Virtual baby showers became the default in 2020 and never went back. Even in 2026, a significant share of baby showers happen on Zoom — typically because family members live across the country, the mom-to-be is on bed rest, or the host wants to include friends who can't travel. The challenge: most baby shower games were designed for in-person play, and they don't translate well to Zoom. This guide covers the best virtual baby shower games for 2026, plus how to run them without the dreaded "can everyone hear me?" dead air.
According to a 2024 BabyCenter survey, 37% of baby showers in the US still include at least some virtual participation, and 18% are fully virtual. The fully-virtual trend is strongest among mothers in their late 20s and early 30s, who grew up with online-first social events and often prefer the inclusivity of a Zoom shower over an in-person one that excludes far-away friends.
What makes a game work on Zoom (and what breaks)
Before getting into specific games, it's worth knowing what makes virtual games succeed. Four qualities show up in every virtual shower game that works:
Visual focal point. The game needs to be something all guests can see on their own screens. The easiest way: the host shares their screen showing the game. Phone-based games or games where each guest plays independently don't work on Zoom because you can't coordinate 15 people clicking around separate apps.
One host controlling the pace. Games that let the host reveal answers dramatically (via clicks) work much better than games with timers or self-paced play. The host becomes the MC, which gives the shower a clear flow.
Participation via voice or chat, not physical actions. Games that require guests to move, stand up, or handle physical props don't work well over Zoom — half the guests are on phones, the other half are at desks, and nobody wants to get up during a video call. Voice-based guessing, chat-based answering, and emoji reactions are the Zoom-native participation methods.
Works in silence too. Zoom audio can get messy. The best virtual games work even when 80% of guests are on mute — either via visual reveals that speak for themselves, or chat-based answers that don't rely on audio.
The best virtual baby shower games for 2026
Emoji pictionary (Zoom's #1 game)
Emoji pictionary is the undisputed best virtual baby shower game and has been since 2020. Here's why it works so well on Zoom: the host shares their screen, every guest sees the same emoji puzzle, and guests shout the answer (or type it in chat). The reveal is a click by the host.
The digital version is better than printable emoji games for virtual showers because you can control the pacing and dramatic reveals. The BabyShowerShow emoji game has 75 puzzles across 5 themes — baby phrases, nursery rhymes, children's books, movies, and activities — specifically designed for screen-sharing on Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams.
Virtual trivia with chat answers
Virtual trivia works beautifully because it was already a "look at a question, answer it" format — Zoom doesn't change that. Host shares their screen showing a question, reads it aloud, and guests type answers in Zoom chat. First correct answer in chat wins the round.
Best trivia categories for virtual showers: baby milestones, old wives' tales, baby animal names, and famous celebrity babies. These work because they're general knowledge questions that don't require any props. See our baby shower trivia questions guide for 70+ ready-to-use questions with answers.
Guess the baby food (visual version)
Traditional "guess the baby food" games have guests actually tasting baby food jars with labels removed — impossible on Zoom. The virtual version: host shares photos of baby food jars with the flavor names blacked out, guests guess in chat. Cycle through 8-10 jars. Reveal after everyone has guessed.
Surprisingly hard because baby food colors are really similar. Pea puree, spinach puree, and green bean puree all look nearly identical. Avocado and sweet potato are both orange-ish. The confusion is the entertainment.
Baby price is right (Zoom-native version)
Host shares their screen with photos of baby products. Guests type their price guess in Zoom chat. Closest guess without going over wins the round. Works perfectly on Zoom because it's visual, everyone sees the same thing, and the reveal moments are dramatic.
Good products to include: a premium stroller, a high-end car seat, a bottle warmer, a baby monitor, a diaper bag, a box of newborn diapers, and at minimum one premium item (Dockatot lounger, Mockingbird stroller, or similar) that almost always produces a big gap between guesses and reality.
Baby advice scroll (async)
This is the best "keeps guests engaged even on mute" game for virtual showers. Ask guests to type their best baby advice in the Zoom chat (one piece of advice per guest). The host reads them aloud one at a time, commenting on each, and at the end the mom-to-be picks her favorite as the winner.
It takes about 15 minutes for a group of 10-15 guests and creates genuinely memorable moments. Many moms say it's the part of the shower they remember most.
Nursery rhyme fill-in-the-blank
Host shares slides with famous nursery rhymes missing a word ("Twinkle twinkle little ___"). Guests type the missing word in chat. Fast-paced, works perfectly on Zoom, and nostalgic for guests of all ages. Good for 10-15 rounds before it gets repetitive.
Zoom-friendly "who's that baby"
Before the shower, ask guests to send their baby photos via email or a shared folder (Google Drive, Dropbox). At the shower, host shares the photos one at a time on screen and guests guess who in the room is in each photo. Works great on Zoom because you can see everyone's current face in gallery view while guessing which one matches the baby photo.
For larger virtual showers (15+ guests), ask only close friends and family to submit photos rather than everyone — collecting 30+ photos before a shower is logistically painful.
Group art: draw the baby
For a creative game: everyone grabs a piece of paper and a pen. Host gives instructions like "draw a circle for the head," "add ears," "draw eyes closed," etc. without letting anyone see each other's drawings. At the end, everyone holds their drawing up to the camera for the big reveal. The results are always absurd and hilarious.
Works specifically well on Zoom because the big reveal — all the drawings showing up at once in gallery view — is genuinely funny in a way it wouldn't be in person.
Games that DON'T work on Zoom
Some games just can't be adapted. Skip these for virtual showers:
"Pass the baby bottle" / "Guess the belly size": Require physical props and in-person participation. No Zoom version works.
"Smell the diaper" / "Taste the baby food": Would require shipping props to every guest. Not practical.
Individual worksheet games: Nobody wants to fill out a PDF worksheet during a Zoom call. They're awkward in person and worse over Zoom.
Games that require physical movement: Half your guests are on couches with their laptops, half are on phones. "Stand up if you..." games only work if everyone is equally mobile.
How to run a virtual baby shower smoothly
Test your screen share beforehand. The #1 reason virtual showers go poorly is that the host hits a technical snag when sharing their screen. Do a trial run with the actual game 24 hours before the shower to make sure audio sharing, screen sharing, and the game all work on your setup.
Assign a co-host. Zoom's co-host feature lets a second person help manage things — muting disruptive backgrounds, admitting latecomers from the waiting room, spotlighting the speaker. The main host is busy running the game; the co-host handles logistics.
Start with a 5-minute buffer. Expect 5-10% of guests to struggle with Zoom links for the first few minutes. Start the shower 5 minutes later than the official invite time so the first 5 minutes are for chatting and getting everyone on board.
Use gallery view, not speaker view. Gallery view keeps everyone's faces visible on screen, which matters for reactions during games. Speaker view pins whoever is loudest, which is usually the host — you want to see the guests laughing during reveal moments.
Have a mute strategy. Either "everyone muted except speakers" or "everyone unmuted and chaos reigns" — pick one and stick with it. Half-muted creates the worst of both worlds. For trivia and emoji games where shouting is part of the fun, unmuted works better. For longer games or gifting portions, muted with chat works better.
Plan a gifting segment. At in-person showers, the mom opens gifts in the middle of the shower. At virtual showers, gifts are usually shipped ahead of time, so the "gift opening" becomes the mom thanking each gifter by name. Build in 10-15 minutes for this — it's one of the most meaningful parts of a virtual shower for the mom.
Ready-to-play virtual baby shower games
BabyShowerShow has 20 interactive baby shower games designed specifically for screen-sharing on Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Every game is built around "one host shares their screen, everyone sees and plays together." Included: 5 emoji pictionary decks (75 puzzles), 7 trivia decks (75 questions), word scrambles, price is right, and more.
First 3 answers in every game are free. Full access is $4.99 for 30 days — enough to host the entire shower plus any follow-up gender reveal or sip-and-see events. Browse the games →
For more on virtual baby showers, see our guides on baby shower games for Zoom specifically, large group baby shower games, and baby shower games with no supplies required.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best baby shower games for Zoom?
Emoji pictionary is the #1 pick — it's visual, the host controls reveals, and everyone participates simultaneously. Baby trivia and baby price is right are close seconds. All three work via screen sharing with chat-based or voice-based guessing.
How do you play baby shower games virtually?
The easiest format is: the host shares their screen showing the game, guests watch and guess via voice or Zoom chat, and the host clicks to reveal answers. Pick games that were designed for screen sharing rather than trying to adapt in-person games.
How long should a virtual baby shower last?
Virtual showers work better short — 60-90 minutes total. Longer than 90 minutes and Zoom fatigue sets in hard. Use 20-30 minutes for games, 20-30 for gifting/thank-yous, and 10-20 for casual catch-up time.
How many games should I plan for a Zoom baby shower?
Two or three games, about 10-15 minutes each. Virtual showers lose energy faster than in-person, so fewer games with more focus per game works better than cramming in five.
Can you play baby shower games on Google Meet or Microsoft Teams?
Yes — any game that works on Zoom works on Google Meet or Teams. The screen share + chat + voice pattern is identical across platforms. The BabyShowerShow games work on all three.
What's the hardest part of running a virtual baby shower?
Audio logistics — especially the "who's muted vs unmuted" coordination. Pick a muting strategy before the shower and stick with it. Also test your screen share at least once before the shower starts.
How do you keep virtual baby shower guests engaged?
Shorter games, visual focal points, and a host who explicitly calls on guests by name to keep them present. Don't expect guests to stay engaged passively — Zoom fatigue is real and you have to work harder than an in-person shower to keep energy up.