It doesn't matter who your planning it for this Baby Shower idea guide will tell you everything you need to know about planning a successful baby shower.

Planning a baby shower is loads of fun but the key to a successful baby shower is to be organized and remember it’s a party so fun, fun fun.

Remember, the whole event should completely stress-free for the mum to be.

In planning a baby shower you need to consider

Dates and Venue
Budget
Baby Shower Invitations
Baby Shower Decorations
Baby Shower theme
Nibbles & refreshments
Baby Shower Games
Baby Shower Favour Ideas
Baby Gift List including Top Ten items
Baby shower cake
Baby Gifts

Dates and Location
The best time to hold a baby shower is in the last trimester of pregnancy they are commonly held on the weekend, commencing just after lunch/early afternoon.

You may like to consider a location where the mum to be doesn’t have to worry about cleaning before and after. Choose from Hotels, Cafes, Parks, or of course a comfy house.

Budget
To determine how much the shower will cost, you will need to know the number of guests, the location of the shower, the menu, what type of party favours, and how many game prizes you will need.

Baby Shower Invitations
Remember to send out your invitations at least 3-4 weeks before the party date. Ask the mum and Dad to be who they’d like on the guest list if it’s a surprise enlist the help of family and friends.

Invitations can be as informative as a phone call or you can buy or make them.

Choose a theme which you can reflect through the invitations, decorations, food and games. Some theme ideas can include:

Colour party - If you know the sex of the baby a Pink or Blue maybe just the Party theme. If you don’t know the sex then a pink and blue party will work well.

Zodiac Party - have a baby shower party based on the child's zodiac sign.

Children’s stories, Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Poo, Mother Goose.

Baby's room – The nursery may already have a theme such as Jungle or Flowers etc.

I.O.U party - instead of buying gifts why not ask each guest to give the mum-to-be an I.O.U. such as baby sitting or house work voucher, making dinner I.O.U. or ironing/washing voucher. As any mum knows these types of gestures and favours are invaluable when you have a newborn and really appreciated!

Baby Shower Decorations
Decorations can be as simple as balloons and themed paper plates, or you can have fun making decorations such as collecting baby pictures of the invited guests and parents-to-be and placing them into simple paper frames. You can even use these to play 'guess who the baby is' as a baby shower party game. Don't forget that if you need assistance preparing the baby shower party just enlist the help of family and friends.

 

Baby Shower Themes
Pink, Pink, Pink!!!
Contributed by Kirstin Green
I threw a baby shower for my best friend. She was having a girl and is very girly herself. I wrote on the invitation to wear pink. It was a surprise for the Mum-to-be. When she walked in, she couldn't believe everyone wore pink. I had pink flowers, pink candles, pink table cloths, pink everything - including pink punch with pink balloons with frozen water in them. I filled them up 2 nights before. Since they are balloons, they expand with the ice. Everyone commented on how cute that was. I used pink of course, but you can use any colour to match your theme.

Party for Mum
contributed by Teddy Oliver
We had a blast!
We gave the normal gifts, blankets, wraps, baby wipes, picture frames Panadol and an ear therMumeter.
Then we gave the gag gifts, such as: a nappy changing kit which included an apron, rubber gloves and a face mask. We gave her granny glasses, knitting yarn and the book “Knitting for Dummies” and a "granny" shawl.
The cake was made by one of our staff members and on it she had baby bottles and shot glasses!
It was a lot of fun! I hope you can use some of these ideas.

Froggies Shower
contributed by Tanya
It's a Boy, and the Mummy loves frogs!!
Everything themed of froggies - invitations, decorations, cake, a stuffed animal frog for baby!

Rubber Ducky
contributed by Grandma-to-be
Rubber Ducky decorations are easy, colourful and sold everywhere. Build the theme on duckies, bubbles and baths.
CENTERPIECES - Float a duckie in a glass pedestal bowl filled with California Crystals which look like bubbles. A drop of blue food colouring adds zing. Attach a balloon for height. Surround the base with yellow curling ribbon frills.
GIFT TABLE - Fill a baby bathtub with ducky-themed gifts for the focal point on the gift table. Use white netting inside to soften the look and fill in between items.
FAVORS - Fill small plastic bags with blue raffia and ducky-shaped soaps. Tie off with curling ribbon. Stand upright on each place setting.
PUNCH BOWL - Float duckies on punch bowl. Make the punch blue if you're brave enough
DOOR PRIZE - Gift basket of bubble bath, lotion etc.
PRIZES FOR GAMES - Wrap in yellow and orange tissue. Fill galvanized wash tub with round light blue balloons (blown up very small to look like bubbles). Arrange gifts on the "bubbles." Keep the bath theme for prizes: soaps, bath beads, bath bombs, pampering items etc.
PLATES, NAPKINS, CUPS - Use bright yellow with orange accents. You can avoid using the boring matched sets of baby paper goods found at card stores.

Peter Rabbit
contributed by Natalie
Have a lot of stuffed animals that are rabbits. Peter Rabbit gifts, plates, cups, napkins, table clothes, wrapping paper.

ABC Baby Shower
contributed by Tangelia
In this type of shower where you pick something you want to spell out. For example, the baby's name, the mother to be's name, the parents name, etc.
You then find baby gifts that match up with that letter. You send one letter of the word with the invitation to each person. The guest are to buy a gift that starts with that letter. You can give the guest some ideas and also let them be creative. "H" for high chair, "N" for nappy bag, night lamp etc.

Circus Theme
contributed by Auntie2Be
My sister and I are throwing a surprise baby shower for our sister-in-law, and we are having some sort of circus theme.
Decorations: Colourful balloons, peanuts, cut-outs of different animals, and pictures drawn by our brother of animals in nappy’s.
Food: A cake with an elephant and balloons on it, popcorn, and animal crackers.

Time Capsule
contributed by Robin Dixon
Make a nice "Time Capsule" box for the baby. Ask each guest to bring along a favourite book, song, poem a homemade video or item to denote the "times".
This time capsule will be saved for baby and opened at 18th birthday, graduation or other important date. Baby receives an heirloom to treasure always.

Selecting the menu
Although your menu should reflect your theme, the time of day is as important - as well as the number of guests. Make this a day of celebration for the Mother-to-be or parents-to-be, her guests, and yourself. Consider the amount of time and room available for the shower, as well as any special dietary needs of the Mother-to-be and her guests.

Baby Shower Games
People have the most difficulty with planning the baby shower party games. Plan simple party games like a nappy changing competition, guess the number of jellybeans in the baby's bottle, or design a trivia game like matching famous celebrities with a list of their children's names.

Decide in what order you would like the baby shower party to run. Generally most people set aside a table for nibbles and drinks and another table to place gifts on as guests arrive. When everyone is present, start the baby shower party games and then allow guests time to eat, drink and mingle. After that, it's time to open the gifts. Remember to keep a gift registry as the mum-to-be opens her lovely presents.

If all this seems too daunting, you can always enlist the help of a baby shower specialist. To search for one in your area, try putting "baby shower" or "party plan" into the Bub Hub internal search engine.
Baby Games

Baby Shower Game 1. Baby!
What you’ll need
1 x dummy for each person coming, cheap is fine
1 x piece of ribbon per dummy – enough to have a dummy hang around guests’ necks

How to Play

When everyone arrives at the baby shower, give them a dummy each to wear around their neck.
When everyone has arrived, explain that whenever anyone is caught saying the word ‘baby’, the first person to spot them gets that person’s dummy. So the idea of the game is to collect as many dummies as you can by the end of the day.
It’s a great game for getting everyone involved and really listening to what is going on in the hope they can win a dummy! You can adapt the word for something else, for example if mum-to-be is having twins, you could choose ‘twins’ or ‘babies’.

Baby Shower Game 2. Jellybabies
What you’ll need
A packet of jellybabies
Ice cube trays – enough for one cube per guest
Cups of equal size, disposable are ideal

How to Play

This needs to be prepared the night before the baby shower. Place one jelly baby into each ice cube slot and fill with water. They need to be frozen to play.
For the baby shower, announce that you are starting a game and give everyone a drink of water or punch etc., in a cup filled to the same height and tell them not to drink it.
Bring around a bowl of the jelly babies and ask each guest to pick one frozen jelly baby and put it in their drink for the game. Remind them not to start drinking until everyone has a jelly baby.
Once everyone is ready, the game can begin. The first jelly baby to be ‘born’ (from the ice completely melting) is the winner! The cubes must melt on their own accord – no crunching the ice. Even if someone wasn’t paying attention at the time and theirs has melted, the winner is the first person to notice their baby has been born.

Baby Shower Game 3. The Price Is Right…?
What you’ll need
A selection of baby products varying in price
Notepad and pen for each guest

How to Play

This game is simple but fun – buy around 8 baby products which vary in price and place them in random order on a table or bench. Each guest must guess how much each item costs and write it down on paper.
The guest who guesses closest to the amounts wins. An easy way to tally the total up is to work out the differences in amounts of the guessed amount and actual amount, then add up all the differences in prices for each guest.

Baby Shower Game 4. Dress the Baby
What you’ll need
A newborn baby sized doll (with a nappy on)
Disposable nappies
A timer

How to Play

For this game, each guest needs to take off doll’s nappy and then put another nappy back on the doll, as fast as they can, using only one hand – the other behind their back. Depending on the amount of guests and / or time you have, you could expand this to dressing also. The guest who changes / dresses baby the fastest is the winner.

Baby Shower Game 5. Clothes horse game
What you’ll need
A clothes horse
Lots of pegs
A timer

How to Play

Place lots of pegs on the clothes horse and the guest to take off the most pegs and put them into a container or bucket in 15 seconds is the winner.

Baby Shower Game 6. Belly Measure Game
What you’ll need
A tape measure
Pen and paper for each guest
The guest of honour’s pregnant belly!

How to Play

This is a simple game, everyone needs to make a guess of how many centimetres the mother-to-be’s belly is. The person who guesses closest is the winner.

Baby Shower Game 7. Weight Game
What you’ll need
Bathroom Scales
Pen and paper for each guest
The guest of honour!

How to Play

If mum-to-be is comfortable taking part in this game, it can work as per above, except you need to guess mum’s weight. Probably a game more for a groups of friends that are close and mum is happy to do so – it’s a good idea to ask her first!

Baby Shower Game 8. "Tip" Jar
contributed by Ashley
Make a "Tip" Jar out of any type of container. Have a pile of index cards sitting in front of it, and let everyone know that if they have any motherly advice they would like to share, write it down on an index card with their name and put it in the "Tip" Jar.

Baby Shower Game 9. Baby-oake
contributed by Angie M.
Have guests divide into teams.
Each team chooses a lullaby or nursery rhyme and personalizes it for the parent(s) and baby.
They then perform their new lullaby/nursery rhyme for everyone, the parent(s)-to-be choose the winner.
Make sure you have a video camera!!! Great for a couples shower.

Baby Shower Game 10. The Nappy Game
contributed by Melissa P
What you need: a dozen disposable nappies, permanent marker, a dozen different candy bars, plastic spoons, paper and pen for each guest
Number the nappies 1 to 12 with the permanent marker. Away from everyone's view (in the kitchen), hostess puts a different kind of candy bar in each nappy (a piece about half an inch big is enough). She then microwaves each nappy just long enough for the chocolate to melt.
The "dirty" nappies are passed around and guests try to guess what kind of candy bar each nappy contains. Have your camera ready, because this game makes for some HILARIOUS photos! (People putting "dirty" nappies up to their noses, people tasting the chocolate "poop") and the different varieties of "poop" make people laugh. (Candy bars with nuts, caramel or coconut work very well. Think Mr. Goodbar, Almond Joy, Snickers)
Enjoy!

Baby Shower Game 11. Pregnancy Trivia
contributed by Fela
Everyone gathers around Mum-to-be, and she asks questions about her pregnancy to see who can get the right answers.
Tally up the scores and hand out the prizes.
The purpose is to see how well your friends know about your pregnancy

Baby Shower Game 12. Feel Up
contributed by Cheryl
Two guests stand in the middle of the room facing each other. The hostess or a designated person then blindfolds each player. The hostess then strategically places 5 clothespins on each player. The players then must "feel up" the other player to find the clothespins on the other player. Whoever gets the most clothespins in the designated time (usually 1 minute) is the WINNER! Lots of laughs!

Baby Shower Game 13. Guess The Baby Food
contributed by Natalie Grooms
Get 10 to 12 jars of stage 1 or 2 baby food. Remove the labels and number them. Write the matching number on the jar. Make a list for 10 to 12 guesses to be written with the corresponding jar number. Pass the unlabeled jars around the room as guests make their guesses. The guest who gets the most correct answers wins!! The Mum-to-be gets the unopened and properly labelled jars as a gift.
Alternative: Taste the food and guess its name. This could be funny, but the Mum-to-be could not take the jars home since they will be opened.

Baby Shower Game 14. Baby's Name
contributed by Andrea
Take the baby's name and put it at the top of a piece of paper. Make copies and give one to every guest. Give the guests a minute or to to make as many words out of the baby's name as they can.

Baby Shower Game 15. Celebrity Babies
contributed by Jen
Each guest is given a list of celebrity Mums on the left, and a list of names on the right. Match the celebrity Mum to the name of her baby/child. Ex: Madonna would by matched to Lourdes, using only the first or first and middle names, etc. Whomever matches the most correctly wins. Names of celebrity's children may be found online via different articles on many websites.

Baby Shower Game 16. Name The Part Of The Body Using Three Words
contributed by Phyllis
Name part of the body using three letter words. The guest with the most correct answers wins a prize.

The answers are:
1-arm
2-leg
3-rib
4-hip
5-lip
6-gum
7-jaw
8-eye
9-lid
10-toe
bonus word 11-ear

Baby Shower Game17. Motherly Advice
contributed by Tammy
Upon arriving, each guest is given an index card and to write a question a new mother would ask (example: How can I stop my baby from crying?)

Then during the shower, these same cards are passed back out to the guests only face down so questions cannot be seen by anyone.

Guests are to write the answer to the question on the back that they placed on their card from the beginning.

Then someone can read question from the front and then answer on the back (It's hilarious!)

Baby Shower Game 18. Lullaby
contributed by Beverly S.
As guests arrive, take each one into another room to sing their favourite lullaby or childhood song into a tape recorder. If they don't want to sing, have them recite their favourite nursery rhyme or poem.

Give the tape to the soon-to-be mother.

Baby Shower Game 19. Potato Game
contributed by Vanessa
Things You Need: 1 Potato - 1 Jar
Make sure the potato can fit in the jar
Object: The goal of this game is to drop the potato in the jar using your knees.
Directions: You place the jar in the middle of the room. Each person at your shower takes a turn. The person places the potato in between their knees and tries walking from the front of the room to the middle. Once they reach the middle they must attempt to drop the potato in the jar. Whoever makes it wins.

If you have more than one winner, they go against each other until there is only one winner.

Helpful Hint: Try to use a potato that can barely fit in the jar or use two different potatoes with the larger one saved for the second round.

Baby Shower Game 20. Guess Who I Am?
contributed by Gloria F.
Come up with a name of a person and write it on a sticker and place it on the back of each guest. For instance, the mother-to-be could be MOTHER THERSA. Each guest has to figure out who they are by asking other guests questions. But the person answering the questions can only give a yes or no answer. For instance: Am I female or male? The other person would answer yes or no. Other names you could come up with are: Jack Nicholson, Albert Einstein, Elvis Presley, Gene Kelly, Grace Kelly, President Nixon.

This is a good way to get your guests to mingle.

Baby Shower Game 21. The Name Game
contributed by Barb
The hostess should prepare name tags with various words of things that the mother will use during motherhood. Example: Bottle, Nappy, Baby Bed, etc.
As the guests arrive, give them a name tag and instead of using their real name at the shower they should be called the name on the name tag. If anyone forgets to use the name tag name they have to contribute a quarter to baby's first piggy bank. This game continues until the mother to be opens all the gifts.

Baby Shower Game 22. Mummy's Body
contributed by Sis
You give all guests a piece of paper {writing or construction} and have the mother to be stand up so everyone can get a look at her profile. Have them take the paper, fold it in half, put it behind their backs, and, with their hands, only tear out what they perceive as her form. When everyone is done you have them open them up and the best one is picked by the mother to be. They get a gift! If there is more than one that she likes that person also gets one.
Then put the name of the creator on them and put them in the baby's book. Lots of fun.

Baby Shower Game 23. Did You Say BABY?
contributed by Rachel
Each person is given a clothes pin at the beginning of the shower. Everyone is then instructed not to say the word "baby." If you slip and say "baby", then the first person who catches you gets all of your clothes pins. The person who has the most at the end of the shower, or a set time (say 1 or 2 hours into the shower), wins!
This is a lot of fun! It is impossible not to say "baby" at a Baby Shower

Baby Shower Game 24. Balloon Bust
contributed by Kimberly Stanley
First, you need lots of balloons. On a sheet of paper write down some baby names and, only once, write down the name you have chosen for your baby. After you blow the balloon up, stick the paper in the balloon and tie it. Place the balloons all over the area where you are having the shower. Each guest has to try and find the one balloon that has the chosen name in it, but the only way for them to find out what name is in there they have to bust the balloon by sitting on it. The one to find the chosen name is the winner. The guests can only do one balloon at a time.

Prizes and Favours
Chances are, your guests will range from those who have not had children to those whose children are grown, so choosing the right prizes and favours can be challenging. You can choose a variety of favours or one single item that you know nearly everyone will like regardless of age.

Baby Shower Party Favour Ideas:
Bubbles with a picture of a baby as the label
Puzzles (Miniature, of course)
Picture frame suitable for baby's picture
Chocolate truffles
Baby bears
Bud vase with baby's breath
Small baby bottle filled with candies
Lace hankie tied with a pink or blue ribbon
Sample bottles of body lotion in miniature baskets
Ceramic angel
Candies tied in pink or blue netting
Potpourri tied in clear bags with pink and blue ribbons
Tiny beanbag animals
Luxury perfumed soaps
Candles wrapped in pink and blue ribbon

There are many online stores selling all sorts of creative, and often personalized, favours. This is an economical and time-saving way to find favours your guests will truly enjoy receiving!

Top 10 gifts for Baby and Mum and Dad to be

Snugabub Cot Sheets and Blankets
Bouncer
Night Light, Mobile and Baby Monitor for Nursery
Room Thermometer
Activity mat, toys for Pram, Car and home
Wraps and Blankets
Hooded Towels and Face washers
Teething rings, dummies and bibs
Cloth Nappies & Nappy bucket
Carry pouch /Sling

Presents just for Mum to be
Soothing lotions, books, relaxation Cd’s, chocolate

Baby Shower Survival Guide
Six weeks before the shower

• Set time and date with Mother-to-be
• Prepare guest list with couple's help so you don't overlook someone
• If it is a surprise shower, contact the couple's friends or parents to help with guest list
• Reserve the date as soon as possible if you are planning to hold the shower at a restaurant
• Make or purchase invitations
• Reserve a caterer if you are using one
• Start thinking about decorations

 

Four weeks before the party

• Plan menu and start planning who will bring what (if this is a group effort)
• Decide on what games you will play and gather necessary props
• Decide on game prizes you will award and start shopping for them
• Choose your gift, as you might get so busy you forget
• Mail out invitations
• Begin your search for anything you may need to rent or borrow for the shower
• Purchase or create place cards if you will be using them

 

Three weeks before the shower

• Take care of decorations, either buying, making, collecting or borrowing
• Ask friends to bring teddy bears or stuffed animals if this is your theme
• Purchase and wrap your gift, so you won't forget at the last minute
• Prepare shopping list for all ingredients you need to prepare food (try KitchenRooster.com for recipe ideas)
• Purchase and wrap favours for guests
• Make sure you have extra wrapping paper and ribbon on hand (just in case of last minute gifts)
• Purchase prizes for games
• Designate someone to pick up the Mother-to-be

 

Two weeks before the shower

• Make sure that you have the proper serving dishes and utensils
• Check tables and chairs to be sure you have enough
• Look over table linens and napkins (if using cloth)
• Confirm reservations if the shower is being held outside the home
• If it is being catered, contact the caterers
• If friends are bringing food, touch base with them

 

One week before the shower

• Prepare anything that can be frozen ahead
• Call anyone who has not responded to the invitation
• Check all recipes and buy the ingredients
• Either clean your home or hire someone to do it
• If you will need extra refrigerator space, call a neighbour
• Check over your decorations to be sure you have everything you need

Two days before the shower

• Arrange transportation for any guest who may need it
• Make sure "Mum is feeling good"
• Have a footstool and pillow for "Mum"
• Decide what you are wearing

The day before the shower

• Purchase, pick up, or make the rest of the food on your menu
• Check your home for last minute cleaning
• Set up extra chairs for guests
• Check to be sure you have enough ice
• Try to set up a spot to display baby's gifts
• Check on any last minute details
• Have plastic trash bag ready for wrappings
• Pick up helium balloons (they'll be fine overnight, unless you have pets!)
• Make sure "Mum" is feeling good

 

The day of the shower

• Call "Mum" and make sure she feels GREAT
• If the shower is being held someplace other than your home, plan to arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of your guests
• Decorate the home
• Set the table, if possible
• Make sure designated driver picks up the guest of honour
• Try to have someone there to help with last minute details
• Light candles or use essential oils to scent the room
• Have glassware and light refreshments available
• As each guest arrives, make sure she knows someone or introduce her to others
• Provide the Mother-to-be with a footstool and a pillow for her back

 

 

Baby gifts, baby shower