy stomach, so keep them optional. And skip prizes that make guests feel they have lost something: a small candle or a pack of tea works better than a big trophy.

Where to start

The baby shower games printable pack has eight games with the cards, questions and answer keys. If you want bingo built around your own gift list, use the bingo card generator. Unsure what kind of host you are? The party host quiz will tell you. Seasonal dates are in the party planning calendar.

Where the facts come from

Timing advice comes from Wild Bloom Design Studio, Eventifai and Pampers. The history of baby showers is from Wikipedia, which says they became popular in the United States in the middle of the 20th century.