✍️ Best Baby Shower Games Editorial Team · Updated May 2026

Decorate a Baby T-Shirt

Set up a craft station with plain toddler T-shirts, fabric paint, and fabric markers. Each guest decorates one shirt. The host iron-sets every design after the party so they survive the wash — and the baby actually wears them. Bigger canvas than [[decorate-a-onesie]], and toddlers wear T-shirts for years.

💝 Sentimental
🤝 Low-pressure
🧒 Kid-friendly

⏱ Prep: 30 min+
👥 Best for: 6–25 guests
🍷 Coed: Yes
📹 Virtual: In person

What you'll need

Plain white toddler T-shirts in 6, 12, and 18 month sizes (10-pack from Target or Amazon, ~$25)
Fabric markers and fabric paint in 6–8 colors — Tulip Slick or Sharpie fabric pens, NOT regular markers
Cardboard rectangles cut to ~7×9 inches (one per shirt — prevents bleed-through)
Optional stencils, stamps, and iron-on letters from Michaels for non-artistic guests
A covered work surface (newspaper, plastic tablecloth, or craft mat)
An iron and a clean cotton towel for setting designs after the shower

Before the shower (setup)

A week before the baby shower, buy a 10–12 pack of plain white cotton toddler T-shirts from Target, Amazon, or Hanes' site — $25 for an assorted-size pack is the sweet spot. Mix sizes: get 3 each of 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month, plus a 24-month for good measure. Pre-wash them once with mild detergent and dry. The first wash strips manufacturing sizing off the fabric so paint and markers actually soak in — without it, the designs fade after one cycle.
Pick up fabric markers and fabric paint at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or the Target craft aisle — Tulip Slick fabric paint and Sharpie fabric markers are the standard. Avoid regular markers and acrylic paint at all costs; they wash out in the first cycle no matter what. Cut cardboard rectangles roughly 7×9 inches from any cereal box — those slide inside each shirt before guests start, preventing ink from bleeding through to the back panel.
About 30 minutes before guests arrive, set up the craft station on a covered table. Newspaper or a $3 plastic tablecloth from the dollar store works fine — fabric paint stains. Stack the shirts by size, arrange the markers and paint pots in a row, lay out the cardboard inserts and stencils. Tape up a small sign: "Pick a T-shirt. Slide a cardboard insert inside. Decorate with fabric paint or markers ONLY. The host iron-sets every design after the party so it survives the wash."

Front-door setup for Decorate a Baby T-Shirt — basket of clothespins and a chalkboard rule sign by the entryway — Set up at the front door so the game starts the second guests walk in.

How to play

When guests have settled in — usually after food, during the open mingling time — point them at the craft station. Read the rules out loud: "Pick one T-shirt in any size. Slide a cardboard insert inside before you start. Fabric markers and fabric paint only — stencils on the side if you want help. Twenty minutes." The mom-to-be doesn't participate — she walks through and watches what her friends and family are making for her baby, which is half the magic.

Give the room 20–30 minutes to work. Some guests draw a quick heart and sign their name; others spend the full half hour on a detailed scene. Both are great. Walk around at the 10-minute mark to remind everyone about cardboard inserts — guests forget and bleed-through ruins shirts. Keep a damp paper towel nearby for accidental smudges on hands and tables. Have a few extra shirts on hand for guests who mess up their first attempt.

After the shower, the host iron-sets every shirt within a week. Lay each finished shirt flat with cardboard still inside, place a clean cotton towel over the design, and iron on a medium no-steam setting for 3 minutes per side. That heat locks the fabric paint into the fibers so it survives normal washing for years. Fold the shirts into a basket lined with sage tissue paper and gift them to the parents — they'll rotate them onto the toddler across the first two years.

A hand lifting a clothespin off another guest's shirt — the steal moment in Decorate a Baby T-Shirt — The moment of the steal — someone slipped, someone caught it, pin changes hands.

Variations to try

Onesies instead. Run [[decorate-a-onesie]] for newborn-size designs. Same craft station model, smaller canvas, designs need to be simpler. Best for showers with friends who want a quicker craft round.
Themed color rounds. Pick one color palette for the whole party — all pastels, all earth tones, or sage-and-blush only. The finished set looks coordinated and intentional, like a small Target boutique line. Limits creativity but the photos are beautiful.
Combine with [[decorate-a-bib]]. Three-station craft corner — T-shirts, onesies, and bibs. Guests pick what they want to decorate. More variety, more time spent at the craft area, more pieces for the parents.
Iron-on transfer version. Instead of fabric paint, provide pre-made iron-on transfers from Michaels (baby-themed packs available). Guests pick designs and apply them. Cleaner finished shirts, fewer creative options. Best for non-artistic guest lists.
Stencil-only mode. Skip free-hand entirely. Provide a wide range of stencils (animals, letters, hearts, stars) and fabric paint. Every guest stencils their design. Levels the playing field for non-artists and the finished set looks more polished.

Pro tips from hosts who've actually run this

Fabric markers and fabric paint ONLY. Tulip Slick paint and Sharpie fabric pens are the standard. Regular markers and acrylic paint wash out in the first laundry cycle no matter how careful you are.
Pre-wash every shirt before the shower. Skipping this step means the fabric sizing prevents ink from absorbing.
Cardboard inserts are non-negotiable. Without them, ink bleeds through to the back of the shirt and ruins both sides.
Iron-set every shirt within a week of the shower. The longer you wait, the more the paint fades from the first wash.
Mix sizes — get 6-month, 12-month, 18-month, and 24-month shirts. The baby grows into all of them across two years.
Don't hand out fabric scissors. Guests will inevitably "creatively cut" the shirts and ruin them.
Keep 2 extra shirts as backup for guests who mess up their first try.

Common mistakes to avoid

Buying regular markers or acrylic paint. Both wash out completely in the first laundry cycle no matter the technique.
Skipping the pre-wash. Fabric sizing repels ink, designs fade after one cycle even with fabric-specific paint.
Forgetting cardboard inserts. Paint bleeds through to the back, ruining the shirt.
Not iron-setting after the shower. The paint stays loose, washes out partially on the first cycle, looks faded forever.
Buying only 6-month shirts. Baby outgrows them in 6 weeks; mix sizes for longer wear over the toddler years.

Best prize for this game

Skip the prize — this is a keepsake craft, not a competition. Adding a winner turns making into trying-to-win and dilutes the joy. If you want recognition, hand out small "Most Creative" and "Best Use of Color" certificates printed at home — fun acknowledgment without making it about scoring.

→ More baby shower prize ideas, by budget

Our verdict

Bigger canvas than [[decorate-a-onesie]] and the shirts last longer — toddlers wear T-shirts every day for years. Both games work; this one has more room for design and less ironing surface frustration. The mom-to-be takes home a whole wardrobe of hand-decorated shirts.

Decorate a Baby T-Shirt — FAQ

Will fabric paint actually survive the washing machine?

Yes — IF you iron-set the design after it dries. Skip the iron step and the paint washes out in two cycles, no matter the brand. With proper iron-setting, designs survive years of normal washing. The iron is the load-bearing step here.

How many T-shirts do I need to buy for Decorate a Baby T-Shirt?

One per guest plus 2–3 spares for messed-up attempts. A 10–12 pack from Target or Amazon runs around $25. Mix sizes — 6-month, 12-month, 18-month, 24-month — so the baby grows into all of them across the toddler years.

Will the baby actually wear these shirts?

Yes — toddlers (12 to 24 months) wear T-shirts every day for casual home wear. The simpler designs get the most everyday use; bolder designs become "photo day" outfits. Either way, parents reach for these regularly.

What about guests who aren't artistic at all?

Provide stencils, iron-on letters, stamps, and pre-printed designs. The point of this baby shower craft is participation, not artistic skill. Even a stenciled "Auntie loves you" in a single color is meaningful and gets worn.

How long does this craft station take to run?

About 20–30 minutes for guests to decorate during the party. Iron-setting afterward takes the host about 10 minutes per shirt. Plan roughly an hour of total host time across the whole game (party + post-shower setting).

Can I run Decorate a Baby T-Shirt on Zoom?

Not really — the materials need to be physically present. You could mail a kit (shirt + markers + cardboard) to each Zoom guest in advance, but the logistics get expensive. Better to pick a Zoom-friendly game like [[memory-or-wishes-jar]] or [[advice-cards-for-parents]] for virtual showers.

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About the author

Best Baby Shower Games Editorial Team — Party planners, parents & writers. We’re a small team of party planners and parents who’ve hosted — and been guests at — dozens of baby showers. Every game here is sorted by what actually lands in a real room, not by what just looks cute on a Pinterest board.