Baby Shower Bingo Prizes: 30 Ideas Guests Actually Want
Ask anyone who's been to a lot of showers what happened to their last bingo prize. Most of the time the answer is "it's in a drawer somewhere": a baby-themed candle, a tiny frame shaped like a rattle, a keychain that says "it's a girl!".
The best prizes are the opposite of baby-themed. The guest winning it isn't having the baby. She's a friend, a coworker or an aunt, and she wants something she'll use this week. That's the whole idea behind this list.
You'll also find how many prizes to buy (it's more than you think, because of ties) and a simple way to make a small budget look generous.
How many prizes do you need?
One per round, plus extras for ties. Here's a plan that works for most showers:
| Round | Win condition | Prizes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One line (row, column or diagonal) | 1, plus 1 spare for a tie |
| 2 | Two lines or the four corners | 1, plus 1 spare |
| 3 | Blackout (every square marked) | 1 bigger prize |
That's 3 rounds, 5 prizes. If you have more than 40 guests, add a fourth round or a spare per round, because more cards means more chance of two people winning on the same call.
Fewer ties start with the cards. When every card has a different mix of words and the list is long enough, two guests rarely win at once. Our word list guide shows how many words you need for your guest count.
Budget math: 5 prizes × $8 = $40. You can do the whole game for less than one registry gift.
Fewer ties, happier winners
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Under $5 (great for spares and ties)
- Fancy chocolate bar
- Lip balm in a nice flavor
- Mini hand cream
- Sheet face mask
- A single macaron box or cookie from a local bakery
- Seed packets with a cute tag
- Single-serve hot cocoa or a box of fancy tea
- Nail polish in a seasonal color
- Cute sticky notes or a mini notebook
- Scratch-off lottery ticket (adults-only crowds)
Target's dollar section, Trader Joe's and the checkout aisle at HomeGoods are gold mines for this tier.
$5 to $10 (the sweet spot)
- Small scented candle
- Mini succulent or herb in a pot
- A grocery-store bouquet wrapped in kraft paper
- $5 or $10 coffee shop gift card
- Bath bomb trio
- Reusable straw or utensil set
- Small jar of local honey or jam
- Fuzzy socks
- Insulated tumbler from the dollar section of a big-box store
- Movie theater snack voucher
$10 to $20 (for the blackout round)
- A nice bottle of wine, or sparkling cider for a dry crowd
- Scented room spray or reed diffuser
- Plant in a ceramic pot
- Picture frame with a note: "for your favorite photo from today"
- $15 or $20 gift card for coffee, a bakery or a nail salon
- Spa gift set
- Cozy throw blanket from the seasonal aisle
- A good paperback from a bestseller list
- Gourmet popcorn or snack box
- Mini cheese board set
Prizes that work for co-ed and office showers
When half the room is dads, partners or coworkers, skip the bath bombs and pick prizes anyone would use:
- Coffee or donut shop gift cards
- Hot sauce or BBQ rub
- Craft soda or local beer (21+ only, of course)
- Lottery scratchers
- A nice pen or desk plant for an office shower
- Movie theater gift card
More ideas for mixed groups in our co-ed baby shower games guide.
The prize-table trick
Instead of assigning a prize to each round, put all of them on one table, nicely wrapped. The first winner picks any prize. The second picks from what's left, and so on.
Why it works:
- Guests get a choice, so nobody goes home with something they don't want.
- A table of 6 or 7 small wrapped gifts looks like a lot more than it cost.
- If you have a tie, the tied guests just pick in order of who called first.
Use the same wrapping for every prize (cellophane bags with ribbon in your party colors, or kraft paper with twine) so nobody feels they got the "worse" one. Tag each one with a small sticker that matches your bingo card theme.
Match the prizes to your theme
A little coordination goes a long way in photos:
- Safari shower: kraft paper wrap, green ribbon, a tiny plant in each bag. See the safari theme.
- Floral shower: mini bouquets or seed packets tied with twine.
- Teddy bear shower: jars of honey with a little bear tag.
- Gender reveal: half the prizes in pink, half in blue, and winners pick the color of their guess. See gender reveal bingo.
Frequently asked questions
How many prizes do you need for baby shower bingo?
Plan one prize per round and one or two spares for ties. Three rounds (one line, two lines, blackout) with five prizes total works for most showers of up to 40 guests.
How much should you spend on baby shower prizes?
Around $5 to $10 per prize is typical. Five prizes at $8 each come to about $40 for the whole game.
Should the mom-to-be get a prize?
She usually doesn't play, since she's busy opening gifts. Some hosts give her a small thank-you gift at the end instead.
What if two guests shout bingo at the same time?
Check both cards against the caller sheet. If both are right, give each a prize, which is why spares are worth buying. Unique cards and a long enough word list make ties rare.
Are gift cards good bingo prizes?
Yes. Small coffee, bakery or movie gift cards are easy to wrap, light to carry and useful to anyone, including dads and coworkers.