Cheap Baby Shower Party Games

I am a busy mom of four who is addicted to tennis and loves to write. I love sharing ideas on how to throw amazing parties.

Finding Out With Friends and Family

Not many of us were alive during the time when the word "pregnant" could not be uttered on TV. The entire pregnancy journey has gone from a very private season of life to a public and celebratory one. Couples used to have to wait for birth to find out the gender of their bundle of joy. In the '90s, when I had my kids, we were elated to see the little one's image on the ultrasound screen and determine if we should buy pink or blue clothes.

Today, all of that excitement has taken a giant leap forward. Kind of like how we used to get a prom date by asking contrasted to today's elaborate promposals! Gender reveal parties are an example of how we have taken the surprise of finding out the sex of our babies to a whole new level.

These parties are nothing more than a reason to formally announce the sex of your unborn child. In this era of social media, I am glad to see people are actually getting together rather than just announcing the gender via Facebook.

It's what's trending. While this gender reveal movement seems to have been around since 2011, it appears to be picking up steam. Bakeries such as Sprinkles, which has locations throughout the US, has a baby reveal section under their party page.

As I began my research, I was saddened that most blogs and videos center on only the decorations and the big reveal moment. What do you do during the party? Also, couldn't this also be wrapped up into a baby shower? Most of us are busy and have limited resources and can't throw two parties. Below, I'll give you some ideas for doing it by itself as well as incorporating it into a baby shower.

How to Pull it Off

• If YOU want to be surprised. When you go to your 20-week ultrasound appointment, get the doctor or technician to write boy or girl and place it into a sealed envelope. You can then hand that sealed envelope to a trusted friend or give it straight to your baker.

• If you want OTHERS to be surprised. Good luck keeping that a secret for long. If you're like me, it's hard to keep good news in! Focus instead on the surprised looks on your friends' and family's faces when you share the good news.

There's no set way to reveal the gender. Make it your own. Be original!

Solely a Reveal Party or Combination Baby Shower

In my experience, getting a large group of people together can be a daunting task, especially when you're already tired from pregnancy. So if you choose to have a solely gender reveal party, keep your expectations low for the guest count. People will often pick and choose which party to attend. With that in mind, they might attend one party and not the other, either the reveal party OR the baby shower. I'd rather them go to the baby shower since that is when gifts are expected!

• Reveal party: Ideas for reveal parties are all over the map, from the traditional pink and blue theme to bumble bee themed. Specific theme ideas are in the next section. This party can be over dinner or just dessert.
• Combination baby shower: Nobody wants to put their newborn in gender-neutral clothes. To get away from that you can do several things. Ask guests to bring you practical things like strollers, highchairs, toys, diapers, wipes, baby shampoo, etc., sort of a stock the closet type of thing. Another idea is to give gift cards. Still another idea is that everyone at the party, except the expectant mother, knows the sex of the baby. The gender gets revealed when she opens the gifts!

Themes and Decorations and Food

• Pink and blue, boy versus girl, these are obvious choices for a great theme.
• I've also seen some bumblebees "What Could It Bee?"
• Then there's the play on words "beau vs. bow"
• Give it a Twilight twist with team pink or team blue
• Mustache or lips
• Bro vs. 'ho (for an edgier party) or simply use the 'ho word but spell it "hoe"
• Sister vs. mister
• He or she. This one was emphasized by highlighting these letters on a Hershey's chocolate bar.
• Sugar and spice and everything nice; snakes and snails and puppy dog tails

Food: From a sit-down dinner to light snacks and appetizers to just dessert, there's no wrong way to go. Many people seem to want their big reveal to be found within the dessert. A big favorite is to make the inside of either a cake or cupcake the traditional pink or blue.

Want to make cupcakes yourself? There's a cupcake how-to at this link from Quick Dish by Tablespoon website.

Party Idea Scrapbook

Cast your vote before the reveal!

Games Make it FUN!

For me, a party is more than the food, it's the entertainment! Sure it's nice to sit and talk to people—this is YOUR MOMENT. Let the focus be on you and your unborn child! That is why I feel games are essential to keep the focus where it needs to be.

• Team pink or team blue: When guests arrive, have them choose what they think it is and make them commit to it publicly by wearing something that represents the boy or girl vote. This could be a colored ribbon, a mustache or hair bow, a B or G, etc. If you run with a wild bunch, you could even take small bets (a quarter to a dollar) just to make it more interesting.
• Baby Pictionary: Instead of focusing your words on just generic baby things like diapers and pacifiers, focus on gender-specific things like baseball and Barbies. If you already know the gender of the baby, this is a fun time to mess with your friends and throw them off the scent by making them think it is a boy when it's really a girl!
• Baby names: I am always amazed at the top 10 most popular boys and girls names, especially this year. There's this website called Family Education that has the top 100 boys and girls names for 2013. Ask guests to come up with the top 10 boys/girls names for 2013. Or, ask them to rank them.

Celebrity babies are known to have some of the most unusual names. On this link, you could compile a list of celebrities and have guests try to come up with the child's name or do some sort of matching or multiple choice. Most people know Gwyneth Paltrow has a child named Apple. But did they also know she has a son named Moses? This site is not going to have every celebrity you're looking for, but it is a start.

Just for kicks, try the one that picks a Disney character. The Today Show has some great advice too.

The Big Reveal

This should definitely be the highlight of the party so make sure to do it about halfway through the allotted time.

Read More From Holidappy

Ways to do it:

• With the opening of the gifts (if you are combining this with a baby shower)
• A box filled with balloons
• Colored cake or cupcakes that are tinted in the inside
• A big envelope with the gender inside
• Mexican confetti eggs called Cascarones. Cut slits into each and put the gender inside each egg.

© 2013 Cynthia Lyerly

Stephanie Browning on January 31, 2018:

I'm including the new big brother. 3 yrs old He's going to hand out envelopes to every one and the person that has the "right" one makes the announcement! Thanks for the game ideas though. I was getting stuck on that part. Congrats to all

Cynthia Lyerly (author) from Georgia on January 31, 2016:

Thanks for the comment and thanks for reading!

birthday quotes on January 31, 2016:

excellent,the best birthday quotes .

Cynthia Lyerly (author) from Georgia on October 09, 2015:

Ashley, I found an Etsy url where you can purchase party poppers. The one I have pictured does not have a place with instructions or where to purchase. Sorry. Here's the url: https://www.etsy.com/listing/181325354/baby-gender...

Cynthia Lyerly (author) from Georgia on October 08, 2015:

I thought I put a link to it on the blog. I'll look and get back to you.

Ashley on October 05, 2015:

Where do I find those party poppers filled with the specific color for the gender?

Cynthia Lyerly (author) from Georgia on January 27, 2015:

What a festive way to surprise your family! Congratulations!!

cyrus on January 25, 2015:

Im excited! Im going to be opening up a box filled with ballons

Cynthia Lyerly (author) from Georgia on February 19, 2014:

So glad you liked the ideas. Love to hear which ones you tried.

Tolovaj on February 19, 2014:

What a lovely idea! Every occasion calls for party, right? Thanks for all the tips!

Cynthia Lyerly (author) from Georgia on July 31, 2013:

Just found another way to announce your baby's arrival...Cascarones! They're colorful, confetti-filled eggs that are said to bring good luck when you crack them over your head. Good luck or not, they're festive! Simply put a slit in each one and put a slip a paper with the gender of the baby inside. It's easy and calorie free!

Cynthia Lyerly (author) from Georgia on June 30, 2013:

Do they throw these types of parties in India?

Firoz from India on June 30, 2013:

Great article. Voted up.

Cheap Baby Shower Party Games

Source: https://holidappy.com/party-planning/Throwing-a-Gender-Reveal-Party-Themes-Games-Decor-and-More

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