What’s a hostess to do with her guests—especially if some have never met each other? Play a game, that’s what! Even if you are cringing at the mere thought of a boring shower game, you might want to give at least one of these a try. Shower games are a funny thing. Some people EXPECT games to be played, while at the same time, other guests might be hoping games are NOT played. Try one. Chances are, you’ll end up having lots of fun, and the guests will find themselves more relaxed and chatty, too! Here are a few suggestions, in no particular order. Game on!
What’s in Your Purse???
Before the shower
Make a list of objects that one is apt to find in a woman’s purse. The list can include the mundane (Kleenex, driver’s license, lip gloss) and progress to more unusual items (red pen, pacifier, cookie). This game has only one requirement: that every guest brings her purse to the shower. Assuming that this has occurred, one of the hostesses or the maid of honor can call out items from the list, a few every 15 or 20 minutes, and small prizes can be awarded for the first woman able to produce each called-out item from her purse.
Small Prize Suggestions: small box of chocolates, purse-size lotion, scented shower soaps and gels, pen and paper set, brocade change purse, votive candle and holder, coffee mug or tea cup with coffee/tea, kitchen tea towel, bud vase.
Famous Couples
Before the shower, think of famous couples. Think Sonny and Cher, Adam and Eve, Romeo and Juliet. Take a stack of note cards, and write one name on each note card (or sticky note). As guests arrive, put one card on each person’s back, so they can’t see it. Guests need to mingle and visit with one another and try to “find their match” as well as determine their own identities by asking Yes/No questions of each other. (“Am I a movie star?” “Am I fictional?” “Am I a sports figure?”) Prizes can be awarded to the first guests to couple up and find their mate! This obviously works well at a couple’s shower, and is also a good ice breaker for showers where everyone in attendance might not know each other.
Gown by Charmin
This is a great game and gets everyone involved and laughing! Divide guests into small groups of 3-5 people each. Give each group 3 rolls of toilet paper and 10 paper clips. Groups have five (or ten, if you prefer) minutes to design the ultimate wedding gown! Provide an inexpensive disposable camera for each group to document the madness. Two fun parts to this game: someone from each team has to be the mannequin/model for the toilet paper dress, and the judge is none other than the bride herself!
Pin-Grab
An easy game to play and it’s much harder than it seems! Fill a large glass bowl halfway with rice. Add 40-50 small (closed) safety pins to the rice–the little gold/brass looking ones work well. Mix the pins in with the rice and have guests step up to the bowl, one at a time, and grab as many pins as they can in 30 seconds. Blindfolded! Keep a score card or tally sheet and award prizes to the top finishers.
Advice For the Newlyweds
This isn’t really a game, but a thoughtful thing to do for the bride. As guests arrive, give each person a blank note card. Choose nice ones, on good card stock—these are for the bride to keep. Ask each guest to pen their favorite piece of advice for the new couple. The bride will get to keep her advice cards as a shower keepsake! The hostess might even want to purchase a small photo album with plastic sleeves so the bride has someplace to insert her advice cards and refer to them often!
Great Food For the Newlyweds
Along the same vein, enclose a blank note card or recipe cards in each guest’s invitation. Ask guests to record their favorite recipe for the new couple to try, and then bring their recipe cards to the shower. Present the bride with a filled recipe book as one of her shower gifts! She’ll be grateful for the ideas and enjoy making recipes given to her by family and friends.
BINGO for the Bride
At the beginning of the shower, pass out blank bingo cards that you can download here, or make your own ahead of time. Ask guests to write in each square, the names of gifts they think the bride will be opening during the shower: candles, coffee pot, serving bowl, etc. As gifts are opened, guests mark them off their cards and the first person with five in a row wins! Prizes can be awarded for the first three finishers. See above for prize suggestions.
There you have it—some suggestions for simple yet FUN games to get the party started and get everyone in the spirit. So go ahead and get your head in the game and try one at your next shower!
Leave a Reply