Hosting a baby shower? Whether you’re planning a traditional baby shower, baby sprinkle, or co-ed baby celebration, a little preparation can go a long way. From choosing a venue and theme to organizing food, games, and gifts, thoughtful planning will help create a memorable event for the parents-to-be and their guests. Use these 17 baby shower ideas and tips to plan a celebration everyone will enjoy!
Let the Mom-to-Be Set the Tone
No matter who plans the baby shower, how much involvement the mom-to-be has is up to her. While baby showers have traditionally been hosted by a friend or family member, many expecting parents today prefer to take a more active role in their own celebration. As the host, be sure to communicate with the parents-to-be early on to understand their preferences, guest list, and vision for the event. Starting baby shower planning with clear expectations helps ensure the celebration reflects what the future parents want without overwhelming them.
Make Sure to Ask for Help
There’s already a lot to think about before welcoming a new baby, and having a baby shower can be a big undertaking. Even with a dedicated host, planning a baby shower is rarely a one-person job. Instead of trying to handle every detail yourself, ask friends and family to take on specific responsibilities like sending out baby shower invitations, preparing food, decorating, or cleaning up afterward. Dividing tasks early will help reduce stress and allow everyone to enjoy the celebration.
Set Your Baby Shower Budget
Having a budget in place will make planning much easier—especially if you’re hosting your own baby shower or baby sprinkle. Start by determining who’s covering the costs and whether expenses will be shared among multiple hosts. Your baby shower budget will impact whether you rent a venue or celebrate at home, cater food, hire a decorator, and more. No matter your budget, adding personal touches through invitations, decorations, games, and favors can make the celebration feel special for your guests and the expecting mom.
Decide What Type of Baby Shower to Have
Before planning the details, decide what type of celebration you want to host. The style you choose will shape your guest list, venue, theme, activities, and more.
These are some of the most popular ways to celebrate a new baby:
- Traditional Baby Shower: Features games, themed decorations, and gifts for the parents-to-be—customarily attended only by women.
- Baby Sprinkle: A smaller, more casual gathering for parents welcoming another child.
- Couples or Co-ed Baby Shower: Invite friends, family, and loved ones of all genders to celebrate together.
- Virtual Baby Shower: Allows loved ones who can’t attend in person to join the celebration from anywhere.
- Nesting Party: Invite friends and family to help prepare for the baby’s arrival by organizing the nursery, preparing freezer meals, baby-proofing the home, and tackling other practical tasks.
Pick a Date, Time, & Location
Once you’ve set a budget, gathered your helpers, and decided on a general vision, it’s time to choose a date, time, and baby shower venue. If you’re wondering when to have a baby shower, try to schedule it at least four to six weeks before the due date. This helps ensure the parent is still comfortable enough to enjoy the celebration and organize gifts before the baby arrives. Most baby showers are held around midday and last about two hours, giving guests enough time to eat, socialize, and play games. Your venue will depend on your budget, the time of year, and the size of your guest list. Some baby shower hosts rent a venue for larger celebrations, while others opt for an at-home or backyard shower. If you or the parents-to-be live in an apartment, consider asking the leasing office about reserving the clubhouse.
Select a Baby Shower Theme
A baby shower theme can help you create a memorable celebration. With so many unique baby shower themes to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with options. Try to keep it simple yet fun. If the parents-to-be are decorating the new baby room around a certain style, consider incorporating the same nursery colors or design elements into the celebration. Or stick to classic themes like a safari baby shower, pastel baby shower, or a Winnie the Pooh baby shower. Once you’ve picked a theme, many of your decorating, food, and game ideas will naturally fall into place.
Send Invitations
After finalizing the logistics of your baby shower party, it’s time to send invitations. Aim to send baby shower invitations four to six weeks before the event so guests have plenty of time to RSVP and shop for gifts. Whether you choose digital invitations, printable templates, or handmade DIY invitations, be sure to include the date, time, location, RSVP deadline, contact information, and a link or QR code to the baby registry. Keeping track of RSVPs is essential, so designate yourself or another host as the main point of contact to take stress off the parents-to-be. Use your final headcount to confirm seating, food, games, and other last-minute details.
Plan Baby Shower Games & Activities
Games are a great way to keep guests entertained and encourage everyone to mingle. Try classic baby shower games like the Celebrity Baby Game, Baby Stroller Olympics, or crowd favorites like Baby Bingo, which guests can play while the mom-to-be opens her gifts. Other popular baby shower activities include diaper games and the Don’t Say Baby Game. Between games, set up activity stations where guests can write advice or words of encouragement for the parents-to-be or decorate baby onesies, bibs, or wooden blocks to create personalized keepsakes. Don’t forget to have a few baby shower prizes on hand for game winners. Small gifts like candles, coffee mugs, succulents, gourmet treats, and gift cards all make thoughtful prizes.
Prepare the Menu Ahead of Time
On the day of the baby shower, you won’t want to be responsible for cooking while trying to host. If you aren’t catering, plan a quick and easy baby shower menu with foods you can prepare ahead of time, such as cheese and crackers and a veggie tray. No matter what baby shower food you plan to serve, create a baby shower checklist—including groceries, plates, napkins, cups, and utensils—to make sure you have enough for everyone. It’s also important to consider dietary restrictions and pregnancy-safe foods so that the mom-to-be can enjoy the menu, too.
Offer Refreshing Drinks
A signature baby shower drink is a fun way to keep guests refreshed and mark the special occasion. Check with the mom-to-be to see if she wants to serve alcoholic beverages or keep the event dry. If the occasion will be alcohol-free, there are all kinds of creative mocktail recipes to try! For easy serving, batch your drink into a pitcher or set up a bar with mixers—like a mimosa station with different juices—to let guests customize their sips. Whatever you choose, your thirsty guests will appreciate this fun, thoughtful touch.
Make Room for Guests
No matter where you’re hosting the shower, make sure there’s enough seating for everyone. If you’re renting a venue, tables and chairs may already be included, though it’s best to double-check just in case you need to rent them separately. If you’re hosting at home, you may just need to rearrange furniture or bring in extra folding chairs. Outdoor baby showers in backyards or parks can easily accommodate guests with folding tables and chairs. Many businesses and organizations like churches have chairs and tables for rent—so check with your friends and family to see if they have a recommendation.
Decorate the Venue
Having a theme makes it easier to come up with baby shower decoration ideas. Consider buying themed wall art, streamers, balloons, and table decor to bring the space together. Personal touches like a diaper cake, teddy bear centerpiece, or decorative dessert table can also serve as eye-catching focal points. Or let your take-away gifts be part of the decor—small flowering plants can add softness to a space while having a second life after the party ends.
Take Plenty of Photos
Photos are one of the best ways to remember a baby shower. Ask a friend or family member to take pictures throughout the celebration, or place disposable cameras around the venue so guests can capture candid moments. Plan time for a baby shower photoshoot so the parents-to-be can take photos with their guests before everyone heads home. Simple photo backdrops with balloons, string lights, a custom sign, and fun props can take your photos to the next level.
Play Background Music
Throwing a baby shower on a budget? Playing background music is an easy, low-cost way to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Connect to a portable speaker or TV to play a curated baby shower playlist filled with upbeat songs, relaxing tunes, or baby-themed favorites. Most streaming platforms offer pre-made playlists with fun baby shower music, making it easy to get started. If you have a record player, you could even spin some of the mom-to-be’s favorite albums. Just be sure to keep the volume low enough for guests to comfortably chat.
Keep Kids Entertained
If you’re hosting a kid-friendly baby shower, be sure to have activities to keep little ones occupied. Set up a table with fun snacks for kids like fruit kabobs or apple sandwiches. Depending on their ages, organize a pacifier hunt, set out toys and art supplies, or plan a few baby shower games just for them. If you’re hosting at home, backyard activities are another great way to keep kids busy.
Have a Plan for Gifts
When it comes to baby shower gifts, there are several things to consider. Start by helping the expecting mother create a baby registry online, then include the registry link in the baby shower invites to make shopping easier for guests. You can also encourage guests to bring a favorite children’s book instead of a greeting card to help begin building a baby library. Ask the mom-to-be whether she’d like to open gifts during the shower or would prefer guests to bring them unwrapped to save time and reduce cleanup. Designate a gift table, and have someone keep track of who gave each gift to make writing thank-you cards a breeze. You can even ask guests to self-address their envelopes as they arrive.
Don’t Forget Baby Shower Party Favors
At the end of the party, send your guests home with a party favor they’ll enjoy. Stick to classic baby-themed gifts, or opt for more personalized baby shower gifts for guests like soaps, small plants, candles, coffee mugs, or picture frames. Whatever you choose, party favors are a simple way to thank guests for celebrating and supporting the growing family.
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