How to Play Baby Blue: Rules, Origins, & More

If you’ve been on TikTok, you may have seen users participating in the Baby Blue Challenge, in which they attempt to summon a ghostly baby in the bathroom. This spooky game actually goes back decades, and it’s a fun way to scare yourself and your friends. In this article, we’ll teach you how to play Baby Blue by yourself or with friends, as well as the origins and urban legend behind the game. Plus, learn about other scary games you can play at your next sleepover.

How to Do the Baby Blue Challenge

Go into a bathroom, turn off all the lights, and lock the door.
Face the mirror and cradle your arms, chanting “Baby Blue, Blue Baby” 13 times.
Feel the weight of the baby in your arms as it gets heavier and heavier.
Drop the weight in the toilet and flush before it becomes too heavy.
Leave the bathroom quickly so the ghostly mother doesn’t appear.

Section 1 of 6:

How to Play Baby Blue (One Player)

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This game must be played in a bathroom, as it requires access to a wall mirror and a toilet. Turn off all the lights and make sure the door can lock. Baby Blue is best played at night.^{[1]
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While facing the mirror, hold your arms in front of you like you’re holding a baby. Repeat the phrase “Baby Blue, Blue Baby” 13 times without making a mistake. If you mess up, you must start over.^{[2]
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If you do the ritual correctly, your arms should get heavier, like you’re holding an actual baby. The baby will get heavier and heavier as it grows larger. At this point, you may also feel it scratching your arms.^{[3]
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When you start to feel the scratching, quickly flush the invisible baby down the toilet before it becomes too heavy. Then, run out of the bathroom. If you make it out of the bathroom, you’ve won. If you’re too slow, a hideous woman will appear in the mirror and yell “Give me back my baby!”^{[4]
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Section 2 of 6:

How to Play Baby Blue (Two Players)

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At night, grab your friend, go into the bathroom, and lock the door. Turn off all the lights, then fog up the mirror by breathing on it or by turning on the hot water in the shower or sink.^{[5]
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Once the mirror is fogged up, decide which player will go first. Have the chosen player write “Blue Baby” with their finger in the condensation on the mirror. Then, have them cradle their arms in front of them like they’re rocking a baby.^{[6]
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Keep cradling your arms until they start to get heavy, like you’re holding an actual baby. When it starts to get too heavy, hand the baby to your partner. They will then cradle the baby the same way as it grows heavier and heavier.^{[7]
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Keep passing the baby back and forth, and don’t drop it. As you pass the baby between you, make sure you don’t drop the weight. If you do, you’ll feel a scratch on your arm. You only have two chances to drop the baby. Any more than that, and a ghostly woman will appear in the mirror.^{[8]
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- If you do drop the baby more than twice, run out of the bathroom as quickly as possible so the mother doesn’t get you.
Once you’ve successfully passed the baby back and forth for a while, wipe the words off of the mirror. The weight should start to feel lighter until it disappears completely. Simply leave the bathroom and you’ve won the game.^{[9]
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Section 3 of 6:

Baby Blue Urban Legend

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According to legend, Baby Blue is an unnamed baby born to a psychotic mother (in some versions, Bloody Mary). His mother killed him with a piece of glass from a shattered mirror.^{[10]
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Research source} A group of girls heard the story and decided to try it. Because they didn’t believe it would work, they sent their friend Laura into the bathroom by herself. As she performed the ritual, a baby appeared and began scratching her arms. Suddenly, she saw something horrible in the mirror and screamed in terror. When the other girls heard her screaming, they tried to get into the bathroom but the door was locked. When they finally broke down the door, they found Laura lying dead on the floor. Her eyes had been scratched out. They tried to move her but couldn’t, as something invisible and heavy was pinning her down.

Section 4 of 6:

Baby Blue Challenge Origins

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It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact origins of the game, but it likely began sometime in the 70s, as a version was mentioned in Janet Langlois’s 1976 essay “Mary Whales, I Believe in You.” It is likely connected to a version of the game Bloody Mary, in which players chant “Bloody Mary, I killed your baby.”^{[11]
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In 2023, many TikTok users began participating in the Baby Blue Challenge, in which they recorded and posted videos of them playing the game. This led to a resurgence in the game, although others had posted similar videos on YouTube years before.

Section 5 of 6:

Is Baby Blue real?

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Baby Blue is just a game. While many people report feeling something while playing the game, there have been no official reports or evidence that suggest playing the game can cause harm or summon actual ghosts. If you want to play but feel too scared, have someone play with you or wait outside the door so you feel safe.
- Remember, you don’t have to play anything you don’t want to. Your friends shouldn’t try to pressure you into doing anything that makes you uncomfortable, even if it is just a game.

Section 6 of 6:

Other Scary Games

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Bloody Mary Play Bloody Mary with friends or by yourself. Go into a room with a mirror and turn off all the lights. Facing the mirror, chant “Bloody Mary” 3 times. According to legend, her face will then appear in the mirror. If it does, quickly turn on the lights to make her disappear.^{[12]
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- If Bloody Mary doesn’t appear at first, try spinning in a circle 3 times.
This game is based on the movie Candyman. Go into a room with a mirror, then turn off the lights. Stand in front of the mirror and chant “Candyman” 5 times. This is supposed to summon the Candyman to appear in the mirror. Turn on the lights as quickly as possible so he doesn’t attack you with his hook hand.^{[13]
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Just before midnight, go into a bathroom with a mirror and turn off the lights. Close your eyes, and open them when the clock strikes twelve. If done at the right time, you should see a devil’s face staring back at you from the mirror.^{[14]
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Queen of Spades For this game, you need a Queen of Spades card, red lipstick, and a candle. Go into a darkened bathroom and place the card against the mirror. Then, draw a set of stairs with the lipstick. Light the candle, then close your eyes and chant “Queen of Spades, come” 3 times. When you open your eyes, the spirit should appear in the mirror.^{[15]
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- This game is sometimes called Lady Spades.
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Three Kings Just before 3:30 a.m., enter a dark room and place two mirrors in chairs that face each other. Place a third chair between them and sit in it. Hold and light a candle, and at exactly 3:30, ask questions into the darkness. A spirit is supposed to answer from one of the mirrors.^{[16]
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- Don’t look directly at the mirrors, or a spirit could get you!
- You and the two spirits in the mirrors represent the 3 kings this game is named after.

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Tips

Try playing Baby Blue at a sleepover, during a Halloween party, or any time you want to play scary games with your friends.

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Remember, Baby Blue is just a game, so it’s possible you’ll play it correctly and not feel anything at all.

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