One of the most beautiful aspects of life is getting to embark on all the major milestones with our closest friends and family members. As we grow older, there always seems to be a wedding or baby shower right around the corner!
Bring Totem along with you to your next baby shower as a fun activity to create long-lasting memories with your loved ones that you can all cherish for a lifetime.
Why play Totem at a baby shower?
Totem combines the fun of conventional card games with the sweet and uplifting sentiment of exchanging kind words with one another.
A huge bonus? It’s easy to play and it doesn't require much time to set up!
You can easily customize this game by modifying the rules to suit practically any occasion, like a baby shower, engagement party, or even a birthday. For a baby shower, this game creates the perfect opportunity for everyone to celebrate the best qualities and strengths of the new parents.
Use Totem as an effective ice-breaker
Totem is a fantastic ice-breaker activity for larger and smaller groups of people. With larger social gatherings, we tend to bring together different groups of friends within our social networks and sometimes they are meeting for the very first time.
This is where Totem comes in! You can use this game as an effective ice-breaker activity for special occasions where our different social circles merge.
Playing Totem at the beginning of a baby shower creates the perfect opportunity for everyone to get to know each other better, while forging new friendships along the way. But the key here is to break everyone up into randomly assigned groups!
How to play Totem at a baby shower?
Activity #1
To highlight the couple’s individual and joint qualities that will make them wonderful parents.
Step 1: Break everyone up into smaller groups of about 3-8 people.
Note: You can choose the size of the group based on how many people are attending the party. It’s easier for group members to bond with one another when there are less people in each group.
Step 2: Separate the Animal Cards from the Quality Cards, then shuffle each deck.
Step 3: Hand 15 Animal Cards and 15 Quality Cards to each group.
Note: 1 Totem = 1 Animal Card + 1 Quality Card.
Step 4: Explain to everyone that the goal here is to create two separate Totems to represent the couple – one for each person.
- The group is choosing the best cards to represent the greatest overall strength and quality that each new parent individually possesses.
- They are also choosing their cards based on what they think will make that person a wonderful parent.
Step 5: Give everyone around 15 minutes to decide on two Totems.
Step 6: After each group has decided on their Totems, they will present it to the entire room. Each group will choose a couple representatives to present the Totems.
Step 7: Get the couple to sit down in the center of the room. Ask everyone to form a circle around the couple.
Step 8: Taking turns, the representatives from each group will stand beside the new parents and explain why their group chose those specific cards to represent each person.
- The representatives reveal the first Totem that they created by holding up the cards and stating which animal and quality they attributed to this person.
- Ask them to provide an explanation for why they chose those specific cards. Get them to elaborate by using examples or anecdotes of when this person demonstrated these traits.
- Discuss how this particular strength and quality will this person a wonderful parent!
Step 9: Repeat the last step to reveal the second Totem.
Step 10: After each group has presented their Totems, ask the couple to reflect on this experience. Questions to ask:
- How do they feel about the Totems they received?
- Out of all the Totems they received, which one surprised them the most? Why?
- Out of all the Totems that their significant other received, which one did they agree with the most? Why?
Activity #2
To identify the couple’s best qualities and strengths that will be passed on to their newborn child.
Step 1: Break everyone up into smaller groups of 3-8 people.
Step 2: Separate the Animal Cards from the Quality Cards, then shuffle each deck.
Step 3: Hand each group 15-20 Animal Cards and 15-20 Quality Cards.
Step 4: Explain to everyone that the goal here is to create two separate Totems that can best represent the pair together as a couple and how their combined traits will help them flourish as parents!
Note: 1 Totem = 1 Animal Card + 1 Quality Card
Step 5: Give each group about 15 minutes to decide on two Totems.
Step 6: There are two different ways that you can play this game:
Option 1
- Hand each group an envelope, a pen, and a piece of paper.
- Instruct each group to write down the reasons why they chose those cards to represent the couple. Ask each group to be as specific as possible and to elaborate by using examples or anecdotes.
- Each group places their explanation into the envelope they received earlier on.
- Get them to write down the names of all their group members on the front of the envelope.
- Collect all the envelopes.
- Give all the sealed envelopes to the new parents so they can take them home and read them on their own time!
Option 2
- Get each group to choose a few representatives who will present these Totems in front of the entire room.
- Taking turns, each group sends their representatives to stand next to the couple. Ask them to explain why their group chose those specific cards to represent the pair as a couple. Discuss how their joint qualities will help them flourish as parents, along with which qualities they can pass on to their newborn child.
- After each group has presented their Totems, ask the couple how they feel about the Totems they received. Which Totem was their favorite? Out of all the Totems they received, which one surprised them the most?
Do you have other baby shower ideas? Share with us by tagging @totemteam on Instagram.
