Baby shower gift bingo

Baby shower gift bingo tips

• Ask the parent-to-be or whoever reads the tags to hold each gift up and name it in the card's words: "swaddle blanket," not "this cute thing from Aunt Linda." Guests at the back can't see much from across the room, and a clear name settles whether a sleep sack counts as a swaddle.
• Decide before the first box how gift sets count. A bath basket with baby lotion, a hooded towel and a hairbrush can mark all three squares, or just one. Letting a bundle mark several squares speeds up a small shower where only a dozen gifts get opened.
• Put a friend next to the gift table with a notepad. They write down each gift and who gave it, which confirms a bingo in seconds and leaves the parents a ready-made list for thank-you notes. It also spares the parent-to-be from trying to remember every present a week later.
• Keep the prize in the spirit of the day: a candle, a small plant or a box of good chocolates for the first line. Add a second prize for the guest whose own gift completed the winning line; it gets a laugh and rewards the giver too.

Best for

Ages

Adults and teens, typically 16 and up, with children welcome if they help call out or mark squares

Group size

6 to 30 guests, playing one card each

Duration

15 to 25 minutes during gift opening