Uncategorized – Page 9 – Marisa Meidle's Baby Showers

Practical Ideas for Baby Shower

In my previous posts, I have shared some practical baby shower ideas. These are activities that you can work with the guests to not just have fun but in the end, come up with something that will make useful gifts for the mom-to-be or parents-to-be.

Here are another practical ideas that you can do for baby showers that could also end with something valuable and useful, a keepsake for the expecting mom or parents. These ideas will also make some preparations easy for you as the host.

1. Potluck

Food is one of the main ingredient that makes a party, the party. But, you don’t have to prepare all the food on your own.

A potluck is an opportunity for your guests to share in the party by cooking or preparing their favorite or signature dish. When you send out invitations, make sure to inform them to bring food that they can share with the guests.

You can either set a theme for the food, such as bite size, finger foods, pastries and snacks, international cuisine, barbeque, etc. or guests can bring whatever dish or food they like. The latter idea is more fun, as there will be variety of food.

2. Guests’ Signatures

Usually we ask the guests to sign on the guest book. Often they end up in the cabinet and never opened again. Instead of guest book, ask guests to sign something that the mom-to-be or parents-to-be will use or look at time and again, such as the following:

– first page of a book (book for the mom or parents, story book, rhymes, cooking or recipe book, etc.)
– picture frames (at the back)
– nursery decors (such as wooden letters, decorative globe, ect.)

Guest could do more than sign their signatures. You can also ask.guests to write wishes or some inspiring words. These will make for a meaningful presents.

3. Kid-Friendly

Baby showers is a perfect opportunity for the siblings-to-be to also join in the celebration of welcoming their new brother or sister. Often, kids are not included. It might be fun to make it kid-friendly, especially for second time, third time or so parents-to be. Guests who also have kids can tag along their little ones.

If you go potluck and kid-friendly, then you can ask guests to bring kid-friendly food like chicken pops, cupcakes and the likes.

Finally, don’t stress too much with all the baby shower details. Keep it cool and make it festive. Besides, with your great intention, you can never go wrong. Always remember though, to have fun.

Simple Decorations and Must-Haves for Baby Showers

Planning a perfect baby shower can be a bit tough, whether you are the mom-to-be or her bestie, you can’t seem to come up with the best baby shower. You wanted to do something unique, but it seems like everything has been done before.

Well you know what? Every baby shower is perfect on its own, and eventhough your baby shower seem like it’s been done before, well yes they’ve been done before, but they are still unique in its truest sense.

The real goal of baby shower is to show some love and support to the mom-to-be or parents-to-be, to share with the joy and make them feel special, and create memorable moments. Now, focus on those and not on how make a “perfect” baby shower.

There are a lot of games and activities you can to make the baby shower fun and exciting for the mom or parents-to-be. Apart from games and activities, its the ambience and the environment that you create that sets the atmosphere of fun.

Here are some of the must-haves for baby showers. Whether you organize a simple or grand baby shower, whether its an in-person party of virtual one, and no matter the theme or location or day and time, these things are what makes baby shower a baby shower.

1. Balloons

It’s kind of like symbolic – the mom looks like she is about to pop, hence balloons are a must.

Decorate the venue with balloons, use colors that matches your theme. You can arrange them in cluster with different sizes and shapes.

You can also play around and be creative with the balloons and do some animal shapes or baby-related figures. It sets the mood the moment you see balloons.

2. Blocks

Baby blocks are colorful, cute, and give you the feel of a baby on the way. It works with any theme, so go ahead and decorate your venue with baby blocks. You can arrange them on the doorway, some on the tables, or better yet arrange them for your photo booth for added backdrop.

3. String Lights

String lights lifts up the spirit of the party and bring the fun to life. It is great for evening baby showers, and even better when you hold the party outdoors.

Like baby blocks, lights works with any theme. Hang your coloful string lights in the windows or doorways or archway or perhaps create shapes or animated figures out of it. The lights will give the party stunning effect and make the moment magical.

4. Clothes Garland

Like the baby blocks, hanging clotheslines around the room attaching some cute onesies, bibs or booties for instance, give you that feel of a baby on the way.

It also works with any theme and you can have them indoors or outdoors, works just fine. Plus, you can ask the guests in advance to bring some baby clothes and stuff to hang on the clothelines. At the end of the party, they can serve as gifts for the mom-to-be for her little one.

Finally, these are some of the simple decorations and “must-have” that creates a wonderful baby shower atmosphere. They work with any type of theme, and you can have them as it or use them to accentuate your major theme decor. You can never go wrong really, just play around baby-related stuff and be creative.

Practical Ideas for Baby Shower

We know that we want our baby shower to be fun and exciting and the best way to get the fun going is to play games and do some exciting activities.

You can actually put a twist on the typical baby shower and do something that may not only be fun but is practical as well. This is not saying don’t have games and fun activities, ofcourse you have to have those.

Here are some ideas you can include for your activities.

1. Arts and Crafts

Put a little twist on your baby shower activities and do some arts and crafts. This is another fun way where you, the guests, and the parents-to-be get to spend time together while having fun chats and snacks. And the end product can turn into a valuable gift for the mom-to-be or parents-to-be and the baby on the way.

To give you an idea, you can paint on fabric for instance. Prepare fabric paints (different colors) and some plain onesies. Ask your guests to get creative and design the onesies using the fabric paints. You can also prepare die of different colors, some tie/rope and ask them to play around and tie die the onesies. You can teach them how if none of your guests know how.

You can also paint baby hangers, create colorful headbands and cool bows. You can also draw or make cut-outs of cartoon characters or other baby related artsies or decorate numbers or letters that can be posted or hanged in the baby’s nursery/room.

2. Words of Wisdom

Your main goal for the baby shower is to shower the parents-to-be, especially the mom-to-be, the love and support they need. To receive encouraging words and advice, and hear wisdom from friends and family who have walked the same road is a priceless gift for the parents-to-be. Especially, first time moms and dads.

This activity can easily be
incorporated in you baby shower. You can put it first or last or in between games, it all works. Here are two ideas you can start with or use as inspiration:

– Write a Book of Wisdom.
Prepare a notebook or customized one with a nice pen. During the baby shower, pass it around the guests and ask them to write words of encouragements or some advice to the mom-to-be or the parents-to-be. Once everyone has written their piece, put a ribbon around the notebook and present it as a gift from everyone. Tell the mom-to-be to open it when she is in labor or the parents-to-be can open and read it after delivery. It will give the mom-to-be or parents-to-be something to look forward to.

– Fill the Basket of Wisdom
Although the baby shower is for both mom and dad, but really it would take a lot of toll on the mom-to-be: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Ask everyone to fill in the basket with items that will be significant for the mom-to-be, something that symbolizes motherhood or fill the basket with some baby essentials. Just make sure that you include a note when you send out invitation.

3. Books Instead of Cards

Although it is nice and sweet to receive cards, but more often than not, they get thrown away. Instead, ask the guests to gift the mom-to-be or parents-to-be books. Just like in cards, they can also write notes of encouragement or advice on the front page of the book.

Books can either be for the parents-to-be, like tips on parenting or motherhood and the likes. They can also gift children or storybooks or nursery rhymes. Such books will be very useful for the expecting parents and the baby. Another idea is cooking or recipe books for baby food or food for moms during pregnancy of after childbirth.

Make sure that when you send out invitation, you include a note that says “gift books instead of cards.”

Finally, you can never go wrong when the intention is good. These are just few practical ideas that is not to replace the fun and exciting activities and games, but something you can incorporate in your baby shower. It is really nice and helpful to be doing something that will end up with some priceless and valuable gifts for the parents-to-be. It adds to making the day special and memorable.

Photo Booth for Baby Shower

It is the activities you pick for the baby shower that will make the party either super fun or a bit boring.

Baby Showers are intended to make the parents-to-be, especially the mom-to-be feel special. In doing so, you would want to make the ocassion memorable by putting together fun-filled activities. And ofcourse, you want to document and preserve these memories for the parents-to-be, and what better way to preserve memories than taking photos.

Photo Booth is a favorite and a sure hit in any parties. Set-up a photo booth to allow opportunity for some fun and exciting photos. While you have the games to get the fun started, photo booth on the other hand will add to that and make the party even more fun.

How do you set-up?

First, pick a spot or lacation in the venue of your baby shower, pick the spot that is out-of-the-way, but strategic and is visible to your guests.
Then, decide on the decoration and props. You can either decorate that the booth on your own or you can include them in the package or photo service you hired. There are plenty of photographers/videographers that offer photo booths in their packages. You can opt to hire one.

Personally, I prefer to go DIY on this. You can ask the parents-to-be to help or some of the guests (whom you know), they would be more than willing to help. Choose props, decorations and backdrops that matches with your shower theme. I have shared many baby shower theme ideas in my previoua posts. If you are looking for one, go check them out for inspiration.

You don’t have to buy new stuff or fancy art material or whatsoever for your decorations. You can be creative and practical with it by making use of some old materials and combine them with new stuff (if you really need to buy new).

To create the fun, gather some props like fake mustaches and wigs, trendy-oversized glasses, cool hats, signs, and or baby-related stuff like oversized pacifiers, baby bottles. You can also have some adult-sized onesies, diapers and other baby stuff that can be worn for the photo.

You can also create your own photo booth props using some cardboard or cut-out empty cantoon boxes and colored papers. You can use color pens or paint. Aside from props, you can also create your own huge frame using cartoon boxes or styrofoam, cut-out baby-related stuff or theme-related and paste them on the frame. There are a lot of video tutorial on DIY Photo Booth ideas on various video streaming and social media.

Then, don’t forget the camera – have a good one, if possible. Provide a camera, if you have. You can also ask your guests to bring cellphones with good camera or birng a camera if they have. Then, in between games or activities during the party, ask your guests to take each other’s photos on the photo booth. They can do solo, by pair or in groups.

Select a hashtag or you can ask your guests to come up with a cool hashtag of the day, and ask them to share their photos on social media using the hashtag. This will be a great way to collect and document fun and special memories.

Ladies Only Baby Shower Ideas

Traditionally, baby showers are all about the mom-to-be, with no intention of excluding the dad. But, it really used to be ladies only party – it’s all about the mom-to-be and her girlfriends.

Well, you can organize several baby showers, so it would be great to have one for the ladies only. A baby shower that focuses on the mom-to-be alone. Don’t worry, we’ll have the dad-to-be and his friends in another baby shower.

Here are some ideas on what activities to do for an all-girls baby shower.

1. Girls Night Out

Every girls night out is fun. So, gather all the mom-to-be’s closest girlfriends and head out for a fun, fun night. Wear your lovely dresses and do your hair and make-up, and head out for some night life. You have to remember though that your guest of honor is a prego, so choose a decent, safe but cozy bar where you can listen or sing along to live band.

You can also spend the night at one of the girlfriend’s place, wear your PJs, prepare snacks and popcorns, and binge-watch chick flicks or sing karaoke or do some fun dancing.

If you prefer to have it a little formal and quiet, you can book a space at a fancy or fine dining restaurant. Put on your lovely dress and enjoy the conversation and laughter over exquite meal while listening to some jazz music.

2. Pamper Mom-To-Be

Pregnancy and child birth for second time, third time or so moms-to-be, takes a lot of toll on their body. Since the focus of the shower is the mom, how about pampering her with full body and beauty treatmemt: massage, facial, manicure and pedicure and the likes. Wow, isn’t that relaxing?!

Gather all the mom-to-be’s girlfriends and book a salon all for yourselves for a day or hire home service. But the salon is more ideal and fun. Everyone gets a full beauty treatment while having chats and laughters.

Then, reserve a room or space at a lovely cafe or pastry restaurant. While you are having your favorite deserts, ask the mom-to-be’s girlfriends to present their gifts to her and then ask them to say some good words, some advice, tips and some parenting wisdom. It sure is going to make the mom-to-be feel special.

3. Tea Party

Ladies love some tea and pastries. That sounds yum and relaxing. So, bring out your lovely teacups and teapots, and prepare some colorful pastries and tea sanwiches or biscuits, and bring out your china and your flavourful tea.

A tea party is not going to be one, if you are not wearing a tea dress. So, make sure that when you send the invitation to the mom-to-be’s girlfriends, you inform them of what to wear. You can have this type of party indoors or outdoors. Personally, outdoor and daytime is the best venue and time.

What is lovely about tea party is that it makes for great photo opportunities while you enjoy the party. And if you don’t have the teapots and all, and the time to prepare snacks, then you can opt to hire catering services.

Finally, whatever activity you plan to do and whichever venue you choose, you can never go wrong as long as your goal is for the mom-to-be feel special while enjoying and relaxing with her girlfriends. Don’t forget to take pictures or better yet, turn on the video recorder.

I will be sharing more baby shower ideas in my next posts. Until then, enjoy the baby shower.