|
Four Surefire Activities For Your Next Baby Shower
By Tice Swackhamer
Creator of Baby Draw, The Baby Shower Game You’ll Love to Play!
www.babydraw.com
Ever notice what happens the minute you mention the word “game” at a shower? A number of people groan and before you know it the room is empty. The trouble is that many of your guests have played the same games before. Let’s face it, you can only ask adults to taste baby food or measure an expectant mom’s belly so many times.
But because such a diverse group of people is often invited to a shower, an activity can play an important part in helping people get to know each other. The key is to include activities that bring people together and to introduce something new and innovative that they haven’t done at a recent shower.
Naturally, my personal favorite is Baby Draw, a picture-charades game for baby showers. The game is played in teams, fast-paced, hysterical and fun for both men and women. One person once commented, “It’s the kind of game that makes you wish you had more pregnant friends.” Baby Draw is original, but familiar enough to be quick and easy to learn.
A craft activity can be a real hit, especially if the mother-to-be has a project in mind. This might include quilting, crocheting or even decorating the baby’s room. www.wallnutz.com Wallnutz makes paint-by-number mural kits for kids’ rooms that can be done as a fun group activity. These showers are not only enjoyable but also make lasting keepsakes.
Put a twist on a few old favorites and let your creativity shine:
· Instead of asking guests to bring a photo of themselves as a baby for the “matching” game, have them bring a few photos of themselves with the mother-to-be. They can be from any time in her life, but they should be somewhat special or have a story behind them. Then, as a group, put together a memory album, add captions, decorate the album and add comments about today’s event. Have a Polaroid or digital camera handy at the party to record instant memories to the album.
· The “memory” game is another one that can be played with an original twist. Baby Cakes are unique gift baskets for moms shaped in 1, 2, 3 and 4 tiered “cakes.” Packed with diapers and other essentials, this makes a very impressive and practical gift that doubles as an activity. Just remove the contents for everyone to see, return the items to the cake and then ask your guests to write down what they remember seeing. It’s double the fun to play this game in teams.
A lot of hostesses stress over baby showers, particularly about how they’re going to get everyone to mingle. Games and activities are great icebreakers, as long as they’re not adaptations of the same games people played at their bridal showers! Keep your audience in mind and ask yourself -- isn’t it time for something new?
Tice Swackhamer is a San Francisco Bay Area freelance writer, editor and Web producer.
©2001 Tice Swackhamer. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
|
