There is nothing that says “party” more than the colorful balloons that are used to decorate any party area. But there's more the balloons can do more than just be festive. They can actually take a more active part in being the base of baby shower games.
Why not let the balloon stand in for the baby? This is a great game for the daddies at a baby shower but mothers can play this game, too. Why not have a race-off between the parents at a couples' shower? Use a cloth diaper and pins for this. Have all the participants put a diaper on a balloon. The one who finishes first without getting his balloon popped wins this game.
Balloons can hold surprises in them, too. This game can be played throughout the baby shower or can be saved as the last hurrah at the end. Just make sure that you have enough balloons to fit each of the guests at the party. You don't need to save them just for the game, but you can incorporate them into the decorations if you wish.
Print out sayings about babies on slips of paper – one for each balloon. Reserve one piece of paper and print “Winner!” onto it. Inflate all the balloons and as you do so, put a piece of paper into each one.
You could either have groups of people pop some of the balloons during the baby shower and read out what they get, or have everyone get a balloon before the shower ends and have everybody pop them all at the same time. The one that gets the balloon that says “Winner!” will get a special prize.
Who can get their bellies biggest? Inflated balloons can also be used for this fun game. Have a pile of balloons ready for the participants. At a given signal, each one has to put as many balloons as they can underneath their shirt. If somebody pops a balloon, they must be disqualified.
If there are still a lot of participants left after two minutes, have them run an obstacle course to determine the winner. Anyone who gets a balloon popped will definitely be out of the game.
When you're holding your baby shower outdoors, you'll want to incorporate a few active games into the mix. Why not play “Don't Drop the Baby?” Divide your guests into pairs and give each pair a water balloon. Have them toss the balloons to each other, taking a step back after every successful catch. If the balloon bursts, then they are disqualified. The pair left is the winner.
Balloons can be the object of a drawing contest as well. Give each
guest a balloon and a marker. At a signal, each one has thirty seconds
to draw a picture of a baby on the balloon. Then comes judging time!
The guests blow up their balloons so their pictures can be seen
and the mommy-to-be will be the final judge of which drawing is
best. The balloons can then be used as extra decorations around
the party area.