80+ thoughtful baby shower ideas you’ll love

A baby shower decor idea that involves thrifted or second-hand baby clothes pinned up on a clothes line with antique-style wooden clothes pins to create a cute, clothing-themed bunting; the clothing would be taken down after the shower and given to the expectant mom; next to a closeup of the bunting idea is a gift table decoration idea, with a light yellow blanket covering the table and a blue heart cut out of old denim pinned to it, decorating the front of the gift table cloth; sitting on top of the table are various wrapped and bagged baby shower gifts, along with a basket full of greeting cards and a ceramic jug full of flowers; nearby is a chair with a light yellow and blue striped pillow and a plush elephant toy sitting on it.

There are few things more exciting than finding out a friend or family member is expecting a baby—or going to be a new foster or adoptive mom! If you’re helping to plan the shower, there’s no need to get rattled…consider this a special delivery just for you. 🤭🍼

We’ve gathered a whole bunch of baby shower ideas from our very own writers—many of whom are experienced shower-throwers and -receivers(!)—to compile this list of themes, activities, gifts and lots of other ideas to make your shower extra special, thoughtful and memorable.

So sit back and read on—with these baby shower ideas, we have no doubt you’ll have the lucky parent(s)-to-be feeling absolutely swaddled in love.

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Baby shower theme ideas  

First things first. Picking a theme for the baby shower will help lots of other things fall into place—from color schemes to favors and decorations. The more you can tailor the theme to the hobbies and interests of the parents, the more memorable it will be. Here are some fun ideas to choose from:

Baby shower themes for a girl

  • Dream Come True. Especially meaningful for parents who have had fertility struggles. Great for a boy, too!
  • Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. You could gift this on-theme recordable storybook as part of the celebration and have attendees sign it.
  • Butterfly Garden. Perfect for nature-loving parents and great for outdoor showers.
  • Alice in Wonderland or Madeline. Or any of the parents’ childhood book favorites with a little girl as the lead character.

 

Baby shower themes for a boy

  • Local Sports Team. This would be perfect for parents who are big fans!
  • Happy Camper. Great for parents who love camping and the great outdoors.
  • Little Explorer. Parents who enjoy traveling will appreciate this theme.
  • The Little Prince, Peter Rabbit, or Where the Wild Things Are. Or any of the parents’ childhood book favorites with a boy as the lead character.

 

Gender-neutral baby shower themes

  • Little Cutie. This theme based on clementine fruits would be fun for summertime.
  • Little Dumpling. For parents who are foodies, this would be an adorable choice!
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon or The Velveteen Rabbit. Or any of the parents’ childhood book favorites. A New Chapter could also be a fun theme for general book-loving parents.
  • Locally Grown. For all-natural, organic-loving parents this would be a great choice. You could even set up the party to look like a little farmers market.

 

Baby shower themes for twins 

  • Tea for Two. This could be a tea party theme using a mix of vintage teacups.
  • Taco Twos-day/ Let’s Taco ’Bout Twins. Without a doubt, Mexican-food loving parents would enjoy this theme.
  • Two Scoops of Fun. Do one or both of the parents have a major sweet tooth? If so, this ice-cream theme might be just the thing you’re looking for.
  • Mario and Luigi. Parents who love to game would definitely think this is a winning choice!
  • Two Peas in a Pod or Perfect Pear. This would be so cute and lends itself to a soft green color scheme. Plus it would work for any gender combination.
  • Sun and Moon. This theme would give nothing but good vibes to astrology-loving parents.
  • Thing One and Thing Two or Oh, the Places They’ll Go! Who wouldn’t love a fun-filled Dr. Seuss theme?

 

Baby shower color ideas 

  • What is the parents’ favorite color (or colors)? Consider planning your shower around that.
  • Do the parents already have colors for the nursery? If so, they may appreciate a shower that keeps with those colors.
  • Choose a color for its meaning. For example, yellow could represent sunshine and happiness and green could represent growth and new beginnings.
  • Many people opt for a pastel-themed shower, but bold colors can be fun, too. Mixing prints, like florals, with black and white stripes could also be unexpected and beautiful. Whatever the case, it’s always best to go with what you think the recipients of the shower will love.

Seasonal baby shower theme ideas

Winter baby shower ideas

  • Candy Cane Lane. Red and white stripes and lots of sweetness.
  • Winter Wonderland. Snowflakes, cute penguins and polar bear cubs. Check out these adorable polar bear cupcakes as a treat idea!
  • Cocoa and Cuteness. Hot cocoa bar and cute little bites. We have the best hot cocoa recipes.

 

Fall baby shower ideas

  • Little Pumpkin. Include fall colors and mini pumpkins as décor. We have a homemade pumpkin spice latte syrup for a sweet beverage option!
  • Sweet as Pie. Pie buffet with fall faves like pumpkin, apple and sweet potato.
  • Fall into Fun. Plaid and fall leaf décor with fall favorite menu items like apple cider donuts and maple cookies.

 

Spring baby shower ideas

  • Everything’s Coming Up Cute. Could feature bird, bunny and bumblebee décor that’s easy to find around Easter time, plus soft florals.
  • Baby in Bloom. Think a farm-to-table gathering serving up seasonal veggies and fruits and decorating with beautiful spring blooms.
  • Garden Party. An outdoor gathering with hanging lights, tiny potted plants as favors or table decorations and pretty pastel balloons or streamers.

 

Summer baby shower ideas

  • Beach Baby. A tropical-paradise-themed shower with fun fruity drinks!
  • Baby-Q. Outdoor barbecue in honor of the baby-to-be.
  • Sweet Treats and Sunshine. Menu items could include Popsicles and other summery treats with fun and bright décor.

 

A baby shower decor idea that involves thrifted or second-hand baby clothes pinned up on a clothes line with antique-style wooden clothes pins to create a cute, clothing-themed bunting; the clothing would be taken down after the shower and given to the expectant mom; next to a closeup of the bunting idea is a gift table decoration idea, with a light yellow blanket covering the table and a blue heart cut out of old denim pinned to it, decorating the front of the gift table cloth; sitting on top of the table are various wrapped and bagged baby shower gifts, along with a basket full of greeting cards and a ceramic jug full of flowers; nearby is a chair with a light yellow and blue striped pillow and a plush elephant toy sitting on it.

If the mom- or parents-to-be are going the sustainability (and affordability!) route and choosing secondhand items for much of baby’s needs, you can totally turn that into a theme! Hang some thrifted or gently used baby clothing from a clothing line with antique-style, wooden clothing pins and some sparkly stars to create a cute bunting. After the shower is over, the clothing becomes another gift!

Baby shower invitation ideas  

Once you’ve decided on a theme, the next step is to send out invitations. This is a great way to share your theme with the guests through the design, as well as all the important details of the event!

  • Be sure to get a list of people to be invited from the parent(s) to be. You may think you know who should be there, but you wouldn’t want to leave someone out who might be important to the parent(s)-to-be!
  • Include all the details. In addition to including location and time, be sure to add other details that would be helpful for guests like dress code and registry information.
  • Fun idea: Consider asking guests to bring something small to be included in a time capsule for the baby from his/her birth year.
  • Think about how you’d like to send the invitations—by email, text or mail. There are so many options to choose from, including ones that you can create yourself with fun personalization features like custom photos and messages. Check out our designs here—you could build your theme around one!

Baby shower decoration ideas  

Decorations for a baby shower can really help to level up your event. The best part is they don’t have to be fancy or expensive to be beautiful and fun! Here are some ideas:

Baby shower centerpiece ideas

  • Advice for the parents. Place a gift bag or box that goes with your theme in the center of each table. Guests can write messages of advice on notecards or blank cards to be placed inside for the parents to read later.
  • Mini diaper cakes. There are lots of online tutorials for how to roll or stack diapers to make them look like a layered cake. Create small versions of that as a centerpiece that the parents can take home to use and decorate them with thoughtful touches like memorabilia from the parents’ childhoods (i.e. a favorite baby blanket, rattle and stuffy).
  • Baby bouquets. Tie up small bouquets of seasonal flowers picked from your garden or purchased at a farmers market.

 

Baby shower tableware ideas

  • An easy way to create a look: Pull the look of your shower together with coordinating plates and napkins.
  • Go thrifting. If it goes with your theme, thrift vintage lace tablecloths and unique tableware to give your event a dreamy look.
  • Include a small party favor for each guest at their table setting. Examples include a pack of seeds for a garden-themed shower, cute sunglasses for a summer shower or a small bag of candy that color-coordinates with your theme.

Baby shower backdrop and display ideas

  • Throwback backdrop. Use baby photos of the parent(s)-to-be to decorate your party area and consider enlarging a few as cute and nostalgic décor for your event.
  • Baby’s first picture. Make a small display of the baby-on-the-way’s ultrasound photos that guests can ooh and ahh over.
  • It’s a party—make it feel like one. Consider adding other things that will contribute to the vibe of your shower, like twinkle lights and a music playlist.

 

A baby shower gift idea comprised of a memory box; inside are items marked with handmade tags, such as a plush duck with a tag that reads,

A display featuring baby’s first ultrasound photos could double as a gift, with cute, handmade tags for the parents to label baby’s “firsts” over the years. Things like their first stuffie or lovey (after they’ve given it up, of course), first booties, and cards or the invitation from the shower could go inside.

Baby shower food and menu ideas  

Coming up with an enjoyable menu for your guests doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you decide on cupcakes and punch or a more elaborate meal, your guests will have a wonderful time celebrating the baby-on-the-way.

Baby shower cake ideas

  • Consider making/ordering a block-letter cake that spells out the baby’s name.
  • Have a cupcake bar where guests can frost and add sprinkles to their own little cake! 🧁
  • If you’re looking for something different, go for cake pops, donuts or decorated cookies that go with your theme.

 

Baby shower snack and meal ideas

  • Prepare several of the mom-to-be’s favorite comfort food dishes. Make enough so she can take home leftovers for later and freeze them for after the baby arrives!
  • Small bites are always a crowd fave. Charcuterie, mini sandwiches, quiches, fruit skewers and veggie cups are simple to make and easy for guests to eat while they mingle.
  • Stick with the baby theme for your food offerings. Check out this adorable and tasty alphabet cheese ball,  these diaper strawberry tarts and these sweet marshmallow rattles.

Baby shower drink ideas

  • No alcohol for the pregnant person doesn’t mean no fun! Come up with a tasty mocktail or two for those who don’t want anything boozy. Think fresh-squeezed juice mixes and sparkling ciders. If the colors of your drinks match your party theme, even better!
  • Cocktails for everyone else could include spins on classic favorites like mom-osas and cos-mom-politans.
  • If your shower is happening during a chillier time of year, consider hot beverage alternatives like a coffee, tea or hot cocoa bar. We have a few hot drink recipes here you’ll love!

Baby shower games and activity ideas  

A baby shower isn’t a baby shower without a few little games for guests to participate in! We’ve come up with a list of ideas below, but if you’re looking for even more inspiration, here’s another article to explore.

Fun and silly ideas

  • In the spirit of reassuring the parent(s)-to-be that no parent is perfect, pass around a book where guests can write their silliest parenting moments or most embarrassing mistakes.
  • Have a list of traits the baby might have, and guests can guess if that trait would come from Mom or Dad.
  • Play “Name That Tune” with songs that have the word “baby” (or other baby-related words) in it.

 

Thoughtful and meaningful ideas

  • Create a “Call Me When” list. People can sign up for duties like, “Call me when you need a break” or “Call me when you need to vent” or “Call me when you need me to come wash your dishes,” etc.
  • Each guest can decorate a special onesie for baby. The best design wins a prize!
  • Each guest can write a message about how they hope baby will be like Mom or Dad. Take a photo of Mom/Dad with each guest and have them glue the photo along with the message into a book/album.

 

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A collage station where attendees can put together a custom wish for parents and baby is a fun way to let guests get creative.

Baby shower favor and prize ideas  

When it comes to favors and prizes, thoughtful, simple and easy-to-use is the way to go.

Go along with the theme

  • For example, if Little Dumpling is your theme, a set of pretty chopsticks tied together with a bow would make a cute favor.
  • For summer showers, a fun pair of sunglasses or a small succulent plant to take home would be a perfect little thank-you to guests for coming to your event.
  • For winter showers, a fuzzy pair of socks or a little cocoa kit would be fun.

 

Get guests excited

  • Gift cards to popular stores and coffee shops (in $5-$10 amounts) are always appreciated.
  • Seasonal tea towels are a useful and thoughtful prize.
  • Small boxes of good chocolate or mini bottles of wine feel like special treats.

Baby shower gift ideas  

  • Add Some “Aww.” Useful gifts are great—but consider adding something sweet and cute along with that box of diapers to give your gift an extra element of “aww.”
  • Relaxation basket for parents. Include lotions, bath bombs, tea bags, face masks, lip balms, candles, soft jammies and maybe even a parenting book or two.
  • Mama Recovery Kit. Include witch hazel cooling pads, peri bottle, ice packs, bath salts, scar strips, lanolin, nursing pads and over-the-counter pain relievers.
  • Mom snack basket. Include electrolyte drinks, large water bottle with a straw, nuts, protein bars, crackers, lactation cookies and gift cards to coffee and smoothie shops.
  • Streaming service subscription. So parents have something to watch during late night feedings!
  • Gift card to a favorite restaurant or for a food delivery service. Meal planning and cooking when you’re trying to keep a tiny human alive is hard.
  • Homemade coupon book of things the parents can redeem. Like one free night of babysitting or one run to the grocery store, etc.
  • Gift certificate for a housecleaning and/or yard-maintenance service. Chores that have nothing to do with the baby are usually the ones that are last to get done.
  • Gift certificate for a massage. This one is pretty self-explanatory!

 

A bundle of greeting cards received at the baby shower have been hole-punched in the top left corner and strung together with ribbon, along with a tag that reads,

We hope these baby shower ideas will help take some of the stress out of hosting your event! One thing’s for sure—your gathering will make the parent(s)-to-be feel supported and loved by their community during this magical time.

 

Want even more baby ideas? We might have a few! Check these out: