10 Fun Baby Shower Games

Baby showers are sweet but almost always lame.  Here are some game ideas sure to perk things up:

1. Baby Name Darts.  Pin a variety of baby names on a dartboard.  Throw darts.  For the rest of the party, refer to the baby by the name that was struck by the most darts.
2. Baby Outburst.  Make a bunch of "top 10" lists having to do with babies (see suggestions below).  Form 2 teams.  One team reads category; other team has to guess as many items on the list as possible in 1 minute.  Alternate turns until all cards used.  Keep score. (This is adapted from the game "Outburst".)  (Potential categories: Top 10 ... boys names, girls names, reasons babies cry, toys, books, baby food varieties, aphorisms for "poop", baby nicknames, items in nursery, items in diaper bag, Disney movies, "firsts", songs with word "baby" in them, nursery rhymes, baby songs, etc.)
3. Baby Bingo.  You can purchase this game or make your own, using clipart.  Use pink or blue m&ms as placeholders.  Allow guests to eat their placeholders after each round.
4. Guess Mom's Width.  Hand out pieces of string and scissors.  Each person cuts string to approximate width of mom's stomach.  When done, wrap strings around the mom.  Person who comes closest wins. 
5. Baby Scattergories.  Identify 10 categories having to do with babies (see "Baby Outburst").  Create card/checklist listing the 10 categories, leaving a line after each category to allow guests to fill in info.  Make duplicates.  Put letters of alphabet in hat.  Mom draws letter.  For each category, guests have to come up with word that starts with that letter.  Person (if small party) or team (if large party) that comes up with most ORIGINAL (not duplicated) answers wins.  You can play as many times as you want - just draw new letter for each round.  (This is adapted from the game "Scattergories".)
6. Clothespin game.  Issue everyone 3 clothespins.  Every time they use the word "baby", guest who catches them using the word gets one of their clothespins.  Guest with most clothespins at end of shower wins.
7. Baby Mad Lib.  Create a customized "Mad Lib" for the mom of honor.  Be sure to build in lots of opportunities for humor.  Have guests contribute missing words.  Read finished product aloud.  (I usually create a story in which mom reflects back on her grown child's life - careers, achievements, family, etc.  Lots of potential for humor there!)
8. Guess the Baby Accessory.  Wrap baby-related items in tissue paper.  (Wrap them loosely but well; use tape!)  Place them in small paper bags.  Number bags.  Give guests paper, pen, and one bag.  Assign someone to act as timer.  Guests have 5 seconds to feel object through tissue paper, without removing from bag.  Then, they write their guess next to the bag's number on paper.  Pass bags clockwise and repeat until everyone has guessed contents of each bag.  Have folks unwrap/reveal objects.  Person with most correct guesses wins.
9. The Price is Right.  Give guests a list of common baby supplies & have them guess the cost of each. Then give out calculators to have them add the items up. The guest who comes closest to the actual price of the items wins.
10. Baby Predictions.  Purchase large matte for 5" x 7" photo. Write "I predict ..." on top.  Using acid free pen, ask each guest to contribute a prediction about baby or parents.  Predictions can be serious or funny.
11. Guess the Gerbers.  Pour small samples of a variety of baby food  into small plastic panekins (a.k.a. disposable condiment cups "liberated" from your local fast food restaurant).  Assign each type a number and number cups accordingly (use indelible ink).  Give each guest pencil, paper, and 5 random cups.  Have guests try to guess contents of each cup, recording their guesses next to each cup number.  Person who gets most right wins.  (TIP: Use particularly disgusting flavors, like green beans or squash.  Blends are particularly hard to guess.)