Liven up a baby shower by throwing in a few games. They can serve as great ice beakers especially if some guests are unacquainted.

Baby’s Future

Each guest is given some paper and a pen. The host then reads out different categories to do with baby’s future. For each of these the guests write down their suggestion before folding over their slip of paper and throwing it into a correspondingly labelled tub. For example your categories could be:

• Name
• Occupation
• Height
• Hair colour & style
• Football team
• Car
• Hobbies

When all categories have been completed the host will pick a slip from each category tub and use the suggestions to paint a future picture of the baby – which might not be quite what Mum was looking for!

Name Game

Each guest writes down a boy and a girl name suggestion. Or if the baby’s sex is already known, have guests pick a first and middle name. When selections have been made, show the name to their left hand side neighbour to ensure they don’t change them when they hear what comes next. The object of this game is to make as many words as they can out of the letters in their two chosen names, in the allotted time – say two minutes. For example: Jamie Oliver -  Jam, jar, olive, real, oil, lime etc. The one with the most words wins. 

Baby Guests

All guests need to bring with them a baby photo of themselves. The pictures are displayed on a wall using Blutac or passed around. The game is to guess who is who.

Baby – Gifts

A variation of the above game only this time the guesswork is all down to the expectant mum. All presents are accompanied with a picture of the present giver when they were a baby. The game? To guess who gave which present.

Baby Food

Take about 10 different jars of baby food and number the bottom of each. Record the flavour of each one and then remove the labels. The numbered jars are then passed around the guests who must write down what flavour they think each – using sight, smell, touch or even taste if they really want.

What's in the Bag?

Place roughly 10 baby related items into a large opaque cloth bag. Have guests pass it around by feeling inside (no looking) write down what items they think are in it. The winner is the one who names the most items correctly.

Charades

Write down baby-related actions, or films or books on slips of paper. Have a guest pick one and act it out to the others.

Baby Trivia

Write or print a list of trivia questions concerning babies and parenting and award a prize to the guest(s) with the most correct answers. How well will the expectant mum do?!

Our survey says?

Give guests 10 seconds to name five things in a selected category (such as baby bath items, as baby food flavours, things in a nappy bag). To make it more challenging, have a set list of replies on an answer key and only award points when the player's answer matches what you have.

I'm going on a trip/I'm going into labour

A variation of the old favourite memory game: “I went to market and I bought...” But start the game with the phrase: “I went on a trip with baby and I took…” or “In my labour bag I packed…”

Baby whispers

Starting with the person sitting next to the mum-to-be, in the opposite direction send a piece of parental advice around the circle of guests as a Chinese whisper. When the whisper eventually comes right back around to mum-to-be, she should say out loud what she hears. Longer phrases work better as they get jumbled more easily and can end up quite funny.

I predict

Have guests write down their predictions for things such as baby's birth weight, hair colour, first word or future occupation. To make it a humorous game, don't tell the guests what they are choosing, simply ask them to name a colour, number, occupation and then fill in the blanks ad lib style.

Guess the belly

Instruct guests to unroll a length of toilet paper (or ribbon or string) to the length that they believe will fit exactly around the waist of mum-to-be. Be warned though, many people overestimate vastly, so if mum is sensitive about her weight, this might not be the best game to try.

Memory tray game

Set out a tray of around 20-40 baby items in front of your guests for about a minute or two. Take the items away and have guests write down as many of the items as they can remember. Award a prize to the person who remembers the most.

Pin the nappy on the baby

This is a baby shower variation of the old children’s favourite game, pin the tail on the donkey. Have a large picture of a baby, with a separate cardboard cut out of a nappy (or bottle or rattle). Guests are blindfolded, spun around three times then asked to pin.

Baby Hot Potato

Played the same as the traditional hot potato game, only using a baby doll or stuffed animal instead of the potato. Start a timer and have guests pass the baby around the circle. Whoever is holding the baby when the timer sounds is out. Last person in the game wins. Variation - instead or as well as having the person holding the baby be out of the game, make them give a bit of advice, or tell a special/funny memory about the mum-to-be.

Musical Chairs

Musical chairs, to baby music!  You could also use children’s chairs if you have them to add to the amusement.