72 Baby shower ideas to spark creative and personalized celebrations.

• A classic: plan cute baby shower games (within reason).

Lots of baby showers have baby shower games. Some games aren’t so cute, though, and in recent years, guests have dreaded this ritual. Pick a tasteful game that gets people talking. One is probably enough.

• Make it kid-friendly (for friends’ kids, nieces and nephews, cousins, etc).

• Everyone writes messages on the backs of diapers (for later).

When the parents dig into this pile of message-filled diapers during some late-night changing, these messages will mean a lot.

• Make it vintage: ask that all baby gifts be bought from thrift stores.

Who needs onesies when you have 1990s baby overalls?

• Everyone decorates photo frames for future baby photos.

• Guests create “baby’s first alphabet” cards.

Get a stack of A-Z cards ready and have guests draw their choice of words for each letter.

• Cake pop decorating party.

Switch this out for cookie decorating if you’d like. The cake pop comes from the idea that “Mom is about to pop,” but some moms might be tired of hearing that.

• Provide an empty book, and everyone fills pages with checklists or step-by-step guides for the parents.

There can be steps with baby care instructions, self-care ideas, shopping lists, etc.

• Yes, you can pick a theme.

There’s no shortage of themes for showers, but no baby shower theme should overshadow spending time together. If you really want thematic decoration, pick a favorite children’s book for a timeless theme instead of a trendy one.

• Everyone learns to make baby food together.

Any successfully prepared jars can go home with someone with an infant or can be donated to a family someone knows.

• Twins coming? “Taco Twosdays” might hit the spot.

Set up a taco bar with warm tortillas and all the works.

• Host a home fitness class to learn what’s easy to do while baby’s sleeping.

• Reserve a nice, big table for brunch at a nearby restaurant.

Decorations at the diner can be as simple as a fun banner that you bring to hang over the table.

• Donate time as a group to a family-focused non-profit.

• Go shopping together at the farmer’s market, then bring all the goodies back to enjoy.

Determine ahead of time where the actual shower will take place, then invite anyone who’s interested to meet at the farmer’s market before the shower.

• Take the traditional shower down a notch: simply pick a place and bring food.

Any small-scale, less elaborate baby shower has been coined a “baby sprinkle.”

• In lieu of gifts and a party, ask everyone to donate to a child-centric organization in the parents' names.

• Host a buffet-style shower.

A buffet-style baby shower allows people to come and go when they can make it. The food is out for them whenever they arrive.

• In-person or virtual show-and-tell.

Have a “family traditions show-and-tell” or one where people share baby care anecdotes.

• Set up a clothesline (of yarn or twine) and have people pin “wishes for baby” on cards.

• Wallpaper the party space with posters of baby quotes, blown-up baby photos, children’s book characters, and more.

This is more than decoration — this is a gallery filled with conversation starters.

• Provide a stack of blank greeting cards and set up space for guests to draw on them.

Thanks to guests’ work, the parents-to-be will have a special stack of hand-drawn thank you cards for baby shower gifts later.

• Request books instead of cards to build baby’s library.

• Everyone records themselves reading a children’s story.

This creates a library of audios in the voices of loved ones for baby to hear.

• Set up a scavenger hunt at home or around town.

The only catch: someone creative has to organize it.

• Have a onesies decorating day.

Provide a pack of solid-color onesies and a basket filled with fabric markers.

• Switch bar hopping for coffee shop or bakery hopping.

• Make your own baby bingo.

Baby-themed bingo cards are fun and get baby care conversations started.

• Bring clothes to play adult dress up.

Costume clothes plus lots of snacks make for a fun time no matter your age.

• Set up a photo booth with every imaginable baby prop.

• Have a children's book trivia night.

What was Mrs. Darling’s first name in Peter Pan? What was Clifford’s owner’s name?

• Everyone learns to make balloon animals.

The future child will never be without amusement.

• Hold a tournament for the most theatrical reading of a children’s book.

• Write made-up nursery rhymes together.

• Host an easy-food-only potluck.

Everyone brings the easiest-to-make food they know. The idea: expecting parents gain ideas and insights to keep meals simple after the baby comes.

• Have a lullaby-singing talent show.

• Create multiple time capsules for baby’s childhood birthdays.

• Set up a photo balloon gallery.

Balloons await clustered along the ceiling. Each has a clothespin on the end. Guests come with photos or cards and clip them to the strings. Once the expecting parents arrive, they walk through a floating gallery of pictures and letters that spark hours of conversation.

• Organize a baby shower by mail.

Try something different like sending baby shower gifts by mail instead. These can include thoughtful care packages for the parents and gifts for the baby.

• Provide a blank book and fill it with handwritten wisdom shared by guests.

• Write “life advice” letters for baby with the plan to store them until baby’s old enough to read them.

• Pool party (if the weather permits).

This baby shower idea lets the parents-to-be float into parenthood. Make someone else do the grilling.

• Travel might not be in the cards for the couple right now, but a shower with a destination theme could be.

Did the expecting parents love their trip to Tokyo? Are they fans of French cuisine? Build a theme around it.

• “How I imagine you as a parent” cards.

Ask everyone to write out how they imagine each of the parents-to-be as a mom or dad. Compile these before the baby shower, then share them together.

• Host a decadent meal.

Go out or have something catered in, because there won’t be meals like this for a while after baby comes.

• Fill an advice jar with small papers that the expecting parents can read any time they feel help is needed.

• Bring a masseuse in to teach basic massage and have everyone practice giving neck and shoulder rubs.

The expecting parents will get a lot out of this skill set as they take care of each other, too.

• Provide an empty book and fill it with unique baby prompts.

You can buy “baby’s first” books pre-made, but what special prompts can guests create? Baby’s first word? First flavors baby loved? The time baby was happiest?

• Instead of cupcakes, how about a pie bar?

Everyone can bring their favorite flavor and guests can sample pies and spend time with the expecting parents.

• Nature-lovers baby shower.

If the weather cooperates, host a small baby shower in a nearby park, on the beach, or in the woods.

• Host a casual snack-and-chat with poof pillow floor seating.

Sitting on the floor becomes “a thing” when playing with baby, so this casual and comfy setting doubles as practice.

• Hold a craft party (crochet, card making, or any craft of choice).

• Host a baby shower picnic at the baby’s future park playground.

• An open-house-style baby shower for quick and casual “hellos.”

• Hold a bake-off.

Everyone brings a baked good and you award guests for the most creative, the best texture, the richest flavor, etc.

• Host a potluck-style baby shower.

• Decorate the baby shower with all-things floral: centerpieces, vases, even living plants to send home as party favors.

• Have a pressure cooker or crockpot party.

Ask anyone who has one to bring one. Exchange recipes and cook the stuff that’s easy to “throw in and let go.” Parents will appreciate these easy options later.

• Fill the freezer.

Fill the expecting parents’ freezer with nutritious food for them that they can easily cook on the go.

• Make it a nighttime event with a hot chocolate bar (and a bonfire, if it’s the season for it).

• Invite a few people to accompany one or both parents to a spa for the day.

• Go in as a group to put together a big care basket in place of a party.

• Host a movie night with some classics about babies.

There are loads of fun options from Nine Months to Juno. Rosemary’s Baby isn’t the way to go, though.

• Take the parents-to-be to a photo session.

Schedule one last shoot together before the baby comes.

• Hold a dessert-only baby shower.

Guests can stop in, get something sweet, then be on their way.

• Compile videos from friends and family with tidbits of advice.

• Create a baby-themed banner for every room of the house.

• Go baby shopping together (instead of people bringing gifts).

This is best for a small, tight-knit group.

• Send the parents-to-be to a hotel getaway.

• Hire a chef to come and cook for a small, exclusive gathering.

• If no one can host, reserve space at a favorite restaurant for a small gathering.

And that way, no one gets stuck doing the dishes.

• Hold a back porch baby shower.

“Stop by and visit, I'll be here all day.”

1. Confirm the date and host. It might be a friend, a family member, or a coworker. The date usually falls in the last couple months of pregnancy.

2. Check preferences with the couple. Some couples want a gender-neutral party. Some couples want to wait until the baby’s arrived. Check in and get their honest take on their perfect baby shower.

3. Get the theme ready. If you’re going with a baby shower theme of any kind, posters and banners help bring the theme to life fast.

4. Send the formal invitation. Go with the guest list that the parents provide and follow-up with anyone who doesn’t reply.

5. Get help with the details. Divide and conquer. Maybe you finish the decorations and someone else can organize the food. Keep it low stress so that the focus remains having fun and celebrating the coming baby.