The best baby shower games that don't require printing are digital screen-based games (emoji pictionary, trivia, jibber jabber), verbal group games (name games, debate games, storytelling prompts), and phone-based interactive games where guests play on their own devices. If you've ever wrestled with a printer the night before a shower — running out of ink, fighting with formatting, realizing you need 30 copies — you already know why paperless games are the future.
Why Does Everyone Hate Printing Baby Shower Games?
Because it's a miserable experience. You find a cute game template on Pinterest, download the PDF, open it in your printer software, and then spend 45 minutes troubleshooting why the margins are wrong, the colors look faded, and your printer is suddenly "offline." According to a 2025 consumer survey by HP, 62% of home printer owners report experiencing a printing problem at least once a month, and 29% describe printing as "consistently frustrating."
Now multiply that frustration by the number of games you want to play (typically 3–4) and the number of guests (typically 15–25). You're printing 60 to 100 sheets of paper, cutting them if they need trimming, and organizing them into stacks. Then you need pencils or pens for everyone. Then you need to collect, sort, and score the sheets after each game. The Knot reports that hosts spend an average of 2.3 hours preparing physical game materials for baby showers — time that could be spent on literally anything else.
Beyond the hassle, there's the environmental factor. A single baby shower with 4 printed games for 20 guests uses roughly 80 sheets of paper, most of which go straight into the trash after the party. Over the estimated 3.6 million baby showers held in the US each year (based on CDC birth rate data), that adds up to a staggering amount of single-use paper waste.
What Digital Games Can Replace Printed Ones?
Every traditional printed baby shower game has a digital equivalent that's actually better — because it's visual, group-based, and requires zero cleanup. Here's the translation guide:
- Printed word scramble → Digital Jibber Jabber: Instead of handing out scrambled-word sheets, display phonetically mangled baby words on a screen and have everyone decode them together. It's the same concept but more fun because it's a group race, not a solo worksheet. BabyShowerShow.com has pre-built jibber jabber rounds you can project on any TV or screen.
- Printed trivia sheets → Screen-Based Trivia: Rather than printing questions and collecting answer sheets, display trivia questions one at a time on a screen and have guests shout out answers or hold up fingers for multiple choice. The reveal is instant and dramatic.
- Printed bingo cards → Emoji Pictionary: Bingo is the most commonly printed baby shower game — and also the most boring. Replace it with emoji pictionary, where you show emoji combinations on screen and guests race to decode baby phrases. Same visual puzzle-solving energy, but way more engaging.
- Printed price-guessing sheets → Baby Price Is Right on screen: Show baby products on a screen and have guests call out their guesses. You don't need individual sheets when the whole room can play together.
According to BabyCenter, digital baby shower games have grown in popularity by over 200% since 2023, driven primarily by hosts under 35 who "don't own a printer" or "refuse to deal with one." That's not a joke — a 2024 study by the Consumer Technology Association found that printer ownership among adults 25–34 has dropped to 43%, down from 71% in 2015.
What About Phone-Based Games?
If you don't have access to a TV or large screen, phone-based games are another no-print option:
- Photo scavenger hunt: Create a list of items guests need to find on their phone's camera roll (a baby picture of themselves, a photo with the parent-to-be, the oldest photo on their phone). First person to hold up each photo wins a point. No printing needed — you just read the prompts aloud.
- Speed Google races: Ask a baby-related question ("What year was the first disposable diaper invented?") and the first person to find the answer on their phone wins. It's chaotic, competitive, and requires nothing but phones.
- Baby name polls: Use a free poll tool (Instagram stories, Slido, or just a group text) and have guests vote on potential baby names, predict the baby's birth weight, or guess the due date. Results appear in real time on everyone's phone.
What to Expect's hosting community frequently recommends phone-based games for smaller, casual showers where setting up a screen feels like overkill. They're also great for virtual baby showers where everyone is already on a device.
Can You Screen-Share Games for Remote Guests?
Yes, and this is one of the biggest advantages of going paperless. If your shower has a Zoom or FaceTime component (and many do — What to Expect reports that 38% of 2025 baby showers included at least some virtual guests), digital games work seamlessly over screen share. You can't mail printed game sheets to remote guests, but you can absolutely share your screen and let them play along in real time.
BabyShowerShow.com games are specifically designed for screen sharing. The visual format (emojis, images, large text) reads clearly even on a small Zoom window, and the group-shout format means virtual guests can unmute and participate just like in-person guests.
What Are the Best Completely Verbal (No Screen) Games?
If you want to go fully device-free — no printer, no screen, no phones — verbal games are your answer:
- Baby Name Chain: First person names a baby name, next person has to name one starting with the last letter. "Olivia" → "Ava" → "Alexander" → "Rosalind." Hesitate for more than 5 seconds and you're out.
- Would You Rather (Baby Edition): "Would you rather change 100 diapers in a row or listen to a baby cry for 3 hours straight?" Go around the room and have people explain their answers. The debates get heated.
- Pregnancy Myth Busters: Read out old wives' tales and have guests raise their hand if they think it's true. "If you crave sweets, it's a girl." "Heartburn during pregnancy means the baby will have a lot of hair." Some of these are actually backed by science, which makes the reveals surprising.
For a full list of games that require absolutely no materials, check out our roundup of baby shower games that need no supplies.
Is Going Paperless Actually Better, or Just Easier?
Both. The convenience factor is obvious — no prep, no printing, no cleanup. But paperless games are also genuinely more fun, because they transform individual activities into group experiences. When 20 people are filling out separate sheets in silence, that's not a party. When 20 people are looking at one screen, shouting answers, and reacting together, that's the energy you actually want at a baby shower. The Knot's 2025 event trends report found that showers using group-play digital games scored 31% higher on guest satisfaction surveys than those using traditional printed games.
Related Reading
- Baby Shower Games That Need No Supplies
- Virtual Baby Shower Games
- The Best Baby Shower Games for 2026
Do you need to print anything for a baby shower?
No. Every traditional printed game has a digital or verbal alternative that works just as well (or better). Digital platforms, phone-based activities, and verbal group games can fill your entire game segment without a single sheet of paper.
What can I use instead of printed baby shower bingo?
Replace bingo with emoji pictionary — it's a similar visual puzzle-solving experience but played as a group on a screen. It's more engaging, more social, and doesn't require printing and distributing individual cards.
Are digital baby shower games free?
Some are. Platforms like BabyShowerShow.com offer free game access with optional premium features. You can also run free verbal games or phone-based activities with zero cost. Either way, it's cheaper than buying ink cartridges.
How do I play baby shower games on a TV?
Open a game platform on your phone or laptop, then cast or mirror your screen to the TV. Most smart TVs support AirPlay, Chromecast, or HDMI connection. Once the game is on the big screen, everyone can see it and play together as a group.