Baby Shower GamesIf you have a lively, enthusiastic crowd at the baby shower, they may be willing to play some action games. Some take a bit more energy than others, but all of them are a hoot.

Bottle ChuggingGive each guest a baby bottle and fill it with milk, juice, water, or even beer, for those who aren't pregnant. Have everyone line up, and shout "Go!" The players have to drink the liquid as quickly as they can – through the nipple. (No unscrewing the top allowed!)Whoever finishes first is the winner. This game is especially entertaining if you're throwing a co-ed shower.

Spit the BinkyHave your guests line up and give each one a pacifier to put in her mouth. The goal of the game is to spit out the binky with gusto so it lands as far away as possible. Whoever spits the binky the farthest wins a prize.

Bottle BowlingSet up ten baby bottles the way bowling pins are arranged: in a triangle shape with one in the first row, two in the second, and so on. Make sure you have a good "lane" of open space leading up to the bottles. Provide a tennis ball or child's toy ball and have guests take turns bowling to knock down the bottles. Whoever has the best score wins a prize.

Baby PicassoGive each guest a sheet of paper and a crayon or pen. Have them all close their eyes and try their best to draw a baby. The mom-to-be picks her favorite, and that person wins a prize.

Balloon BellyBlow up a bunch of small balloons and have your guests try to stuff as many under their shirt as possible to mimic an expectant mom's pregnant belly. Make sure to take pictures! Whoever can fit the most wins.

Toss and ShoutHave your guests stand in a circle. Give one of them a baby doll and ask her to toss it to whoever she likes. The person who catches the doll has to quickly shout out something baby-related – like "stroller!" or "bottle!" – then toss the doll to someone else.This should go on until a guest calls out something that's already been said or pauses for more than a few seconds. That person is out, and the game continues. Whoever's left standing at the end is the winner.

Diaper DesignerSplit your guests into teams and give each one a roll of toilet paper. Set the timer for a minute and have each team "diaper" one of its members with the toilet paper as quickly as possible. No pins or other tools are allowed! Have the mom-to-be judge and pick the winning team.

Baby-Changing RelaySplit your guests into relay teams. Hand each team a doll that's wearing a diaper, dressed in baby clothes, and swaddled in a blanket.Shout "Go!" and have the first player on each team unwrap the blanket and pass the doll to the second person. That player undresses the baby and passes it to the third person, who changes the diaper. The next person dresses the doll, and the next wraps it in the baby blanket.You can start the process over again until each person on a team has had a chance to do one step. Whichever team finishes first wins.Variation: Instead of doing this as a team relay race, have each guest take a turn going through the entire process of diapering, dressing, and swaddling the baby. Time each person and record how long it took. Whoever's speediest is the winner.

Back and Forth Birth StoryArrange your guests in a circle and give a wrapped prize to one person. Read the following story aloud and have the guests pass the prize in the appropriate direction when they hear the words "left" or "right." The prize will move around a lot! Whoever has the prize last gets to open and keep it. The story:Mr. WRIGHT jumped into action. It was time to take Mrs. WRIGHT RIGHT to the hospital – she was in labor! He LEFT the house, got in the car, and turned RIGHT out of the driveway. But he had to go RIGHT back home because he'd LEFT Mrs. WRIGHT behind. They both got in the car on the LEFT side, as the RIGHT side door wouldn't open.Mr. and Mrs. WRIGHT again LEFT for the hospital, turning RIGHT out of the driveway. They argued about the RIGHT turn, as Mrs. WRIGHT said that Mr. WRIGHT should have turned LEFT. Mr. WRIGHT kept insisting that he was absolutely RIGHT, but Mrs. WRIGHT kept insisting that the best way to the hospital was to the LEFT.Two blocks away, after another LEFT turn, they discovered they had LEFT Mrs. WRIGHT's overnight bag at home. So they made a LEFT turn, then a RIGHT, to go back home where they had LEFT the bag. As they turned RIGHT on to their street, Mrs. WRIGHT said, "Let's just go RIGHT to the hospital and get someone else to pick up the bag we LEFT."So they went LEFT at the next block and turned RIGHT back around. Finally arriving at the hospital, Mr. WRIGHT pulled up to the front where they LEFT the car and dashed RIGHT in. The hospital staff wheeled Mrs. WRIGHT away. "Where are they taking her?" yelled Mr. WRIGHT. A nurse rushed him RIGHT after her. They headed down the hall and made a LEFT turn, then a RIGHT, and a LEFT again.Mr. WRIGHT found Mrs. WRIGHT already in delivery. Then he realized that he'd LEFT the video camera in the car. He ran out of the room and RIGHT back where he'd come from. Not only had he LEFT the camera, he discovered, but he'd LEFT the headlights on, too.Mr. WRIGHT wasted no time; he ran RIGHT back to his wife's room. As Mr. WRIGHT approached the room he could hear her screaming about how he'd LEFT and was nowhere in sight. When Mr. WRIGHT walked in, Mrs. WRIGHT was giving birth RIGHT then and there. Mr. WRIGHT passed out on the floor.When he came to, he got another shock. There was Mrs. WRIGHT embracing their new little bundles of joy. With two babies on her LEFT side and one on the RIGHT, Mrs. WRIGHT turned to her husband and said, "There weren't just two. The doctor was wrong!"

Baby shower games: Baby name gamesBaby names are so entertaining, it's no surprise there are baby shower games that make the most of that theme. Baby name ideas, name meanings, and celebrity baby names are all part of the fun.

Baby Name ScrambleIf the parents-to-be have already decided what to name their baby, write the name at the top of a sheet of paper. Give a copy to each guest and start the clock. They have two minutes to make as many real words as they can from the available letters. The one who comes up with the most words wins.

Baby Name BrainstormIf a name hasn't been picked yet for the baby, you can provide the parents-to-be with a great source of inspiration that's also a nice memento of the shower.Buy a cute notebook and pass it around to all the guests. Have them enter ideas for boys' or girls' names (both if the parents have chosen not to know the sex of their baby yet), along with any notes they may want to share about why they like certain names. Each person should put their own name next to their suggestions, too.

What's in a Name?Fun and interesting for everyone! Look online or buy a baby name book to find out the meanings of all the first names of the people attending the shower. Write down the names on the left side of a piece of paper and the meanings on the right side. But mix up the order so the names and meanings aren't matched up.Make copies for everyone and hand them out at the shower. You can let guests take their time or set your stopwatch and give them just a few minutes to match up the names with their correct meanings. Whoever gets the most right is the winner.

Celebrity Baby Name QuizThe names that celebrities give their children are often unique and occasionally kooky – which makes for great entertainment!Pick a bunch of your favorites from our list of celebrity baby names, and mix them up on a sheet of paper so the children's names aren't right next to their parents' names. Make copies for your guests and have them show off their celeb baby name savvy by matching the parents to the notable names.

Baby Name ABCsAsk one guest to kick off the game by saying a baby name that starts with A. The guest next to her has to say a name that starts with B. The game continues around the room and through the alphabet. Whoever can't come up with a name within a few seconds is out of the game.Once you get to Z, go ahead and start again with A (with no repeat names allowed). The last remaining player in the game is the winner.Variations: If you know the gender of the soon-to-arrive baby, you can limit the names to girls' or boys' names only. If the parents-to-be are expecting twins, you can ask the guests to think of two names for every letter.

Baby shower games: Door prize gamesThere are lots of creative and cute ways to give away door prizes at a baby shower. Here are a few you might try.

"Who…?" Door PrizesYou might learn something new about your guests with this one. Ask questions like "Who has the most children?" "Whose birthday is closest to the mother-to-be's due date?" or something else related to family and kids.The guests who think they may be the winner will speak up (for example, one person will volunteer "I have four kids!" and another will say "I just had my fifth!"), and eventually everyone will figure out who really wins. That person takes home a door prize, and your guests all get to know each other a little better.

Dirty Diaper Door PrizeBefore your guests arrive, make little diapers out of white paper that they can safety-pin to their clothes and wear throughout the shower. (You can have them write their name on the diaper and use it as a name tag, if the guests don't all know each other.)How to make the diapers:

1. Cut a piece of white paper into a square.2. Fold the square in half diagonally to create a triangle. 3. Position the triangle so that the folded edge is away from you.4. Grab the bottom point of the triangle and fold it up so the tip is touching the middle of the

folded edge.5. Grab the other two points of the triangle and fold them in along the edge so the tips meet

and overlap just a bit. Voilà, a diaper!

Before you fasten the diapers closed with safety pins, put a brown mark in one of them with a felt tip pen. Don't let anyone know which diaper has the "surprise" in it!At the end of the shower, have the guests unfasten the diaper and open it up. The one with the "dirty diaper" gets a door prize.

Thank-You Card Door PrizeIf you know the mom-to-be will be writing thank-you notes after the shower, this game will help her out.Buy a box of thank-you cards. As guests arrive, ask them to address an envelope to themselves and place it in a bowl. At the end of the shower, draw one of the envelopes at random, and that person gets a door prize.After the party, give the blank cards and the addressed envelopes to the mother-to-be. She'll appreciate how easy this makes it for her to send her thank-you notes.

Paper Plate Door PrizeIf you'll be using paper plates to serve snacks or cake, put a little star or sticker on the bottom of one of them. While guests are eating – but before anyone has thrown away the plates – ask them to look underneath their plates to see who wins the door prize.

Baby shower games: Gift-opening games

There's often a mountain of gifts to open at a baby shower. What better way to keep the gift-opening process entertaining for everyone than to add a game to the mix?

Baby Gift BingoMake up a set of blank bingo cards (it's easy to find a printable version online). Pass them out to the guests before the gifts are opened, and have them fill in the squares with the kinds of gifts they think the parents-to-be will receive.Tell them it's important to be specific: They shouldn't just write "sleeper," for example, but "Elmo sleeper" or "light blue sleeper." Each square must have a different item in it.As each gift is opened, if a guest has that item in one of her squares, she puts an X over it. Whenever a guest ends up with a complete row of X's, she calls out "Baby Bingo!" and wins a small prize. This keeps all eyes on the parents-to-be as they opens gifts and is lots of fun.

That's What She SaidSecretly, while the mom-to-be is opening her gifts, have someone jot down a bunch of the things she says as she's exclaiming over the items (like "Oh, it's adorable!" "Green is such a great color!" "I'll definitely get a lot of use out of this!").After all the gifts have been opened, announce that it's a little-known fact that the things a pregnant woman says as she's opening baby gifts are the very same things she said when the baby was conceived. Then read back the quotes and enjoy the laughs. (If the father-to-be is there, he'll especially appreciate hearing "Look how tiny it is!")

The Gift of AdviceAs each guest arrives, ask her to write down her name and a small piece of parenting advice for the new mother. If a guest doesn't have kids, she can share something her own parents did that was helpful.Later, as the mom-to-be is opening each present, read aloud the advice offered by the person whose gift is being opened.

At the BuzzerDuring the gift-opening bonanza, set an egg timer to go off every ten minutes. When it rings, the person whose gift is being opened gets a little prize. (If it's a joint gift, all the givers could get prizes, or you could make them do rock-paper-scissors or compete in some other way to decide who wins.)

Pick a NumberBefore opening gifts, ask the mother-to-be to pick a number. (It should be between one and the total number of gifts she'll be opening.) If she picks nine, for example, whoever brought the ninth gift she opens will be the winner.

Guess Who Gave It?When a gift is handed to the guest of honor to open, don't announce who it's from. After she's opened it and holds up the item for everyone to see, ask the group to shout out guesses about who it came from. This is just for fun; there's no need to give prizes for correct answers.

Swift Gift OpeningIf the mother-to-be gets uncomfortable being the center of attention, this is a nice way to spare her the spotlight. Or if there are a ton of gifts to open, it's a good way to speed through them and get back to the socializing and snacking. (Not everyone will enjoy this approach to gift opening, though, so you may want to clear it with the mom-to-be ahead of time.)Pass out the gifts so each guest is holding one. At the guest of honor's command, everyone opens the gifts simultaneously. Then you can ask each guest to take a turn holding up the gift she opened and saying who it came from.Alternately, the expectant mom can walk around the room and be the one to hold up each gift. She may want to do this anyway so she can see every item up close and exclaim over it.

Baby shower games: Goofy and sillyIf the mom-to-be and her guests are down for a little silliness, these goofy games are a great way to break the ice -- or simply increase the baby shower's laughter quotient.

Play-Doh BabiesGive the guests some Play-Doh in a variety of colors. Set a timer for five minutes and have them sculpt a baby to the best (or worst!) of their ability. The mother-to-be can judge which one she likes best in different categories, like most realistic, most creative, most disturbing, and most silly.It's a great game to kick off the shower, since it gets people talking and laughing.

Delectably Dirty DiapersBuy a variety of chocolate bars (for example, Milky Way, Snickers, 100 Grand, Baby Ruth, 3 Musketeers).Right before the shower, melt each one down in the microwave and smear it into a disposable diaper. You'll be asking the guests to examine the diapers and figure out what types of candy bars they've been dirtied with. Be forewarned: Some guests will be pretty grossed out!Make sure you number the diapers and keep track of which bar is where. During the shower, set out the diapers for the guests to examine and smell. (If you want to make the guessing a little easier, you can also display the candy bar wrappers.)Have each guest write down a numbered list indicating which type of chocolate bar is in which diaper. The one with the most correct guesses wins.

Bobbing for NipplesInstead of apples, try bobbing for nipples. This tends to be a hit with the guys and is pretty hysterical to watch!Fill a large tub with water and drop in some baby bottle nipples. Have the willing participants take turns trying to grab one in their teeth. You can also time the game and see how many nipples each person can nab in a certain amount of time, then give a prize to the winner.

Sweet, Sweet BabyGive the guests a list of pregnancy- or parenting-related descriptions and ask them to match those descriptions to the most fitting candy name. Use the examples from the list below or come up with your own:Twins = M&MsTriplets = 3 MusketeersContractions = WhoppersEpidural = LifesaversHospital bill = PaydayBreastfeeding = Milky WayCollege costs = 100 GrandGirl's name = Baby RuthBoys' names = Mike & IkeMom's tummy after pregnancy = Jelly BelliesWhat you can't give your child enough of = Hugs & Kisses

My Water Broke!Get a pack of tiny plastic babies at a craft or party store. Freeze one into an ice cube for each guest. After the guests have arrived they all get a cup with the cube in it to keep an eye on during the party. You can either allow or prohibit "artificial induction methods" like holding the cup under a lamp, warming it with one's hands, or breathing on it.The first person whose ice has melted so that her baby floats freely in the glass shouts "My water broke!" and wins the game.

Baby FaceThis game is a little complicated to set up, but it's fun. Get full-face photographs of the mom- and dad-to-be and make enlarged color copies. Then cut out their main features (nose, eyes, ears, mouth, and so on). You'll also need a color copy of a generic baby face that's about the same size as the pictures of the parents (find one in a magazine and blow it up on a Xerox machine if it's too small, or just draw an outline of a baby face).Have the guests arrange the parents' features on the generic baby base so they can see what their offspring might look like. The results are usually pretty funny.

Baby shower games: Guessing gamesGuessing games are a staple at baby showers. Most people love the fun of guessing and the potential thrill of finding out they've guessed right, so these games are a great way to get all your guests involved.

Guess the Baby FoodBuy 12 jars of baby food in pairs of like colors – for example, a jar of green beans and a jar of peas, a jar of applesauce and a jar of pears, and a jar of carrots and a jar of squash.With a permanent marker, number the lids of the jars 1 through 12. Then remove the labels, marking the jar number on the back of the corresponding label. Hide the labels to use as an answer key.Have the guests examine the jars by sight only – no tasting or smelling! – and guess what each one is. They can write their answers down on a piece of paper. The person with the most correct answers wins. After the game is over, tape the labels back on the jars and give the baby food to the mom-to-be.Variation: Do a taste-test version of the game – you'll find out why babies make some of those funny faces during meals!

Baby Price Is RightFill a basket with a few inexpensive but necessary baby items and have everyone guess at the cost of the entire basket of goodies. (A great way to keep it difficult is to throw in things like infant's Tylenol, diaper rash cream, and other stuff that moms of older kids haven't had to buy in a while!)Whoever best estimates the retail value wins a small prize, and the parents-to-be get to take home the whole basket. This is a nice way to give a large, thoughtful gift without breaking your budget.

Guess the GirthIt's a good idea to check with the guest of honor in advance on this one since some women may find this game a bit too personal. But if she's not shy or worried about her weight, it's a great icebreaker and can be entertaining.All you need is a ball or two of string. Ask guests to cut a length of string that they think will stretch around the expectant mom's belly.After everyone has had a turn, the mother-to-be measures and cuts a string that actually fits her belly. Compare her string to the pieces of string from each guest. The person who is closest wins. It can be surprising how far off some people's estimates are!

Baby Picture MatchBefore the shower, ask the guests for pictures of themselves as babies. Assemble the photos on a board or post them on a wall and assign each a number.During the shower, pass out sheets of paper to the guests so they can write down which grown-up matches which baby picture. If the guests don't know each other well, name tags can help the process. The person who gets the most correct answers wins.

Baby Bag MysteryBefore the shower, get a bunch of brown paper bags and number them with a marker. Stick one baby item – like a pacifier, teething ring, or diaper – in each bag and staple the bag shut. As you go, write down an answer key that shows what item is in what number bag.Pass the bags around and let your guests guess which item is in each just by feeling it through the bag. Have everyone jot down their answers on a sheet of paper. At the end of the shower, read off the correct answers. Whoever gets the most right wins a prize, and the parents-to-be get the baby gear.

Guess How ManyFill a baby bottle with jelly beans. (Or put diapers – or whatever you like – in a large, clear container instead.) Make sure you count the items first! Have each guest guess how many they think are in the bottle or container. The person who comes closest wins a prize.

Nursery Rhyme LyricsChoose ten nursery rhymes or well-known children's songs, select a line from each, and write them on a piece of paper numbered from 1 to 10.Hand out copies of the list and give guests a few minutes to come up with the titles for as many of the rhymes or songs as they can. Include some that are easy and some that are more difficult to keep the game challenging.Variation: Play or sing the songs and have guests guess the title.

Baby shower games: Simple setup

If you're looking for baby shower games that are easy and cheap, there are plenty to choose from. Check out the list below for ideas that won't break your budget and require minimal prep work.

Inside the Diaper BagThis is one of those memory games in which you add on to the list until it becomes too long to remember.The first player starts by saying the name of something that would normally be found in a diaper bag (for example, "Inside the diaper bag is a burp cloth"). The second player lists that item and adds another ("Inside the diaper bag is a burp cloth and a baby wipe"), and the third player does the same ("Inside the diaper bag is a burp cloth, a baby wipe, and a rattle").This continues around the circle – when it's your turn, you have to list everything already mentioned, in the right order, and then add one more item. If you forget an item or list them out of order, you're out. The last person still in the game is the winner.

Baby CharadesSplit up the guests into two teams and have them compete in a game of charades. The game consists of one player pantomiming a word or phrase and her teammates trying to guess what it is.To make the game more festive, tell the guests that all the words being acted out must be related to pregnancy, babies, parenthood, or the parents-to-be.You can either instruct the teams to write down words for each other on slips of paper and have the person whose turn it is to pantomime draw one of the slips, or you can skip the step of writing things down and just have someone on the opposing team whisper a phrase to that person.

Baby TelephoneAsk one guest to think of a parenting tip and whisper it to the person sitting nearest to her. That person has to repeat the tip by whispering it into the next guest's ear, and so on around the room.The very last person who hears the tip should be the guest of honor. Once she hears it, she should announce it out loud to the room. Chances are it'll be thoroughly jumbled up – and worth a few laughs!

Forbidden "Baby"This easy game provides a source of entertainment throughout the whole shower. As the guests arrive, give each one a diaper pin or sticker – ideally something she can attach to her clothing. Let everyone know the word "baby" is off-limits.If you utter the word "baby" – whoops! – whoever catches you first gets to take your pin. Some people are so good at catching others' slipups (and refraining from saying the word themselves) that they get covered with pins over the course of the shower. When the festivities are over, whoever has the most pins wins!

Coaxing Out "Baby"The best part of this game is that the mom-to-be doesn't have a clue what's going on. (It'll be a little tricky to keep it from her, but you'll manage!) When each guest arrives, have her write down on a piece of paper her name and the number of times she thinks the mom-to-be will say "baby" during the shower.Whoever guesses closest without going over the final tally wins a prize. Things can get especially interesting as guests who've guessed a higher number try to coax the mom-to-be to talk about her baby, and guests who've guessed a lower number try to change the subject.It'll all make sense in the end when you reveal the game to the mom-to-be.Note: If you're going to play this game, it's best to skip the one above called "Forbidden Baby" – or you can play that game and skip this one. Playing both at the same shower can get confusing.

Dolly Hot PotatoAll you need is a baby doll (or any other baby-themed item) and a timer. Have the guests sit in a circle and pass the doll from one person to another. The timer should go off at sporadic intervals; when it does, whoever's holding the doll is out. The last person in the game wins a small prize.Variation: Whoever's caught holding the doll has to give one piece of advice to the mom-to-be or share a story about a tough or funny parenting moment. Guests without kids of their own can share an episode from their own childhood.

Baby shower games: Sweet and sentimental

If the mom-to-be is a sentimental type, she'll appreciate these baby shower games and activities. The games are specially customized with information about the parents-to-be, and some of the activities involve crafts that make adorable keepsakes.

Quiz: Then and NowThis is a great game for posterity. Ask the grandparents-to-be to tell you what the expecting mom and dad were like as babies. Have them include vital statistics such as date and time of birth, height, weight, age of first smile, and first word. It can be entertaining to ask for adorable quotes or embarrassing stories from the toddler years, too (not too embarrassing, though!).Based on that information, make up a quiz about the future parents to give your guests. You can have the guests play in pairs or teams if you like. Whoever answers the most questions correctly wins a prize.

Personalized Crossword PuzzleA few weeks before the shower, ask the mom-to-be a variety of questions about pregnancy, parenthood, and her relationship. (Warn her it's for a shower game – you don't want her to feel blindsided at the party.)Go online to find a crossword puzzle template and fill it in with the questions and answers. When you're done, you'll have a crossword puzzle that's perfect for the guests to attempt at the shower.Here are some questions you may want to ask:What's the theme of your nursery?What's been your biggest food craving during pregnancy?What's the baby's Zodiac sign going to be?In your third trimester, how many times a day have you had to pee, on average?How many kids do you think you want, total?Where did you and your partner meet?What restaurant have you been to together most?How long were you together before you conceived?

Daddy Knows BestBefore the shower, ask the dad-to-be a series of questions about babies and write them down. (Again, warn him it's for a shower game.)At the shower, explain to all the guests what you've done, and tell the mom-to-be she needs to guess how her partner answered each question. The other guests have to guess how many of his answers she'll predict correctly; whoever ends up closest wins a prize.After the mom-to-be guesses how the expectant dad answered a question, reveal his answer. You can have the guests take turns playing emcee, too.Here are some sample questions:How many diapers does a baby need each day?How many diapers do you plan to change each day?How many hours does a baby sleep each day?At what age does a baby start sleeping through the night?At what age does a child stop needing naps?

At what age does a baby start eating solid food?Do you think your baby will be born with a lot of hair?How many kids do you want to have?Who'll be the firm parent, and who'll be the pushover?

Baby's First Alphabet BookAhead of time, print each letter of the alphabet on an individual sheet of paper. Once your guests are seated, pass out one sheet of lettered paper to each person along with a supply of markers, crayons, colored pencils, and stickers.Ask each guest to decorate her page with things that relate to her letter – for example, whoever has letter "A" might draw pictures of apples, alligators, and ants. Your guests should also put their name on the page somewhere and can include a note to the soon-to-arrive baby if they like.After the shower, laminate the pages and bind them together, then give the collection to the guest of honor. It's her baby's first alphabet book! If you have more than 26 guests, you can also add pages with numbers or shapes, or you can have more than one person work on each page.

Birthday Card Time CapsulesPass out blank greeting cards along with consecutively numbered envelopes to each of your guests.Instruct each guest to write a birthday card to the baby-to-be for whatever age is listed on her envelope. For instance, the person who receives envelope number 13 will write a birthday message for the baby's thirteenth birthday and might say something about what a big milestone it is to become a teenager. The cards will make special gifts for the baby throughout the years.

Baby-to-be ScrapbookCreate a special, personalized scrapbook that the expectant mom can use to show off all her future baby photos. Buy a variety of scrapbook pages and accessories (special paper, photo corners, stickers, stamps, cutely shaped hole punches, and so on).Have the shower guests each design a page or two, and the mom-to-be will have a great memento of her shower – as well as a beautiful baby album she would never have had time to make on her own.

Guest GraffitiBuy a baby bodysuit or a hooded bath towel in white or another light color, plus nontoxic fabric paint or markers. As each guest arrives, ask her to sign her name on the outfit or towel. Encourage guests to write personal messages or draw little pictures. The mom-to-be will take the "graffiti"-covered item home for her new baby.

Toilet Paper TalkPass a roll of toilet paper around the room and ask each person to tear off as much or as little as she likes. Once everyone has her piece, announce that for every square of paper a guest has taken, she has to share one piece of baby advice, one parenting anecdote, or one wish for the mom-to-be.

Baby shower games: Thinking games

Get the wheels in everyone's brain turning with baby shower games that require concentration and memory. These are perfect for a crowd who are happier playing games while seated.

Baby Word ScrambleScramble 15 to 25 baby-related words or phrases and write them down on a piece of paper. For example: ipeard, llroestr, birc, oodlr, knbalte (diaper, stroller, crib, drool, blanket). Give the guests a few minutes to try their hand at unscrambling. The person who correctly unscrambles the most words wins.

Powers of ObservationHave the guest of honor leave the room. Give each guest a piece of paper and a pencil and say, "Now, pay attention to the mother-to-be."The expectant mom comes in carrying a tray filled with baby items (sippy cup, pacifier, diaper, and so on). She walks around with the tray, giving everyone a few moments to look, and then leaves the room.You then begin to ask questions of the guests – not about what was on the tray, but about the mother-to-be! For example: Is she wearing nail polish? Is she wearing open-toed shoes? What kind of earrings does she have on? What color is her dress?Everyone will flip when they realize they were paying attention to the tray instead of the expecting mom. She returns after everyone has written down their answers. It's fun for her to see how many guests noticed details about her!

Baby AnimalsGive everyone a list of animals and ask them to name the corresponding baby animal. Examples: bear (cub), cow (calf), cat (kitten), deer (fawn), duck (duckling), goat (kid). Be sure to include ones that are harder or more exotic, like kangaroo (joey). Set a time limit. When the time's up, the winner is the one who got the most correct.

TV Family Mix-upGive each guest a list of the titles of a few famous television shows that feature families – for example, Everybody Loves Raymond, Roseanne, Malcolm in the Middle, and The Simpsons. Also provide a list of the first names of the main characters in each family (Ray, Robert, Debra, Dan, Homer, Marge, Bart, Hal, Lois, and so on), and give the guests a few minutes to write down under each show title the characters from that show. Be sure to list some of the more obscure characters as well as the obvious ones. The person with the most correct answers is the winner.

Clothesline MemoryBefore guests arrive, hang a clothesline with small baby gifts on it: rattles, body suits, pacifiers, burp cloths, socks, bibs – anything you can think of. While the parents-to-be are opening gifts, take the clothesline down and ask guests to write down what was on it. Whoever remembers the most items gets a prize, and the expectant parents get all the gear.