It’s time to welcome a new baby to the world…and you get to host the baby shower! How do you start? First you daydream, and in that mulling it over stage you decide on a theme for the baby shower. There are so many terrific possibilities! Next, you begin the real planning. Once you know where the party will be held, there are five main factors to consider: decorations; menu; activities; favors; invitations. Your theme choice will help you pull all of those areas together.
Baby Shower Decorations
Decorations don’t have to be elaborate or expensive, but they do make an impact on the ambience of the shower. Use banners, a wreath or something that relates to your theme as part of a visual welcome when guests arrive. The main food/dessert tables are typical party focal points so you’ll want to put most of your decorating efforts in those staging areas. A gift table will be another spot to embellish. Guests are most likely to be seated in a living room at a casual gathering, so choose two or three spots to tuck in smaller decorative ideas. Table centerpieces that relate to the main table decorations are appreciated at a larger venue.
Baby Shower Menu Ideas
Finger foods and easy to eat choices are popular at showers. Reinforce your theme idea with menu options. For example, if you host a circus themed shower your food choices might include popcorn and corn dogs on a stick instead of the macarons and croissants you’d choose for an afternoon in Paris theme.
Baby Shower Games
The purpose of baby shower games and activities is to have fun together, so think of how to make your guests most comfortable as you choose what to include. One popular game is the Baby Names A-Z Game. Give a piece of paper with each letter of the alphabet written. Beside each letter, have each guest write a boy or girl name. The first guest to write a name for each letter is the winner.
There are definitely a lot of game options and craft activities are a popular alternative. Decorating bibs and onesies have become favoured possibilities. Be sure to have enough crafting materials for everyone to participate and know how to demonstrate the craft how-to!
Baby Shower Party Favors
Party favors are a congenial way to say thanks for coming. Nail polish and small, spa-type gifts are trendy, but candles, notecards and special sweets have been popular for a long while. Cute hang tags, ribbon, tulle or other froufrou ramp up the “wow” factor.
Electronic invitations are becoming common, but receiving a fun one through the mail generates more excitement for your party! Send an invite that harmonizes with the theme; for example, a diaper or bottle shape.
The new mama will always remember this special occasion—that’s great inspiration for covering all the details it takes to plan a baby shower!
What theme will you choose for your next baby shower?
Stephanie Keeping is mom to a boy named Sam, a blogger, and an Etsy-preneur. She celebrates boyish charm at Spaceships and Laser Beams, where she talks about all things boy and birthday party.
Thanks for the tips, I will have to plan one in a couple months for my friend so time to start putting the thinking cap on!
Great to know!! I too will soon be doing planning one of these for a friend so thanks for sharing these wonderful tips with all of us.
These are great tips!! Thank you!!
cute ideas!
I was just told I am going to be having a new grandchild (their first) so I will be planning a baby shower, thanks for the tips
Love parties, and as for baby showers the most wonderful and lovely gatherings together to welcome a new mom and a baby.
These tips would make a baby shower lots of fun.
nice tips gathered together here. I’m sure that they’ll come in useful to a lot of people. I’ve never actually been to a baby shower, my children were all born in Germany where it wasn’t something that was done unfortunately.
Im doing one for my Daughter end of March. I am always looking for more ideas.
I will have to implement some of these ideas for my friend`s baby shower this summer
We will be having a baby shower this summer as I will be a Grandma again, so excited. I loved this post, thanks for the great ideas.
Thanks for all the tips and ideas,we will be planning a shower after the holdays
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I love your ideas and tips. I remember throwing a shower and trying to remember everything was the hardest part for me
Baby Showers are so much fun and such a delight to plan and attend. Great ideas, thank you for sharing.