You or someone you know is expecting! Now it’s time for the gift giving stage. Baby showers can be a lot of fun to plan, but they can also be a lot of work. Whether you are planning for yourself or for a friend, sometimes we all take to the internet for a little inspiration. And thus, here are a few ideas and themes I have come up with to help you along in the planning process.
Decorations
Elephants are very in right now, so I’m going with an elephant theme for the decorations. Also, for whatever reason, they are easy to get in specific colors or gender neutral. Get simple, cute things like cups, plates, and a few decorations and have the whole theme pulled together with a little banner. No need to go all out, but something small to pull it together, like an extra wall decoration, can really show guests that you wanted them to enjoy the event.
Speaking of balloons, get some. Some for inside, some for outside. Some with helium, some you just blow up. Balloons are fun, festive, and relatively cheap. Plus, if there are any younglings at the party, it’s instant, easy entertainment.
Favors
Favors are still a pretty common thing, so let’s put some together! First, you need the bag or container everything it going to go into. I personally love these little baby bottles. Or if you want to keep the elephant theme going strong, these bags match perfectly. And I fully believe in stuffing favors with fun, simple things like candy. I also found these key chains which I love and they match your theme! I’ve also seen people do things like soap, bottle openers, or even gender reveal candles!
Games
I also really enjoy old school games that aren’t bought prepackaged from Amazon. Here are a few of my favorites.
Don't Say Baby!
Gather 5 clothespins per guest. Each guest receives their clothespin upon arrival and receives instructions not to say the word “baby”. Anyone who says “baby” gets their clothespin taken away by whomever hears them. The individual with the most clothespins at the end of the shower will win!
My favorite is when you have the person who is really committed to asking questions and trying to get others to say “baby”. Or you have the author like me, who has an arsenal of synonyms just waiting to be put to use!
Guess Who?
Have each guest bring a photo of themselves as a baby. Then number the photos and place them either around the room or on a board. Have a few guessing sheets prepared with a blank, numbered list. Then each guest has to guess which baby photo goes to which adult! It’s super low key, simple, fun, and always good for some laughs.
Guest Book
Less of a game and more of a keepsake, but I love the idea. Have a journal, or a jar with paper, or anything really for your guests to write on and leave a note. It can be a note of advice for the expecting parents, or something sweet and special just for baby. It makes the shower more memorable and gives the family something to look back on.
While I have written about the onesie painting activity for families to do, it can be really fun if you have a creative group of friends as well. This activity is an easy way to relax, chat, and make something long term for the littlie. It just requires a few blank onesies and some fabric paint.
Opening Gifts
I actually really did not want to open gifts at my baby shower, so this one is optional depending on the parent and the guests. I found my guests really wanted me to do this, so I did. Have everyone gather around and the expecting parents open all the gifts. Make sure someone that is not opening gifts is taking notes so that thank you cards can be sent out at a later date.
Play Dough Babies
Gender Reveal
For the millionth time, I really don’t like the whole ‘gender’ obsession we have in our culture. And as always, I understand a lot of people don’t share my sentiment. As such, I have outlined a few ‘gender reveal’ suggestions as well.
Cake
Yum, yum, everyone loves cake. Color the inside of your cake to reveal the gender of the tiny human that is being expected. Then cover the outside with white frosting and some sprinkles and you’ve got a delicious, revealing surprise. Not a big fan of cooking from scratch? I always love the old cake in a box. You can get a blue cake mix here, or a pink one here. Or just order a cake, that works too.
Piñata
More fun than a balloon, get a piñata and fill it with candy and colors. Most conveniently, you can often buy premade and pre-stuffed piñatas, saving you the extra work. Plus you can buy gender reveal candy off Amazon or even just get delicious candy to put amongst the colored confetti.
Did I miss any decorations, games, or gender reveal favorites? Post yours in the comments!
