Baby Shower Themes – How to Organize a Baby Shower
Baby Shower Themes – Although a newborn’s arrival into the world can be a joyful occasion, it can also bring a lot of stress, not just for the parents, but for family and friends as well.
Baby showers are the perfect example. While they are used to celebrate the arrival of a brand new life into the world, they can also be stressful for the person hosting the occasion. If you are planning to throw a baby shower for a friend or a relative, and you are not sure exactly how to start organizing it, this article provides some tips.
Best time for a baby shower?
The best time to throw a baby shower is on the weekend, preferably mid-morning to late afternoon. Why? Because people work during the week. Also, consider having the baby shower later on in the mother-to-be pregnancy, around 9 weeks before the birth is best.
A baby shower can also be held after the birth of the child. This is the best plan if the mother-to-be is having complications with her pregnancy.
How many people should I invite?
One normally invites anywhere from 10 to 20 people to a baby shower. What one should also take into consideration when inviting people, is whether or not the location of the baby shower can accommodate only a few or a large group of people.
How long should a baby shower last?
A baby shower generally lasts about two to three hours. That should be enough time for everyone to mingle, the presents to be opened, and food eaten. Also, take into consideration the mother-to-be is more easily exhausted.
Who should pay for the baby shower?
The host/hostess should pay for the baby shower. A baby shower is perceived as a gift from the host to the bride. It is not unusual or wrong for the host to ask family or close friends to help out monetarily. So, if you need some financial help, don’t be shy in asking family and close friends. What is not acceptable is asking the mother-to-be for monetary help.
Should I throw a surprise shower?
If you are thinking of throwing a surprise shower, you may want to rethink. Surprise showers can cause the host all kinds of problems, namely making sure the mother-to-be arrives at the shower on time. The best plan is to throw a baby shower that the mother-to-be is aware of because she can offer much needed suggestions to the host.
Do you need to send out invitations?
Yes, one needs to send out invitations for a baby shower. It does not have to involve fancy stationery. One can go to any greeting card store and purchase invitations at a reasonable price. It is also important that you send out the invitations a few weeks in advance, preferably three to four weeks.
Can I have games at the baby shower?
Games are indeed very popular at baby showers. However, baby showers are primarily about the food, drink (non-alcoholic), presents and conversations. So while having games at a baby shower is fine, do not feel pressured to have them. If you do opt for games at a baby shower, be creative and make sure the games center on the baby and mother-to-be.
When should the presents be opened?
The presents should be opened after food has been enjoyed and games played, if you decide to have them.
Themes
In this day and age, a lot of baby showers have themes. There are advantages to a theme orientated baby shower. It can certainly make the shower easier to organize. You can make up your own them theme or use some already established popular baby showers themes, which include:
Tea party, which can be fun.
Book party, where everyone brings books as gifts for the baby and mother.
Diaper party, where the baby shower centers on gifts that deal with the bare necessities like diapers or baby bottles.
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Comments on Baby Shower Themes – How to Organize a Baby Shower
6:07 am
You are correct.
Formal etiquette says that someone who's not a relative must throw the shower to avoid having it look as though the family is asking for presents. Our advice? Ignore traditional rules. Any relative, close friend, or close co-worker should feel perfectly okay about planning a baby shower.
read link below on baby shower planning & etiquette.
6:34 am
In today's world of metro-sexual men, it's not that odd. I would try and think of new, more fun games. The ones I have been forced into playing are: taking a string and trying to guess the mothers stomach width, making little babies out of bubblegum, being blindfolded and trying to pick clothes pins out of a bowl of rice, looking at a tray of baby related items for 1 minute and trying to write down all the items. The most fun and interesting game was answering random baby related trivia. even that wasn't that interesting. My aunt had her baby shower and a German pub that served food. You could drink liquor and and eat food.The link below had some ok ideas. Some ideas of my own are to tell everyone it's a wear a diaper party. Like a Toga party but you must wear adult diapers and baby stuff. It will look like a huge adult baby get together. Don't forget to take alot of pictures. Have the shower at a bar or club on a Saturday night and hire a pregnant stripper (I am sure you can find on on Craig's List). Don't let traditional hold you back forom a truly unique time. Oh and hand out fun favors like condoms, sponges, spermacides and candy.
12:49 am
Usually the moms or her best friend throws the shower. The registry is a gift list done at a store like babies r us, target, or walmart etc,. If you ask at the customer service desk they will show you how to use it. It's pretty cool, you pick out what you want in the store. People who want to get the baby a gift can see what you picked out on a store prinout or online. It's great becuase you can pick out what you two like most for baby. Things like bottles, bibs, cute clothes.
12:04 pm
Planning a Baby Shower (What to do…):
One of the first things you will need to plan for the baby shower idea is the location of it.
Are you going to have it at your house?
Are you going to have it at a family members house?
Are you going to rent out a small reception room to have it in?
Gift registry:
Are you going to have the mommy-to-be register at the local stores (JC Penny’s, Wal-Mart, Babies-R-US, etc.) and/or on-line? If so, be sure to include on your invitations that she is registered & where.
Is it going to be a diaper party? If so, be sure to include on your invitations, various sizes please. That way, some guest can bring newborn, while others bring size 1 & 2…etc.
The next thing you will want to do is make sure that you have a list of everyone you want to invite to the baby shower.
A good rule of thumb is to mail out your invitations at least two weeks in advance. This is so that your guest will have time to plan to come to the baby shower.
Invitations For The Baby Shower
What type of invitations are you going to send to your guest to invite them to the baby shower?
Are you going to have a ladies only baby shower?
Is it going to be co ed baby shower?
Are you going to let the guest bring their children to the baby shower?
There are several types of Baby Shower CAKES you can choose from. You can go to your local grocery store or bakery and buy a pre-decorated baby shower cake with an edible picture (theme of shower) on it or plastic character decorations. Or you can have someone bake the cake for you or do it yourself.
Be sure to ask the Mother-to-be what her favorite cake is & make the cake with that flavoring. (EX: Carrot Cake, White, Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana Nut…etc.) Theme should be what she is using for the nursery. (EX: Precious Moments, Winnie the Pooh, Care Bears, Boyds Bears, Looney Tunes…etc.)
Styles & Recipe of cakes: foam and butter cakes
http://www.baking911.com/cakes/types.htm
http://www.baby-gift-source.info/07/ideastobakeababyshowercake/
http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/babyshowerthemes/l/aabutterflycake.htm
http://www.allrecipes.com
http://www.wilton.com
What type of food and drinks are you going to serve?
Finger Foods, bought platters or going to restaurant?
Punch, Soda, Tea…etc.?
http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/babyshowerfood/l/blshowerecipein.htm
What type of games are you going to play?
Table games? (You can play where you sit.)
Activity games? (You get up & move around.)
Who will be the host/hostess at the baby shower?
You’re best-friend?
You’re sister?
The in-laws?
What type of decorations are you going to have?
Baby theme?
Matching the mommy-to-be’s nursery theme?
Plain baby colors?
Table center pieces?
Diaper Cake, baby items or stuffed animal with 3 helium balloons, wicker basket full of baby items, small vases with flowers in them…etc.
Door & ceiling decorations?
Diaper Wreath, baby shower banner, umbrella with streamers hanging from it, air balloons…etc.
What type of baby shower favors will you have for the guests?
Fold party napkins into diapers & fill them with mints & others with nuts.
Make little decorative pins with little plastic items that look like baby items from local dollar stores, Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Be sure to add some ribbon in the color theme of the party for a really cute look.
Little vases with flowers. Don’t forget to add some ribbon on these vases to.
Personalized Votive Candle Favor’s – Candles wrapped in tulle with ribbon tied on top
Any cute ideas that you can come up with to decorate the tables & the guests can take home.
Get Help With Baby Shower!!
Anyone who is wanting or willing to help out.
THE PARTY:
Decorate the room where the party will be held the night before (if possible) or early the morning of the party. And have party favors on tables available for people to take home for a remembrance.
Let everyone come in to sit & mingle. (If the mother-to-be will be mailing out thank you cards, it’s a good idea to have the guest fill out the thank you card envelopes with their name & address for a prize. You get them all & have the mother-to-be to close her eyes & pick one to be the winner. (Hold the envelopes for mother-to-be to send out with her personalized thank you cards to the guests.)
When there is a good number of people or most that were invited, announce that you will start playing games. You can start off by playing the written games such as Bingo, Word Search, Scrabble, Maze…etc. (Be sure to take extra pens, pencils or crayons for people to use to play the games.) Then play any of the other baby shower games that you like. (Be sure to take prizes for winners!)
If you notice that people are getting hungry, you can announce that you will be taking a break to eat & cut the cake. Once people are getting done, if you still have more games and time, continue playing games.
After the games are done, let everyone know that the mother-to-be will be opening presents. (Have someone write down all the gifts given to her & who gave them. (Then the mother-to-be can use this list to personalize her thank you cards.)
When everything is done & time is up, be sure to get people to help you clean-up! Have fun!
http://library.momsbreak.com/artman/publish/babyshower599.shtml
http://www.babyfit.com/articles.asp?id=417
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FUN GAME IDEAS:
I liked the idea of baby dictionary, where you get some cards write or type baby words on them. Each guest gets to draw what the word is…until someone guesses the word. They hand their card to that person. The person that gets the most cards by guessing the right answers wins!
You can draw pictures or just write the word of a baby related item on pieces of paper. As a guest arrives, you pin that paper on their back. When there's enough people to play, then they can ask 3 questions about their word which are answered in one word. Example: Does the baby drink from it. (Yes or No) Does the baby sit in it? (Yes or No) Is the item big or small. (Big or Small) The first & last person to guess what's on their back wins a prize.
The prize is right game. Buy about 10 baby items. Get some small envelopes with cards & write down the amount that corresponds to the item amount & seal the envelopes. Have them write 1-10 on a piece of paper and write down how much they think each item costs. The closest answer without going over gets that point. Then the one with the most points at the end wins!
Make a SCRAPBOOK. Be sure to take everything you need to make one, the album, paper, scissors, scrapbook glue, etc & an instant camera to take pictures of the guests with the new mommy-to-be & let them each make a scrapbook page for her. Be sure they leave room to place a future picture of them with the baby on their page.
Get a small box & place the word winner inside of it & wrap it. Place it in a bigger box & wrap it. Place that one in a bigger box & wrap it & continue as much as you can or want. Play some baby music & stop, that person gets to open the first box. They then pass the box that was inside to the next person & start the music again..then stop and that person gets to open the next box. continue until the last small box is open & the paper is taken out that says winner!!
Guess the # of Q-tips
Place Q-tips in a jar – better if it's colored ones. Have guests guess how many of one color or all colors in the jar. The person with the closet answer not going over wins. I use pink, white, blue.
Dice in a Bottle
MATERIALS: 2 dice, baby bottle, empty plastic baby wipe container with the top off, wrapped prizes in the center of the room.
Games is timed for ten minutes. Everyone sits in a circle and takes turns shaking the dice in the bottle and throwing them into the baby wipe container. If a guest throws doubles, they get a prize from the center of the room.
After all the prizes are gone, dice winners take prizes from the other winners. When the ten minutes is up, whoever has a prize gets to keep it.
Pin The Pacifier On The Baby
Have up to six guests try to pin a pacifier on the mouth of a large picture of a baby.
(Just like pin the tail on the donkey)
More ideas:
http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/babyshowergames/l/blshowgameindex.htm
http://www.baby-shower.com/d-games/index.html
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TABLE GAMES:
There are free table games that you can print out & play…like Baby Bingo, Crossword Puzzles, Maze, Word Scramble, word search. You can print out the number amount that you need and after they are printed, you will know where you have free space on those papers. You can add at the top or bottom the words, "Baby Shower for _____" & add some clip art to those open spaces to mach your theme (Precious Moments, Winnie Pooh, Care Bears..etc.) or just baby items (babies, stroller, walker, pacifier..etc.). I've done these in many baby showers and everyone loves them.
http://www.babbee.com/baby_shower_games/contents1.html
http://genxero.com/nubbins/index.cfm/mnu/games.html
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CO-ED FUN GAME IDEAS:
Dress The Baby
This was a great game for a coed party. Each of the women who were invited were told ahead of time to bring a diaper bag with an outfit to dress "their baby". As the couples arrived each was escorted to a private bedroom where the wives dressed their husbands as "their babies".
All 8 couples cooperated and it was a hoot! Prizes were given for cutest, most authentic looking, humorous, and ugliest baby. There were enough categories for each couple to win at least one prize and all the husbands were great sports! In fact mine even went home dressed in his diaper!
Prize Balloon
This is a really easy game to play and set up. First, you'll need to know how many guests will be going to your baby shower and then get that amount of balloons.(Example: 16 guests = 16 balloons. It's always a good idea to get a couple extra just in case one pops or something).
Then, you get little pieces of blank papers and put them into the balloons before you blow them up. On only one piece of paper, write "winner" (or whatever you'd like) and place that in a balloon.
Right before your baby shower is over, hand out one balloon to each person and have them pop it. The person that has the paper with writing on it gets the prize. It's as easy as that.
Feel Up
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!
Pudding Game
This game is the best baby shower game ever! Before the baby shower, buy those already-made pudding cups for each person playing the game.
Before you start the game, pair up couples across from each other, blindfold them, and put a trash bag over them so their clothes won't get dirty. (You may want to warn them in the invitations to wear casual clothes they wouldn't mind getting 'messy'!)
Start the timer for 30 seconds or however long you prefer, and as soon as you say "GO", each couple will have to feed each other as fast as they can. The couple who finishes their pudding first wins!!
Pin the Baby in the Mommy
Make or find a big (poster size preferably) picture of a pregnant woman and another picture of a baby. The game is played just like Pin the Tale on the Donkey. The only difference is you pin the baby in the mommy. It's cute and everyone at the baby shower I threw really enjoyed it.
Baby-oake
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.
Balloon Drop Race
Divide the guests into two teams. Place two laundry baskets at one end of the room; give each person an air-filled balloon. The object of this game is to have each person carry their balloon down to the laundry basket and drop it in-with their knees! Done in relay-race style, each guest must get to the laundry basket and drop their balloon in without using their hands! The team who drops all their balloons in first wins a prize.
http://www.baby-shower.com/d-games/index.html
http://www.babyshowertips.com/category/000831.shtml
1:14 pm
the mother of the mommy to be, the best friend, orthe future babys godmother!
really anyone but if u fit those cattagories than u should
1:30 pm
Buy a pack of newborn diapers and get 6 different types of candy bars. Melt each bar on a plate in the microwave for about 20 seconds and then plop it into the diaper.
Place the six diapers on a tray and give everyone some paper and pens and give them 2 minutes to try to guess which bar is which.
Afterwards give the bag of diapers to the mom-to-be and put the rest of the candy bars in a bowl for everyone to enjoy.
Leave a couple of plastic forks out in case anyone wants to sample the baby poop looking candy bars.
I did this game for a mom to be at a bank and I had a bunch of bankers standing around a bunch of dirty looking diapers. IT WAS HILARIOUS.!
I used snickers, milkyway, reese cup, hershey bar, twix, and 3 muskuteers. A few werer give-mes but there was only 1 winner out of 8 in my group. People still talk about how funny it was!
12:34 pm
Make it green-baby-themed shower! In other words make it an opportunity to educate everyone about the benefits to your baby and the environment in a fun, not-pushy way.
Just a few ways to set the atmosphere:
-Do an invitation on "recycled-looking", but stylish card stock
Include images, words and colors that reflect the green theme. On the invite say you're doing it to preserve the planet for the unborn baby:) Maybe include a factoid or two about the environment.
-Register with an organic baby site, but also register with some of the traditional ones. You can choose organic baby apparel at Target and Babies R US too. This way you will have more moderately priced organic products for guests to choose from. She'll still get traditional diapers and other kinds of gifts, but she can always exchange them.
-Think of things associated with the shower that normally would drain the environment and encourage guests to make a different choice: i.e. carpool, use newspaper for gift wrap
-Serve green food, salad, frappe (green sherbert and 7 up) is yummy, ice the cake with green and white, etc. Make healthy choices but don't over do it.
-Do a word search game with environmental buzz words. The winner gets a prize. Play some of the traditional games too.
-Have favors, game prizes and decor that reflect what you're requesting. Organic hand lotion, candles, etc.
Good luck with it. I'd love to hear how it goes. You can email me at erika@organic-baby-resource.com
7:08 pm
That is a very large shower and it can be a little overwhelming to plan one that large.
The first thing that I would do before anything else is look at your budget. How much money do you have? From there you can determine the venue (someplace that is large and you can afford), the decorations and the menu. With a group that large you may need to find a caterer but I have thrown parties with more people without the aid of one so don't feel like you need to have a caterer.
If you are doing the meal yourself, choose a buffet and then enlist as many people as you can to make dishes for the day.
Actually, that is what I would recommend for the entire planning. Lots of help to set up, get all the little gifts and prizes organized and to finally clean up.
A great resource for planning a baby shower is the 8 Steps to the Perfect Baby Shower. This is a guide that will take you through the entire baby shower planning stage and answer all of your questions. You could also read The Good Hostess Guide to Surviving a Baby Shower, which looks at the day of the shower. The links to both are in the sources.
Other than that, all I can say is to take a deep breath and enjoy it because it can be a lot of fun.
7:18 am
talk to a close friend or family member to throw ur shower…games at mine were guess wat baby food is in the jar…baby bingo (either play as you open gifts or like reg bingo jus w/ baby stuff on the cards like crib, stroller, high chair, etc.)….how many candies are in the baby bottle…my mom gave me mine and she cooked some food and catered the rest…it was italian foods w/ salad bread and desserts….every shower i know of including mine were on a sun around noon 1230….good luck w/ everythin and congrats