✍️ Best Baby Shower Games Editorial Team · Updated May 2026
Pin the Pacifier on the Baby
The pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey of baby showers. Each blindfolded, spun-around guest tries to stick a paper pacifier on a giant baby illustration's mouth. The closest pacifier to the target wins — and the photo of the finished poster (pacifiers everywhere except the target) is the keepsake.
- 🏃 Active
- 🧒 Kid-friendly
- 🤝 Low-pressure
- ⏱ Prep
- 15 min
- 👥 Best for
- 6–25 guests
- 🍷 Coed
- Yes
- 📹 Virtual
- In person
What you'll need
- A large baby illustration printed at 24×36 inches (FedEx Office, Staples, or Walmart photo center — ~$5)
- Paper pacifier cutouts from cardstock (one per guest + 3 spares)
- Masking tape or sticky tack (Dollar Tree or Target) for the back of each pacifier
- A folded bandana or sage cloth napkin to use as a blindfold
- Painter's tape to mount the poster (peels off the wall clean later)
- A small prize for the winner ($20 gift card, candle, or wine bottle)
Before the shower (setup)
- A week before the baby shower, find a free printable baby illustration online — search "pin the pacifier on baby printable" and dozens of options pop up on Etsy and free template sites. Pick one with a clearly open mouth and a face that fits your shower's vibe (gender-neutral works best). Have it printed at FedEx Office, Staples, or Walmart Photo Center at 24×36 inches for around $5. Bigger isn't better — the standard poster size hits the right balance between visible target and reasonable wall space.
- Cut out one paper pacifier per guest plus 3 spares (kids will lose theirs). Each pacifier should be about 2×3 inches — the size of a real pacifier — so they're visible on the poster without covering the target. Cut from sturdy cardstock so they survive the game and the sticky-tape attachment. Stick a small piece of masking tape (folded into a loop) or sticky tack on the back of each one. Skip double-sided tape; it rips the poster on removal.
- About 20 minutes before guests arrive, tape the poster to an open wall at chest height for an average adult (around 4.5 feet from the floor). That height works for kids reaching up and adults bending slightly. Mark a small "target" circle on the baby's mouth — about the size of a baseball — with a pen or sticker so guests have an obvious bullseye. Set up a "spin station" 3 feet in front of the poster. Have the prize visible nearby.
How to play
Call guests up to the spin station one at a time. Blindfold the guest with the bandana, hand them a paper pacifier with their name written on it (so you can track who hit closest later), and gently spin them three times in place. Three is the right number — fewer feels skippable, more and people fall over. After spinning, a helper guides the guest by the elbow toward the wall. When they touch the wall, they stick their pacifier wherever they think the baby's mouth is. Remove the blindfold and let them see how close they came.
Repeat for every guest. The poster fills up with pacifiers in increasingly random places — the forehead, the ear, two feet to the left of the baby entirely, sometimes on a teammate's shirt. The misses are the whole entertainment. Photograph the poster at the halfway point — guests laugh harder at the cumulative chaos than any single attempt. Skip the spinning step for very pregnant guests, very elderly guests, or anyone with balance issues; just point them toward the wall and let them try.
Once every guest has had a turn, measure (eyeball it) which pacifier landed closest to the target circle. That guest wins. Hand the prize over right there. Take the final photo of the poster covered in pacifiers — it's the keepsake the family group chat will laugh at for weeks. The poster goes home with the mom-to-be as one of the wackier shower memories.
Variations to try
- Diaper version. Swap the pacifier cutouts for paper diaper cutouts, and aim for the baby's bottom area on the poster instead of the mouth. Same game, slightly funnier final illustration (a baby covered in diapers in random places). Works great for showers with a dad-heavy crowd.
- No-blindfold edition for kids. For kid-heavy groups (especially under 5), skip the blindfold and the spinning. Kids walk up and stick the pacifier wherever they want. Easier to manage, no spinning tears, and the random placements are still hilarious. Save the blindfold version for the adults.
- Team competition with shouted directions. Split into two teams. Each team picks one player to wear the blindfold; teammates yell directions ("up! up! left! no, your other left!") to guide them toward the target. First team to land directly on the target wins. The yelling is the whole game.
- Couples edition. Pairs take turns. One partner wears the blindfold; the other partner is the only one allowed to give directions. Tests communication. Best for friend-only showers or rehearsal-dinner energy parties.
Pro tips from hosts who've actually run this
- Chest height for the poster is the right height — around 4.5 feet from the floor. Too low and adults bend awkwardly; too high and kids can't reach.
- Spin three times only. More than three and guests genuinely fall over before they can throw.
- Have a helper guide each blindfolded guest. The "walking blindly toward a wall" moment is where people trip on chairs or kids.
- Use masking tape or sticky tack, NOT double-sided tape. Double-sided rips the poster on removal; masking peels off cleanly.
- Take a photo of the finished poster with every pacifier stuck on it. That photo is the keepsake — guests laugh at it for years.
- Skip the spinning step for very pregnant guests, elderly relatives, or anyone with balance issues. Just point them at the wall and let them try.
- Mark the target circle clearly on the baby's mouth (Sharpie circle or a small star sticker). Guests need an obvious bullseye to aim for.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mounting the poster too high or too low. Too high and kids can't reach; too low and adults look ridiculous bending over. 4.5 feet from the floor is the sweet spot.
- Using double-sided tape on the pacifiers. It rips the poster off the wall when guests press too hard. Masking tape or sticky tack only.
- Spinning guests more than 3 times. They lose balance, fall, and now you're explaining a sprained ankle to grandma.
- Forgetting to mark the target. Without an obvious bullseye on the mouth, the "closest to target" judging gets subjective and arguments start.
- Skipping the photo of the finished poster. The pacifier-chaos photo is the keepsake; once the poster comes down, the moment's gone.
Best prize for this game
Lean playful since the game is playful — a $20 Target or Trader Joe's gift card, a small candle from Yankee Candle, a bottle of wine for over-21 winners, or a basket of fancy snacks. Wrap it visibly near the spin station so guests see what they're playing for from the first turn.
Our verdict
Classic kid-tier game that adults pick up surprisingly fast once the first person spins around looking lost. The spun-around video clips are the real reason to run it — they end up in the family group chat for weeks.
Pin the Pacifier on the Baby — FAQ
Where do I get a baby poster for Pin the Pacifier?
Search "pin the pacifier on baby printable" on Etsy or free shower-printable sites — there are dozens of options ranging from cute illustrated babies to elephant or jungle themes. Have FedEx Office, Staples, or Walmart Photo Center blow it up to 24×36 inches for around $5.
How big should the paper pacifiers be?
About the size of a real pacifier — 2×3 inches. Smaller ones get lost on the poster; larger ones cover the target accidentally and ruin the "closest" judging.
Is the spinning step safe?
Yes for most adults if you spin them slowly and a helper holds their elbow afterward. Skip the spinning for very pregnant guests, elderly guests, anyone with vertigo or balance issues. Just point them at the wall — the blindfold alone is enough difficulty.
How long does this baby shower game take?
About 1 minute per guest plus 30 seconds of setup between turns. A 20-guest shower needs roughly 30 minutes of game time. Don't try to cram more — pacing matters and rushing kills the laughs.
Will the poster survive the game intact?
Mostly yes — masking-tape pacifiers peel off cleanly. Some pacifiers will end up on the wall next to the poster, on furniture, or on a teammate's shirt, but the poster itself usually survives and goes home with the mom-to-be.
Can kids play alongside adults?
Yes — this is one of the most kid-friendly baby shower games on the list. Use the no-blindfold variation for kids under 5. Older kids (7+) handle the spinning fine and usually beat the adults at the actual target.
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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.