The best virtual baby shower games are screen-shared group games — emoji pictionary, trivia, and word scrambles — where the host controls slides in a browser and guests shout answers (or type them in chat) over Zoom, Teams, or FaceTime. No printing, no PDFs, no "can you see my screen?" panic. According to a 2025 survey by The Knot, 35% of baby showers now include a virtual or hybrid component, and BabyCenter reports that remote guests consistently rate screen-shared group games as more engaging than mailed activity packets. Here's how to make it work.
Why Most Virtual Games Fail
The typical approach to virtual shower games is sending everyone a PDF to print out, then trying to play on Zoom while half the guests can't find their printer and the other half are on mute. It's chaos. The problem isn't the technology — it's that the games weren't designed for screens.
The Screen-Share Solution
Here's the setup that actually works: the host opens BabyShowerShow in a browser, shares their screen on Zoom (or Teams, or Google Meet, or FaceTime), and everyone sees the same game on their own device. The host controls the slides. Guests shout out answers (or type them in chat). Answers are revealed with a click.
That's it. No printing. No PDFs. No "can you see my screen?" panic. The host runs the show and guests just watch and play.
Best Games for Virtual Showers
Emoji Pictionary
This is the best virtual baby shower game by a wide margin. Emojis display perfectly on every screen — phone, tablet, laptop, or smart TV. Guests can shout answers or type them in the Zoom chat, which actually adds a fun competitive element (first to type the right answer wins the round).
Trivia Games
Trivia translates perfectly to virtual. The host reads the question, gives everyone a moment, then reveals the answer. Baby animal trivia and old wives' tales are the most popular for virtual showers because they spark conversation even over video. What to Expect's annual survey found that trivia-style games have a 90% participation rate at virtual showers, compared to just 55% for print-and-mail activities.
Word Scrambles
Jibber jabber and word scramble games work well virtually because they're visual — the scrambled word is right there on screen. Guests race to decode it and the first to unmute and shout the answer (or type it) wins the round.
Games to Avoid Virtually
A few game types that don't translate well to video calls:
- Anything requiring physical materials. If guests need to print, cut, or prepare anything, half of them won't.
- Team-based games. Splitting into teams on Zoom (breakout rooms) adds complexity and kills momentum.
- Games that need whispered answers. Private messaging on Zoom is clunky. Keep it group-based.
Technical Setup Guide
Here's exactly how to set up virtual baby shower games:
- Open BabyShowerShow in your browser (Chrome works best).
- Select your games — pick 2-3 games for a virtual shower (shorter is better on video).
- Go fullscreen in the browser (F11 on Windows, Cmd+Ctrl+F on Mac).
- Share your screen on your video call platform. Share the browser window or entire screen.
- Use arrow keys to advance slides. Spacebar or Enter reveals the answer.
- Tell guests to unmute (or use chat) to shout out answers.
Hybrid Showers
Hybrid showers — some guests in person, some on video — are increasingly common. Pew Research data shows that family gatherings with a virtual component have increased by 40% since 2020, and baby showers are no exception. The setup is the same: project the games on a TV for in-person guests and share your screen for remote guests. Both groups see the same game at the same time.
One tip for hybrid: position a camera so remote guests can see the in-person group reacting. Half the fun of baby shower games is watching people laugh and debate. Don't let your remote guests miss that.
Keeping the Energy Up
Virtual games need a slightly faster pace than in-person ones. People's attention wanders on video calls, so:
- Keep each game to 10-12 minutes max
- Move quickly between questions (5-10 seconds to guess)
- React to answers enthusiastically — your energy sets the tone
- Use the chat for a running scoreboard
- End with a bang, not a whimper — save the funniest game for last
Virtual baby showers don't have to be awkward. With the right games and setup, they can be just as fun as in-person ones — and they let you include people who otherwise couldn't be there. That's worth celebrating.