How Do You Play the Don’t Say “Baby” Game?

There’s a lot that goes into planning a great baby shower: choosing the perfect theme, providing delicious food, ordering adorable invitations, and, of course, playing games! Everyone knows that an essential part of a baby shower is the fun selection of games. WebBabyShower has helped over 10,000 families throw memorable virtual baby showers, so we know all about what games guests love playing.

One of our absolute favorites is the Don’t Say “Baby” game.” It’s pretty self-explanatory — the challenge is to make it through the entire shower without saying the word “baby.” It might seem easy, but you’d be surprised at just how hard it is not to say “baby” while at a baby shower! Here is a quick overview of how to play — and win — this fun party game. 

• Before the shower, buy safety pins for all of your guests — enough so every person has at least one pin when they arrive. 
• Each guest takes one pin and pins it to  their clothes. 
• Anytime someone hears a guest say the word “baby,” that person’s pin can be stolen.
• The person with the most pins at the end of the baby shower wins!

How to Win the Don’t Say “Baby” Game

Now that you know how to play this baby shower game, let’s get down to why you’re really here: You want to make sure you’re the guest with the most pins. (It’s cool; we’re competitive, too.) We all want to have a good time while at a baby shower, but let’s be honest… winning is pretty fun, too! Here are some tips on how to win the Don’t Say “Baby” game. 

Be Mindful When Talking to Others

• While you only have to concentrate on not saying “baby” for a short time, don’t get complacent! Be mindful when talking to other guests. They’re trying to win, too, and might have a few tricks up their sleeves to get you to say the word “baby.” (We have one of our own at the end of this section!) Stay strong — you can do it!

Keep the Conversation Going 

• Be clever when talking to guests — keep the conversation going without saying the word “baby” yourself. Ask the person you’re talking to about their favorite movies, songs, TV shows, etc. If you want to get really tricky, ask if they can identify a song you’ve had stuck in your head and hum a few bars for them… and make sure that song has the word “baby” in it. 
• Engage people in conversation about how excited you are about the baby. Gush over tiny clothes, nursery décor, and all the other precious things that come with a newborn. If you play your cards right, your fellow guests will say the word “baby” before they know what’s happening!

But Don’t Talk Too Much

• If you really want to win, sometimes less is more, especially if you don’t trust yourself not to slip up. When a guest engages you in conversation, keep your answers short and simple. Smile and nod, sip your drink, and do plenty of mingling. Don’t stick with one person for too long; you might get comfortable, let your guard down and slip up.
• You also don’t want to come across as someone who can’t stop talking! If you’re too obvious about your mission to make other guests say “baby,” you might give yourself away and spoil the fun.

Place Your Pin Strategically

• We aren’t saying hide your safety pin, but we also aren’t saying you have to pin it front and center on your shirt. Choose a strategic location that isn’t easily noticeable, like at the bottom of your shirt — there’s a small chance the person you’re talking to will either forget about your pin or think that it was already stolen. Out of sight, out of mind.

Don’t Say “Baby” Game Variations

Sometimes it feels like you’re attending a baby shower every week. If you have a guest list that consists of seasoned baby shower veterans, they may have played this particular iteration of the game many times before. That’s okay — you can mix things up by changing this well-known baby shower game a little! 

Instead of the word “baby,” use other baby shower-related words like:

• “Mom”
• “Mommy”
• “Diaper”
• “Bottle”

Mixing the game up a little bit may help throw off guests who have played this game a time or two already. For an extra challenge, think outside the box and make the off-limits word the baby’s name! People love to gush about the new baby and can hardly resist calling them by their name. Just be sure the parents-to-be want to share the name ahead of the birth.

How to Play Don’t Say “Baby” Game

Don’t Say “Baby” is simple to play, requiring very little prep. It’s also surprisingly challenging, making it an exciting way to entertain your guests throughout the baby shower. To play, follow these steps: 

• Buy enough safety pins so everyone at your baby shower has at least one
• Give each guest a pin when they arrive, and ask them to stick it in a visible location on their clothes 
• Instruct your guests not to say “baby” 
• If anyone hears another guest say “baby,” they can steal their pin
• Whoever ends up with the most pins wins the game

Don’t Say “Baby” Game for Virtual Baby Shower

Virtual baby showers are a popular option. They allow far-flung friends and family members to celebrate and join the fun, and they can be more cost-effective for the host. 

One of the best parts about the Don’t Say “Baby” game is that virtual baby shower guests can easily join the fun! Here is how to adapt the game for your virtual participants: 

• Instead of pins, remote guests get points. (This helps cut down on expenses since you don’t have to buy pins!)
• Everyone has a list of every guest’s name — this also helps everyone get to know each other.
• Instead of stealing a pin, when a guest says the word “baby,” whoever hears the word puts a tally mark next to that person’s name. 
• In this virtual game, the guest with the fewest tallies next to their name at the end of the shower wins!

Tip: This game doesn’t have to be limited to baby showers. This idea is great for kids’ parties, virtual learning, and so much more.

How to Get Someone to Say Baby

There are several strategies you can use to get your guests to say the “b” word (by that, we mean baby, of course). These clever tricks will make your guests give up their pins in no time! Some of the best techniques are:

1. Point at a baby and say, “what is this?”
2. Play Justin Beiber’s song, Baby, and see who sings along 
3. Ask, “what does B-A-B-Y spell?” 
4. Hand out printouts of “Rock-A-Bye-Baby” and ask others to read it aloud 
5. Ask, “what’s that famous Britney Spears song?” to try to get someone to say “Baby One More Time”
6. Ask, “what kind of shower is this?” to get someone to say “baby shower” 
7. Ask, “who is this for?” while pointing to the crib 
8. Play the song “Baby Shark” and encourage others to sing along
9. Play charades and pretend to cradle a baby in your arms
10. Ask, “what’s another word for an infant?”
11. Play “finish the phrase” using “hasta la vista ____”

Don’t Say “Baby” Game Printable Download

If you aren’t sure where to get started when planning your version of Don’t Say “Baby,” we made a FREE printable download to get you going and help make your Don’t Say “Baby” game a smashing success whether you play it in-person or remotely.

Don’t Say “Baby” Game Alternatives

While we love this game and are confident most of your baby shower guests will too, it might not be for everyone. For example, this game might not work well if you have guests who are deaf or hard of hearing. In case some of your guests aren’t excited about playing this game — or if you have a guest who can’t participate — here are some great Don’t Say “Baby” alternatives to have ready as a backup plan. 

9 Fantastic Baby Shower Trivia Quiz Games That Your Guests Will Love!

If Jeopardy! is your jam, check out our comprehensive list of ideas for baby shower trivia quiz games that your guests will love. From games about baby animals to trivia about famous mothers, we’ve got a little something for everyone. And for a truly challenging game with loads of variety, take a little inspiration from each of our suggestions and create your own unique baby shower trivia quiz game! I’ll take Best Baby Shower Ever for $800, Alex.

Name That Tune 

How many notes will it take for your baby shower guests to name that tune? This is a fantastic, fun game that is easy to play whether your guests are there physically or virtually — it’s Name That Tune! All it takes is some playlist-building ahead of time and a free downloadable template. We’ve got the full rules, tips, and printable for you here. 

Baby Shower Scattergories

For a fun spin on a family game night classic, try playing Baby Shower Scattergories. In the game Scattergories, guests are given a letter and must name as many things within a