Best Baby Shower Ideas: Food, Decor, Games, and More!
These baby shower ideas will make hosting a breeze!
Need baby shower ideas? We’re here to help!
Hosting a baby shower doesn’t have to be stressful. Proper planning can help you keep the focus on celebrating instead of stressing. From food to favors, our list has everything you need for a successful party. Best of all, these helpful baby shower ideas won’t break the bank!
Money saving baby shower planning tips:
- Set a budget. You need invitations, decorations, food, dessert, favors, games, and possibly prizes.
- Pick a time. Host in the morning or mid-afternoon to avoid having to serve a full meal.
- Secure a venue. Low-cost options include a house, park, a church meeting room, or a community room.
- Make a guest list. A guest list of under 25 people can save money and create a relaxed, intimate vibe.
- Choose a theme. Make your event feel cohesive. Color themes tend to be easier to execute.
Baby Shower Food Ideas
There are so many yummy food options to serve at a baby shower. Our top picks include mouth-watering food that is easy to serve and affordable:
1. Hand-held sandwiches
Small sandwiches make great options for a baby shower. They are affordable and usually only require a few ingredients. You can serve them any time of the day, whether hosting a brunch shower or afternoon tea.
Hip2Save readers love this delicious ham and cheese slider recipe. Satisfying and easy, it’s the perfect dish for a baby shower!
2. Party platters
Please guests with a party tray of foodie favorites. Try boneless Buffalo wings, macaroni and cheese, or a charcuterie platter. Take advantage of catering deals or save money by making it yourself. For bulk deals, visit Costco, Stop & Shop, or Sam’s Club.
3. Fruit skewers
Skewers are eye-pleasing and don’t take a lot of time or money. Instead of a plain fruit salad, make a fun tropical fruit or berry medley kabob.
If you like to combine sweet and savory, try our keto-friendly watermelon Caprese skewer recipe!
Hip Tip: To save money, use fruit that is in season. Serve apples with caramel dip in fall and berries and cream in the summer.
4. A “build-your-own” station
Build-your-own stations are crowdpleasers! Our favorite is a make-your-own chili bar. The ingredients are low-cost but the dish is BIG on flavor. Let guests add their choice of tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and jalapenos. Need a recipe? Try our easy slow-cooker chili.
Other fun ideas for build-your-own stations include a baked potato bar, a taco bar, a hot dog bar, a bagel bar, or a salad bar.
Baby Shower Drink Ideas
You don’t need a full bar to keep guests happy. Instead, fill a cooler with water and soda and then choose a fun signature drink that guests will find memorable. Here are a few of our top picks:
1. Party punch
An eye-catching party punch will excite guests and you won’t need to buy a huge selection of beverages. Try our watermelon punch recipe that can be served alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
2. A mimosa counter
Pop the bubbly! Buy a few different fruit juices and a couple of bottles of champagne. Guests will love getting to taste the different flavors and the mom-to-be can enjoy a mocktail version.
Head over to Crisp Collective to get the FREE printable labels seen above.
3. A lemonade stand
This charming station is perfect for a spring or summer baby shower. It’s kid-friendly too! Make pink lemonade if you’re expecting a girl, blue raspberry lemonade if you’re expecting a boy, or keep it original yellow if you’re having a gender-neutral shower.
4. A coffee & tea station
There’s a baby brewing! Let your guests brew up something delicious at a quaint coffee or tea station!
Baby Shower Cake Ideas
Make dessert simple with these ideas:
1. Homemade Cake
Don’t want to buy a sheet cake from your local grocery store or bakery? Cut costs and wow your guests with a delicious homemade cake. We recommend our BEST EVER chocolate cake recipe!
Hip Tip: Get frostings and sprinkles on sale after the holidays. Look after Easter, especially for pastel colors!
2. Cupcakes
These adorable Teddy Grahams cupcakes are perfect for a baby shower! See the full recipe from The Tastes of Lizzy T.
3. Cake Pops
Cake pops are desserts that can double as a favor. Buy them at the bakery or make them at home using our easy cake pop recipe!
Hip Tip: Skipping cake? Rice Krispie treats, chocolate-covered pretzels, candy stations, and cookies make affordable alternatives!
Baby Shower Decorating Ideas
No party is complete without decorations! These are a few baby shower decorating ideas that look great and won’t bust your budget:
1. A balloon arch
An eye-catching balloon arbor makes a stunning decoration. Buy some balloons at your local party store and follow a DIY tutorial like my teammates Erica’s display she did for her son’s first birthday! You can also buy a kit like the one from Amazon shown above. It’s picture-worthy!
2. A DIY banner
Moms-to-be love decorations that double as gifts! That’s why we like this DIY banner made of onesies. Simply hang the one-piece suits from a clothesline. Buy onesies that fit the shower theme or buy plain ones and write funny messages on them with fabric markers.
Another DIY banner idea is to have guests write down wishes for the baby and hang them up. The mom-to-be can keep the notes and add them to her baby book! Get the full DIY from Art Bar, including FREE PDFs of the animal shapes.
3. Giant blocks
Nothing screams, “Baby on the way,” like giant block letters. They look terrific in photos too! Follow this DIY tutorial to make your own.
Not into DIY? Buy these cute faux wooden blocks from Amazon instead for under $25!
4. Centerpieces
Diaper arrangements are pretty, practical, and affordable. We love that the mom-to-be can take these centerpieces home with her. Learn how to make a similar diaper centerpiece by following this DIY tutorial by Abby Organizes.
Hip Tip: Don’t overspend! You can find really cute baby shower supplies at Dollar Tree!
Baby Shower Game Ideas
Baby shower games entertain guests and keep them engaged. We like a mix of games that are funny, surprising, and traditional. Here are our top picks:
1. Guess the baby game
This heartwarming game is a baby shower favorite. Have guests bring a baby picture of themselves. Everyone will get a kick out of guessing who is who!
Another version of this game is called Guess The Celebrity Baby. You can buy it pre-made on Amazon for only 12.99!
2. Bobbing for pacifiers
Cue the laughter! This hysterical party game is a spin on bobbing for apples. Fill a basin or barrel with water and tie guests’ hands behind their back. The person who gets the most pacifiers in 60 seconds wins!
3. Baby shower bingo
This shower game is tried and true! It keeps guests engaged while the mom-to-be opens gifts. Mark off any items she opens that are on your BINGO card. The first one to get a BINGO wins!
Hip Tip: You can find cheap printable games, like BINGO, on Etsy, too!
4. Blindfolded diaper relay
You read that right – diaper changing relay! 😂 Break guests into relay teams and blindfold the participants. Have a station ready with baby dolls and diapers. Guests must race to properly change the doll. The first team to have all members successfully change the baby wins!
5. Dollar Tree Diaper Pong
This fun baby shower game was submitted by Hip2Save reader, Kay. Take turns throwing a ping pong ball. Whoever scores the most points wins! Find out how to make this board with Dollar Tree items!
6. Break your water
Talk about an ice breaker! Freeze baby figurines in an ice tray prior to the event. Pass the frozen cubes out to guests and the first person to free their baby from the ice – without using hot liquid – wins the game.
Also, use a figurine to play “Who has the baby?” Before the party starts, tape a mini baby to the underside of a seat. At the end of the party, have guests look under their chairs. The person who finds the baby wins a prize!
Hip Tip: Make a FREE playlist of songs that have “baby” in the title. Listen to the music as you play games or use the setlist to play musical chairs!
Baby Shower Favor Ideas
Favors aren’t cheap, so we love practical items that guests can actually use. Try one of these favors or prize ideas at your next baby shower:
1. Poppin’ bottles bottle opener
These cute bottle openers will go to good use! They come individually wrapped in cute packages.
2. Gourmet popcorn favors
Honeydesign Store Elephant Baby Shower Printable Stickers – $2.80 (regularly $5.60)
Popcorn bags make the perfect easy shower favor! Buy popcorn and put it in mason jars or plastic bags. Attach tags that say, “Going to pop,” or, “Thanks for popping by!” Make your own or buy cheap gift bags and stickers on Etsy!
3. Mani-thanks nail polish favor
We love using nail polish as a useful party favor. Buy it in bulk, like this pink nail polish set on Amazon. Then, add favor tags that say, “Mani-thanks!” Get gift tags on Etsy or make them yourself!
4. Affordable tea light favors
These rustic favors are only $1.62 a piece and that includes personalization! Choose your flower color, gift tag image, and message.
Did we miss any great baby shower ideas? Let us know in the comments!
Check out the latest baby deals if you need a gift that won’t break the bank either!
I need tips for hosting a graduation party/open house. We have two kids graduating from high school this year.
I have read similar tips in the past that also recommend getting decorations from Dollar Tree. They will have graduation related pieces as well as I plan to grab 2020 New Years items when they become available as long as they only have the year listed. My daughter graduates next June. I plan on also checking the Bullseye Playground (former dollar Spot) at Target. Also look for solid color pieces in their high school colors.
How exciting! Thanks for the suggestion! Here are a few posts you may find helpful!
https://hip2save-com-develop.go-vip.co/2017/04/19/reader-question-how-do-you-throw-an-affordable-fun-graduation-party/
https://hip2save-com-develop.go-vip.co/recipes/easy-graduation-cap-party-treats/
https://hip2save-com-develop.go-vip.co/2018/04/23/2018-graduation-party-supplies-only-1-at-dollar-tree/
Thank you for this! I’m currently planning a baby shower so this article was right on time!
Oh perfect! You’re so welcome, Donna! Glad this is helpful!
Cute and simple ideas 💜
I make table centerpieces using bottles of baby shampoo/wash wrapped in colorful tissue paper and tied with ribbon (you can be a little extra and tie on a balloon from the Dollar Tree if you want). It’s super cheap and functional for the mom-to-be to take home for baby after the shower.
When I’ve hosted with multiple people (my sisters-in-law) we’ve done a salad themed shower food wise where we each made a different type of salad (potato salad, macaroni salad, taco salad, etc) for light food.
Too cute! Thanks for the sharing with us, Sara! I’ll have to remember those ideas!
I love the baby predictions. I’m currently pregnant (second time waiting until birth to know the gender) I love getting my close friends and family to do baby predictions (gender, day born, weight, etc…) I put them in baby’s scrapbook after.
I threw a book theme shower for my best friend since we are huge readers. I purchased books from the dollar tree and thrift stores to use as center pieces. I also made a hungry caterpillar out of ballons. We had finger foods that were themed after books I.E. The three little pigs were little smokies, etc. Very easy and affordable!
You can also check out children’s book from the library for your book theme baby shower. We bought “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” for the sign in book.
I just hosted my daughters baby shower. A few things were big hits:
1. Trivia game (like in the year 1900 what was most popular boy color
A. White B. Pink C. Green D. Blue
Answer B. Pink! (Pink was considered a strong color, this in 1900 boys were dressed in pink)
We had 10 fun trivia questions and whoever got the most right win a prize. Everyone loved it!
2. Find cute art on internet and print off on photo paper and cut into bookmark size, then hole punch it and add a ribbon and give away as party favor
3. Type up and print off this saying
“ this is a gift for you today so when I am born you’ll light the way. with the flicker of the flame please say a prayer in baby’s name” and add a tea light as a party favor.
I had a baby shower thrown for me last fall and everyone wrote on diapers for us. They were cute and funny, but after we started using these diapers, the permanent marker got all over the inside of her clothes. So while this is a fun idea, it’s not so fun to try and get permanent marker off of several pieces of clothing.
Thanks for sharing! I would be so mad!
Yes! Same thing happened to us!!
We do couples baby showers in order to include both new parents, unless the mom is raising the child herself. We skip the games and nobody seems to miss them.
Here in the mid-west we have baby showers and bridal shower in church basements the cost is usually free if you attend church there. Plus there is more room and plenty of chairs and a kitchen.
This article is very useful. Here is very helpful information. I enjoyed while I’m reading this article. Thanks for sharing.
Great post. That was a lot of work to compile all that info. I thought I recognized the diaper pong trifold. Thanks for sharing it again. I had my last baby in April n will b sharing from his baby sprinkle. Thanks for reminding me, H2S. Again, great post …very fun n useful.
Aww, Congrats to you and your family, Kay! You’re so welcome! Thank YOU for the great feedback. ❤️
My daughter in law is pregnant with baby #2. For the second we do a sprinkle with just immediate family. This is grandchild #4 for me and I’m just as excited as with #1! I will use a lot of your ideas, just on a small scale. Thank you for the great ideas, now I could use some brunch recipes lol.
You’re welcome! How exciting! Congratulations! 🤗 Here are some recipes that may be helpful! https://hip2save-com-develop.go-vip.co/recipe-type/breakfast-ideas/
Thank you so much for the brunch recipes, I’ll try some for our baby “sprinkle “!
You’re so welcome! ❤️
Skip the games & favors. No one likes either. Spend the savings on a upgrading your food & beverages.
I 100% agree about the favors – definitely not needed and they do cost a lot of extra money.
Need ideas for a bridal shower! Happy Hour with just women.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the request, Patty! 🤗💖I have passed this along to the team!
Patty- another great place to find shower inspiration is on Pinterest.
An idea as a gift for the parent(s) to be is for whoever is throwing the shower to provide the parent(s) to be with pre-addressed/stamped thank you notes for each attendee of the shower. Then all the parent to be has to do is spend time writing a personal thank you message. And the parent(s) to be do not have to try to track down addresses. Another idea is to give a pack of thank you notes and stamps as a gift so when the new baby arrives, the parent(s) have them on hand to thank those who have sent / given gifts. A big pet peeve of mine is when a gift is not acknowledged. I do not mind if it is even a text message thank you, but at least say something. If someone spent the time to get your little one a gift it is important to many of us to at least acknowledge receipt of it. Even if is a quick text message to say I got your gift, thank you. I have sent gifts where I never hear that they have arrived so after a few weeks I text to see and get a “oh yes we did thanks” text back. How hard is it to just quickly text a quick acknowledgment?