The Baby Shower Zone

The arrival of a baby is a very special event and calls for unique, creative gifts. Expecting parents are delighted to receive personalized, thought-out gifts for their newborn. They do not have to be overly elaborate and can be perfectly practical.

Ideas for any situation

Some of the most popular ideas include the following:

• Monogrammed baby blankets, towels, or wash cloths
• Specially embroidered bibs, towels, or bedding
• Home-made baby quilts
• Embroidered picture telling the name and birth information
• Pre-prepared scrapbook/baby-book awaiting pictures of specific dates and milestones
• Home-made teddy bears, dolls, or other stuffed animals
• Infant bathtub filled with newborn essentials such as baby shampoo, wash cloths, pacifiers, diapers, etc.
• Clothes that speak of parents’ inside jokes or special enjoyments, such as an adorable baseball
• Uniform for the baseball-loving parents or a t-shirt sporting the father’s favorite football team
• Baby “cakes”-baby blankets wrapped into circles filled with essentials such as diapers, lotions
• Safety pins
• A large picture frame with photo credits to print some of the baby’s first moments

Gift baskets

If you’re planning on getting a bunch of smaller items it might be a good idea to put together a gift basket. The following are a few important things that should be included.

• Baby shampoo
• Powder
• Body wash
• Tummy drops
• Diapers
• Fingernail clippers
• Toys

Sometimes gift baskets are not baskets at all. They can also be bottle shaped piggy banks, diaper bags, baby tubs, Moses baskets or large balloons with gifts tucked inside.

Where to look for Inexpensive Ideas

What if you’re on a limited budget? By using a few simple money saving techniques you’ll be able to offer a wonderful gift without breaking your bank account. The following are a few money saving ideas to consider when shopping:

• Discount stores: You’ll be surprised on what you may be able to find at your local dollar store. Many times you’ll be able to put together an entire gift basket, complete with bibs, rattles, diapers and more.
• Coupons: Keep an eye out in your local news paper for coupons or sales at your local baby supply store.
• Pictures: Many times it’s fun to show off your pictures when you were a baby. Frames are not only inexpensive but make an excellent gift.
• Ebay: If you’re a savvy Ebay shopper, you’ll easily be able to find great deals on all kind of merchandise. You don’t have settle on Ebay. There are other great online auction sites available if you look.
• Make it yourself: Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that come from the heart. Knitting, painting, photography or scrapbooking are all useful in making your own gift.
• Time: If you’re completely broke, don’t worry. You can still offer one of the most valuable gifts of all - your time. New parents will need some time to themselves a few weeks after the baby is born. By offering up some free babysitting, you’ll make sure they get the time they need to run errands or have some quality time to themselves.

Think of the expecting parents, their pleasures and enjoyments, and aim to make them smile. Try to coordinate ideas, perhaps incorporating the baby’s name or even the colors of the nursery. Most importantly - be creative!

Baby shower invitations come in all sorts of colors and themes. You can order very fancy ones, or you can create your own from items you buy separately or in a kit.

What information should I include?

Some people worry about the wording. Should the mom and dad be listed, or just the mom? Should registry information be included or not? Since there’s no clear answer, it’s mostly a matter of taste.

In addition to the 5 w’s – who, what, why, when and where, every invitation should at the very least include the following:

• Name (person being honored)
• Date
• Time
• Place

Be creative – think outside of the box

Mass produced invitations are fine, however, it’s easy and fun to make yours unique. Don’t feel like you need to stick with traditional paper or card. It’s always fun to find something more non-traditional to make them out of. The following are some ideas:

• Diapers
• Small t-shirts
• Booties
• Bottles
• Rattles

This list is by no means complete. You can use just about anything. To create invitations out of these items, simply write the information on the item with permanent ink, or place a tag or sticker with the information on the item.

Free Baby Shower Invitation Ideas

Don’t worry if you’re on a limited budget. There are many resources available that can help. The following are 3 ideas:

• Evites: In the internet age e-invitations have become very popular. There are several websites where you can sign up for free, such as Yahoo and AOL. You simply enter all the important details like date, time, location ect; then an email will be sent out to your guest list. They even have special graphics you can add to the e-card to make it look unique. Reminders will also automatically be send out a few days before the party, so once you set it up, there’s no more work for you to do. This will give you more time to plan the other important parts of the event.
• Make your own: If you’re feeling crafty enough, you can make your own invitations at home. All you’ll need is some cardboard, magic markers and your imagination.
• Printable invitations: The internet is also an excellent source for this. There many web sites that allow you to choose an invitation from a premade template. You can choose some custom graphics, or upload your own. Then you simply print them at home.

recommended baby shower Invitation suppliers

HERBABYSHOWER.COM is a great site for all of your baby shower needs. They offer a tool that allows you to design and create your own invitations online. CLICK HERE to start your very own personalized invitation today!

Baby shower favors are a way of thanking guest for attending the party. However they don’t need to be expensive. Homemade favors are often as cute as store bought ones, and they are not hard to make. Some easy ideas are as follows:

Candies or cookies

These can be shaped like baby items however you can also have them personalized. One great idea is to give away candy bars with a personalized wrapper in the theme of the shower.

Candles

They can be simple, such as a regular baby powder scented candle, or they can be more detailed, such as being shaped as a rattle or bottle. If you have the time and talent you can try to make them at home. Or, if time is an issue, they can be bought from a store.

Disposable cameras and small photo albums or picture frame

This will allow the guest to make their own record of the day. Another great idea is to give away picture frames with an IOU for the baby’s picture.

Thank you scrolls

Include a thank you from the family printed inside.

Goody bags

These should include pink or blue candies, pens, and notepads, and pictures of the guest with the mom-to-be.

recommended baby shower favor suppliers

HERBABYSHOWER.COM is a one stop shop for your baby shower favors. They offer unique and personalized favors to make the occasion a memorable one. CLICK HERE to browse their selection of party favors.

Baby shower decorations are sold at many party stores and online. There is no need to fear not finding the ones you want for the party. They can range from streamers and balloons to banners and flags. Some specific decoration ideas are as follows:

Table decorations

They can be bought from craft stores, or you can make them yourself. They can range from simple flowers and balloons to store-bought sprays of tinsel, toys, and baby goods.

“Little Duckie” decorations

Decorations featuring pictures of duckies are used as table decor, banners, balloons, streamers, and more.

recommended baby shower decoration suppliers

HERBABYSHOWER.COM offers a wonderful selection of baby shower decorations. With many different themes to choose and reasonable prices they can be a one stop solution for your baby shower plates, napkins, table covers and everything else you need to make your shower a special and individualized one. CLICK HERE to find a theme that is right for you.

Baby shower games do not have to be expensive. In fact, there are plenty of free ideas on the internet. These could include surveys about favorite things, mazes, matching funny baby stories, and more!

It is best to keep the games short and easy so that everyone can have fun. Games that involve a lot of writing are not a good idea unless you can provide a writing surface for everyone. Don’t make it too messy either. Using ink and paint might seem like a fun idea, but it can easily turn into a disaster.

A fun idea can liven up the party

Great games can be created out of household items. Some fun ideas include:

• “Who Knows Mommy Best” – guests try to answer questions about the mother-to-be, such as favorite song, the kind of car she drives, and…. Well I’m sure you get the picture!
• Finding safety pins in a bowl of rice while blindfolded

• Guessing flavors of baby food while blindfolded

• “Don’t Say Baby” - played by giving each guest three clothespins. Every time someone says “baby” they must give up a clothespin to the person who caught them. The person with the most clothespins wins.

• “Chocolate Diaper” - Each guest is given a miniature diaper to pin to their collar at the start of the shower. One is filled with a bit of chocolate, and at the end of the shower everyone is told to open their diaper. The person with the “dirty diaper” wins!

• Guessing the items in a diaper bag - The diaper bag is filled with every kind of baby need, and guests are invited to try to name everything in the bag. Usually no one names everything, but whoever names the most items wins! Of course, the bag and its contents go to the mom-to-be.

Conclusion

It is best to have all the “prizes” for game winners be things for the new baby, and for them to be given to the mom-to-be. This way, the baby wins the most!

recommended baby shower game suppliers

HERBABYSHOWER.COM has many different baby shower games available for purchase online. From "Who Knows Mommy Best" to "Remember that Nursery Rhyme" there are game ideas for all types of showers. CLICK HERE for ideas and games to keep your guests entertained.

They come in many shapes and sizes, and some aren’t even edible! How do you pick the right baby shower cake? First, find out how many people will be attending your party. That will make a huge difference in your search. If you’re expecting a large turnout, you may want a sheet cake. For a smaller gathering, you may want to consider a different alternative, like cupcakes!

The possibilities are endless

No baby shower would be complete, without a beautiful cake. Below are a variety of different types to consider.

Cupcakes

Cupcakes are growing in popularity. They are not only convenient, but come in a variety of styles and shapes. You can purchase them in the design of a baby bottle, cradle or numerous other styles. Not to mention, there will be no need for additional utensils and plates.

Picture Cakes

Another creative idea is a picture cake. Many bakers can put any picture on the top, as edible frosting.

Matching the design with the gender or theme

If you know the sex of the baby, you can go with an all pink or blue one as the case may be. However, if you do not know the gender, you can do a something more neutral.

It’s also a good idea to try to tie the design to the theme of the party. Therefore, if you are looking to throw a “Winnie the Pooh” baby shower, you can have the cake decorated with that in mind.

Toy Block Cake

This is easily done by putting 1 or 2 different sized square cakes on top of each other. Make sure the largest is on the bottom and the smallest on the top. If decorated right, it should list exactly like the child’s toys.

Belly Cake

By putting a circular cake on top of a rectangular one, it will look like a pregnant belly.

Non-edible ideas

Not all cakes need to be edible. 2 great non-edible ideas are as follows:

Diaper Cake

It is made up of either cloth or disposable diapers and embellished with various baby items, such as pacifiers, baby brushes etc. While this may not be traditional, it is a great alternative for someone who does not wish to have an actual cake at the shower. Not only is it a beautiful addition, it is also very practical gift idea.

Flower Cake

These are available from most florists or you can make your own. Simply press flowers into a Styrofoam cake shape and you’re ready to go!

Important note: Some women may have dietary restrictions while they are pregnant. This is an important thing to consider. A common restriction is no sugar. Cakes can be made of angle food, which is ok. Be sure to consult your entire guest list before you make any decision.

recommended baby shower cake suppliers

HERBABYSHOWER.COM has an assortment of "cakes" that are always a big hit at as a baby gift. These cakes are made of things such as diapers, socks or even towels. Some of the most memorable cakes are not the edible ones. However, if you are looking for something edible, they also offer fortune cookies, chocolate dipped berries and other favors that guests will find both original and delicious. CLICK HERE to choose what yummy treat to send your guests home with.