Baby showers can be a blast thanks to fun baby shower games. Most of the following games are inexpensive and easy to set up. Implement them at your baby shower and watch as guests have a terrific time!

Guess the birth time

Freeze a small, plastic baby in an ice cube tray. Also place a string in the water before you freeze the ice cube tray. Use the string to hang the baby up over the kitchen sink. When guests arrive, have them write down the time that they think the baby will be “born” (that is, the time that the baby falls out of the ice). Whoever guesses closest to the actual time wins. It might be wise to do a practice run of this game before your actual shower so you have an idea of how long the baby will take to thaw.

Pass the Pacifier

For this game, you need plastic straws and two pacifiers. Divide party guests into two evenly-numbered teams that line up in a row. Everyone puts a straw in their mouth. When you say “go”, the first person on each team must pick the pacifier up with their straw by putting the straw through the handle of the pacifier. They then pass the pacifier to the next person on their team by sliding it down their straw. At no time may anyone use their hands to move the pacifier down the row. Give the winning team a prize.

Guess the Baby

Ask all guests in advance to bring a baby picture with them. Discretely arrange these baby pictures with a number next to each picture. Ask all guests to write down which attendee goes with which baby picture. Most number of correct guesses wins a prize. This game is usually a party favorite and can also be played with pictures of baby celebrities.

Match the Baby Socks

Ask each guest to bring a unique pair of baby socks. Take all the pairs and scramble them up on the middle of the floor. Guests take turns being timed on how long it takes them to match up each pair of socks. The winner receives a prize and the baby gets the socks.

Pregnant Waddler Game

This game gives everyone the chance to mimic what it’s like to be pregnant. Each participant blows up a balloon large enough resemble a pregnant woman and places it under their shirt. After being divided into two or three separate teams, players race by “waddling” from one table to another. They waddle by placing their hand on their lower back. In their other hand, they hold a spoon that is balancing an egg they picked up from the first table. They must drop the egg off on the second table and waddle back before the next person on the team takes over the relay race. If anyone drops their egg, they must go back and get a new one.

Winner Takes All

Have everyone place as much spare change as they can in a jar. The jar is then passed around for participants to guess how much money they think is in the jar. Tell everyone that the game is winner takes all. Whoever guesses closest to the exact amount is then given a container of “All” laundry detergent. The baby gets to keep the money. This one is sure to create some laughs.

As a new mom, you’ll be lucky if you have time to sleep at all – spending an hour on dinner the way you did before you got pregnant is probably out of the question until your baby is old enough to spend time alone. Plus, the first few weeks after you’re home from the hospital, you’ll want to spend your time resting and bonding with this new member of your family – not slaving over a hot stove! That’s why it’s a great idea to find a few recipes that you like that freeze well. With a few hours in the kitchen before your due date, you can prepare family size portions of your favorite meals that just need to be heated up after the baby arrives.

The following are a few stand-by recipes that freeze well and can be stored in various portions, depending on the size of your family:

McCormicks Chili Packets

You’ve probably seen McCormick Seasoning Packets in the cooking supply aisles of your local grocery store – if not, check them out, as the chili mixes are surprisingly good. In most cases, all you’ll need is a pound of meat (typically ground beef or ground turkey), a can of kidney beans, and a can of tomato paste – just check the back of the packet to find out what you need to purchase. Brown the meat in a separate pan, then combine the ingredients in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and then allow it to simmer for as long as possible to allow the flavors to mix together. Add chili powder, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to increase the spice to taste. Allow the mixture to cool and then freeze it in single-serving containers or larger Tupperware tubs.

Basic Lasagna

Lasagna may look complicated, but it’s actually surprisingly easy to make. Typically, you’ll need a box of lasagna noodles, a jar of spaghetti sauce, a tub of ricotta cheese and at least a cup of shredded mozzarella (although you may want to spice up the sauce or add herbs to the ricotta, depending on your preferences). Cook the lasagna noodles ahead of time until they’re al dente, and then remove from heat and drain. In a 13×9 pan, begin with a layer of sauce, and then add a layer of noodles and a spread of ricotta cheese on top. Repeat until you fill the dish or run out of ingredients, ending with a layer of sauce. Spread the dish with the shredded mozzarella and then cover it with tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees for at least 45 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Allow the lasagna to sit and cool for an hour, then cut it and freeze it in the desired portions.

Winter Pasties

Pasties are a common treat in the northern parts of the country, but they’re also a great choice for preparing ahead of time. A pasty is a meat and vegetable pie, typically comprised of ground or chunked beef, carrots, potatoes, onions and parsnips in a bread dough shell. A healthier variation can be made with seasoned ground turkey, or with additional vegetables of your choice. To begin, prepare a batch of bread dough and shape the dough into 4” round diameter balls. Cook your filling mix by browning the meat and roasting any vegetables you’ll be including. Allow the filling to cool, then press the bread dough into oval shapes, approximately ¼” thick. Place the filling in the middle of the dough and wrap the dough over the filling, pressing it closed with the tines of a fork. Brush the top of the pasty with butter or egg yolk and then bake until the dough is no cooked through. Freeze them completely cooked, then heat them up in the oven or microwave when you’re ready to eat.