You have known the mom-to-be for years and want to celebrate the arrival of her new baby. You’ve set your budget and as the due date approaches, it’s time to plan the party. A baby shower is a great way to celebrate life and the arrival of a newborn. It’s a time to laugh, smile, talk parenting, and give the guest of honor a few hours of fun. Here are ideas for an amazing baby shower.
Location
Depending on your budget there are a variety of options for a baby shower.
At Home
Save on rental space fees by having the baby shower at home. Depending on the number of guests, it can be a viable option for creating an intimate and cozy atmosphere. For example, if you are planning for 6-10 guests, an average size living room could work for a casual environment.
Restaurants
There are private and semi-private rooms available at local restaurants. This can be especially helpful if the guest of honor has a favorite cuisine from a particular place. Restaurants will likely cost more than hosting the baby shower at home but can accommodate more guests. You can also save on clean-up. Costs will vary depending on location, brand, time of day (and menu), and the chosen day of the week. Check your local listings for options in your area.
Venue Locations
For unique spaces that can accommodate large numbers, consider event venues. You may find club houses, ballrooms, lofts, park districts, even zoos in your area that offer rental options. This can be more costly but will accommodate even more people and often, you will receive a more hands-on experience with staff. Before making a commitment, you may want to read reviews from others who used the space. Sources like BBB, Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor (and others) are good places to start.
($8 and under)
($23 and under)
($4 and under)
Decor
There are many ways to go when considering the look of a baby shower. Its ambience can range from playful to sophisticated. And will ultimately depend on the guest of honor and the party’s location.
Themes
A great way to create consistency throughout the occasion is to decide on a theme. It can be food decor, like cupcakes. Or teddy bear decorations. You can even do chic floral ornamentations. The possibilities are endless, so it helps to consider the personality of the guest of honor as well as the location of the party while planning.
Personalization
Surprise guests by adding a personal touch to the occasion. For example, while planning think of favorite colors and whether the parents-to-be chose to know the gender before the birth. Consider personalizing the party decor by adding the name of the guest of honor to some of the items.
($32 and under)
($13 and under)
($16 and under)
Games
There are a variety of games to include so plan for interactive fun. Examples include trivia, food tasting, and outdoor activities.
Baby Trivia
Provide informative questions and answers related to babies. It’s a great way to interact while learning. It can also open the door to parenting talk, where the parents in the room can speak to their experience and lessons learned.
Baby Food Challenge
Get a select number of baby food items and have a food tasting challenge. You can put the food in individual, unmarked containers for participants to try. Guests who can choose the correct baby food item wins a prize.
Cornhole
If your party includes the outdoors, consider a game of cornhole. The game involves two boards, each with a hole, and four bags each. Two teams pitch bags (underhanded) to try to land the bags in the hole. When a bag goes in the hole, that’s 3 points. A bag that lands on the board receives 1 point.
($340 and under)
($58 and under)
A baby shower is a fun way to celebrate and help the parents-to-be with the new arrival of their baby. Think about budget-friendly locations, setting a theme, adding personal touches and including interactive games and activities to create an amazing experience.
