Love 'em or loathe 'em, baby shower games and activities are a staple of the modern, American baby shower. We asked Mom365 readers for their favorites to inspire you--here they are, complete with our explanations. Did you have these at your shower? Or have you played them at others? See what's big in showerland!
1. Break My Water
![some toy babies in a ice tray]()
What It Is: Everyone is handed a Dixie cup or an ice cube with a tiny plastic baby frozen inside.
How to Play: The winner is the the first to get her baby out of the ice using any body part but her mouth.
What's Needed: Small paper cups, mini plastic baby, ice. Or, you can buy a kit at Amazon.com.
What's Fun About It: Hilarity ensues as ladies attempt to thaw the baby every crazy which way.
2. Dirty Diaper
![a dirty diaper game]()
What It Is: You all examine "dirty" diapers to discover what kind of melted chocolate bar is the "poop."
How to Play: You take about six chocolate bars of various consistencies and melt each one in a clean diaper in the microwave. The winner is the person who guesses the most chocolate bars correctly--Kit Kat! Almond Joy! Snickers!
What's Needed: Disposable diapers, chocolate bars, microwave, strong stomach. Or you can buy a kit from Amazon.com
What's Fun About It: It's gross but oddly amusing to watch your friends intently sniff, taste, and examine diapers.
3. Don't Say "Baby"
![some clothes pegs]()
What It Is: A contest to see who can say "baby" the least.
How to Play: Upon entry to the party, each guest receives a clothespin (plain or decorated), that they wear. If another guest gets them to say "baby" at any point during the party, they get to keep the "baby"-sayer's pin. The person who has the most pins at the end of the party wins a prize.
What's Needed: Clothespins.
What's Fun About It: It's pretty challenging and funny to keep from saying that word at a baby shower. See? I just lost my pin!
4. Guess Her Belly Size
![a pregnant woman making a heart shape with her hands over her belly]()
What It Is: A game to see who can guess the size of the mama's belly.
How to Play: The party planner takes a string of yarn and measures it around the mom-to-be's belly like a tape measurer, then cuts the yarn. Other pieces of yarn are then cut at random lengths. They're passed around the group, and the first to choose the correct string wins.
What's Needed: Yarn, scissors, unselfconscious mom-to-be.
What's Fun About It: It's funny in that guess-the-amount-of-jelly-beans in the jar sort of way.
5. Clothesline
![some baby socks handing on a clothes line]()
What It Is: A test in moms' multi-tasking prowess.
How to Play: The object is to see how many articles of baby clothing you can hang on a clothesline while holding a "baby" in one hand and talking on the phone. Each guest gets 30 seconds if there are many people playing, or 60 seconds for just a few folks.
What's Needed: A rope for a line (and something to tie it to), clothespins, basket full of baby clothes, baby doll, and a cell phone or cordless phone.
What's Fun About It: The panicked rush that people get into is hilarious.
6. Name the Baby
![a close up of a pregnant belly with the word name written on it]()
What It Is: A fun way to play with words and baby names.
How to Play: Hand everyone a piece of paper with the mom-to-be's name and/or the father's name. Use first and last if the names are short. Then using letters from the name, ask guests to anonymously write a name for the baby. The object is to come up with something funny or odd. The mom-to-be picks her favorite as the winner. One Mom 365 reader says, "For us the winner was 'Binary.' It was perfect since my husband is a computer programmer."
What's Needed: Pens and paper.
What's Fun About It: Lots of funny, strange, and cute names to laugh at--and who knows, maybe something usable!
7. Write a Birthday Letter
![a happy birthday card surrounded by baby shoes and decorations]()
What It Is: A super-sweet way to keep giving to the child--for years to come.
How to Do It: Randomly distribute to each guest a birthday card and envelope, with an age written on the outside. Have each one write an age-appropriate birthday greeting and/or wish.
What's Needed: Enough cards and envelopes for each guest, including the mom-to-be, pens, and markers.
What's Fun About It: It's plain old heart-melting to think about the child opening her shower card every year, for a long time--depending on the number of guests.
8. Alphabet Decorating
![some alphabet letters shaped with flowers]()
What It Is: A great way to collectively decorate the nursery.
How to Do It: Find each letter of the alphabet in wood, metal, or heavy cardboard at crafts stores or online. Lay them all out on a covered table with paints, markers, glitter, stickers, glue sticks, etc., and have you guests get decorating!
What's Needed: 26 letters for a complete alphabet and enough decorating materials for all guests.
What's Fun About It: Mom-to-be gets to feel the love of all her well-wishers every time she's in the nursery--and baby does too.
9. Word Story
![a young woman thinking about what to write]()
How to Do It: Each guest gets the same 10-20 words related to the parenting, family, birth, and/or love, and is asked to free-write a short story or letter to give to the mama-to-be.
What's Needed: Word list, paper, surface to write on, and pens.
What's Fun About It: A lovely way to share wisdom, laughs, and advice through stories.
10. First Push
![a pile of baby onesies]()
What It Is: A joyful way to help dress the baby for many months.
How to Do It: Each guests decorates a onesie (and maybe some bibs thrown in) with fabric markers or fabric paint. Make sure to create a mess-approved zone with coverings, then spread out the onuses and supplies.
What's Needed: Enough onsies for each guest to have one or more, a few bibs, fabric markers and fabric paint in a rainbow of colors, paintbrushes, paper towels, and jars of water.
What's Fun About It: You all get to have a crafternoon of bonding that results in tons of outfits designed with love, sweet sayings, and fun drawings.