Inclusive Baby Shower Games for Adoptive Families
An adoption baby shower is a chance to welcome a family and show practical support. The most thoughtful plan starts with the parents’ preferences: the timing, the words they use for their family, whether the child will attend, and which details should remain private. You do not need adoption trivia or personal questions to make the celebration meaningful.
The eight games below use familiar baby-shower formats with neutral prompts and easy opt-outs. They work for a small gathering or a larger mixed group, and none asks guests to guess anything about a child’s history, birth family, heritage or care journey.
Before choosing the games
- Ask the parents first. Check their preferred wording, the child’s name or initials, and whether any family details should stay off invitations and game sheets.
- Keep sharing optional. Guests should be able to join without telling a personal story or explaining their own family.
- Use general baby prompts. Nursery rhymes, everyday baby items, animals and supportive messages are safer than questions about the adoption process.
- Choose two to four activities. A short quiz, one table game and a keepsake activity usually create a relaxed 45-minute games section.
1. Family wishes cards
You need: one card and pen per guest. Time: 10 minutes.
Give guests simple prompts such as “I hope your family enjoys…”, “A tradition worth starting is…” and “When you need encouragement, remember…”. Guests may sign their message or leave it anonymous. Collect the cards in an envelope or memory box for the parents.
2. Nursery-rhyme picture quiz
You need: a sheet of picture clues and an answer sheet. Time: 8 minutes.
Use emojis or simple drawings to represent well-known nursery rhymes. Guests work alone or in teams to name each rhyme. Award one point per correct title and use a tie-breaker such as naming the next line without singing it aloud.
3. Baby-item price quiz
You need: six to ten everyday baby items and current prices. Time: 8 minutes.
Show each item and ask teams to estimate its price. Give one point to the closest answer for each item. Use practical products rather than anything linked to the child’s age, needs or placement. The items can become a useful gift for the family if the parents have approved them.
4. Match the baby animal
You need: a list of adult animals and baby-animal names. Time: 6 minutes.
Guests match animals to names such as calf, joey, kit and chick. Keep the list light and familiar, then score one point per correct pair. This is a good seated icebreaker because it requires no personal knowledge.
5. Baby-name alphabet race
You need: paper with A to Z printed down the side. Time: 5 minutes.
Teams write one general first name for as many letters as possible. Do not ask guests to suggest or guess the child’s name. If the family has shared a name, use it only after the parents confirm they are comfortable seeing it in the game.
6. New-parent charades
You need: prompt cards. Time: 8 minutes.
Use everyday prompts such as folding a pram, warming a bottle, reading a bedtime story or packing a changing bag. A player acts while their team guesses. Offer a seated drawing version so every guest can take an equal role.
7. Parent-approved welcome bingo
You need: bingo cards with neutral celebration words. Time: 10 minutes.
Fill the cards with words such as family, bedtime, story, cuddle, pram, teddy, nursery and welcome. Call the words from a bowl until someone completes a line. Avoid adoption terminology unless the parents have chosen it and approved the complete card.
8. Memory-book messages
You need: a notebook or a set of message cards. Time: open throughout the shower.
Invite guests to add a short welcome, a favourite children’s book, a rainy-day activity or a practical offer of help. Make every prompt forward-looking and let guests skip any section. A baby memory book can keep the messages together with future family milestones.
Questions and games to avoid
Leave out prompts about why a child was adopted, their birth family, previous carers, legal arrangements, contact plans, health, ethnicity or expected appearance. That information belongs to the child and family. Adoption UK advises friends and relatives to speak with the parents when unsure and to respect the child’s story as private. Its guidance on supporting a family with a new placement is a useful starting point.
A relaxed 45-minute running order
- Match the baby animal — 6 minutes
- Nursery-rhyme picture quiz — 8 minutes
- Baby-item price quiz — 8 minutes
- Welcome bingo — 10 minutes
- Family wishes cards — 10 minutes
- Allow 3 minutes to score and give one small prize
For ready-made cards and quizzes, browse our baby shower games collection. Choose neutral designs and check every prompt with the parents before printing.
