How to Plan a Baby Shower

Learning how to plan a baby shower for a friend or relative who is expecting is a great way to celebrate the new life.

Check out baby shower cake pictures for inspiration.

Coordinating a baby shower is not difficult, but you should still keep a party planning checklist handy in order to keep track of all the things to do. Start by letting the mom-to-be know you're interested in throwing a shower for her and her baby.

The first thing to do when you plan a baby shower is to find out the due date of the child. Baby showers are thrown both before and after babies are born, so find out the preference of the mom-to-be. Some women prefer showers before the baby is born, especially if they have few essentials. Others may prefer a more casual "welcome home" baby shower where people can casually stop in to see the baby.

Find out from the mom if there are any other friends or relatives who have mentioned throwing a baby shower. Consider throwing a joint shower together, if others are agreeable. Otherwise, coordinate the baby shower dates with the other hosts and the mom-to-be.

Baby showers come with their own theme, the baby, but you can make it more specific than that. Themed baby showers can revolve around the baby's gender or be gender neutral. Ladybugs, vehicles, baby animals, the alphabet and ducks are popular shower themes.

Themes can also revolve around what items the mom needs the most. Diaper showers and book showers are common themes. Let everyone know in the invitation if the theme is one that requires their participation.

Once you have the date, time and guest list coordinated, you need to focus on other parts of how to plan a baby shower. Decorations, games and favors help make the shower a true celebration.

Baby showers do not necessarily need an abundance of decorations, but a few touches here and there can make a cute, fun difference. Consider doing the following:

• Attaching a balloon bouquet to the front door
• Hanging streamers in the main party room
• Putting out clear baby bottles with confetti or candies inside
• Using stuffed animals or blankets as decorations to drape across furniture or hang on the walls
• Making a diaper cake as the centerpiece for the gift or buffet table

Not everyone enjoys playing games at baby showers. For this reason, keep the games simple and short. Stick to picking out just two or three, leaving the rest of the time for socialization. Quick games make good shower ice breakers. Try one of these easy game ideas:

• Diaper Challenge: Pass out a doll and diaper to everyone. Whoever diapers the doll the fastest is the winner.
• Bottle Candy Count: Whoever guesses how many candies are inside a baby bottle wins the candy.
• Celebrity Babies: Match up famous babies with their even more famous parents.
• Name that Tune, Baby: Play snippets of a few songs that include the words "baby" in their titles. Whoever gets the most titles and artists correct is the winner.

A great activity is making personalized onesies. Hang plain white or pastel onesies up on a string in the main party room. As guests arrive, ask them to decorate the onesies however they like, using fabric paint you provide. After they finish, hang them all back up for everyone to admire.

Send each guest home with a small memento of thanks when it comes time to leave the shower. You can plan favors around the theme, like handing out ladybug bookmarks at a ladybug shower.

Homemade baby shower favors are popular, too. Make lotions and soaps with a photo of the mom-to-be or new baby as the label. Scent candles with baby powder for a cute favor idea.

Food and drink are a central part of any party, and when you learn how to plan a baby shower, it is no different. If you are hosting the shower around a meal time, plan to have more hearty offerings, such as sandwiches and salads or a hors d'oeuvres bar. Showers that are mid-day or mid-morning can offer simple finger foods, like fruit kebabs and trail mix.

The cake is often a central part of the shower. Baby shower cakes can be elaborate, tiered fondant creations or simple sheet cakes with the words "congratulations mom" or "welcome baby" on them. The cake usually incorporates elements of the color and theme into its design.

The season can be your cue. Use summer party recipes when the weather is warm and plan comfort food recipes when the weather is chilly. Remember to offer delicious party drinks in "mock-tail" form so that everyone can enjoy them.

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• Category:Baby Shower