Last updated on July 9th, 2024 at 02:50 pm
Planning a baby shower is so fun, yet so stressful! It’s hard to know what exactly to do at a baby shower to keep your guests entertained and make sure the mom-to-be has a great time. And while baby shower games can be fun, they aren’t for everybody.
If you are looking for meaningful baby shower activities that everyone will enjoy, look no further!
In this blog post, we will chat about 17 different baby shower activities that family and friends can participate in to make it a wonderful party for everyone!
There are so many ideas from raffles, to crafts, or even guessing activities that you are sure to find the right first for your party. So, if you are ready to plan a super fun and not awkward baby shower, let’s jump right in!
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Factors to Consider For Baby Shower Activities
When planning exactly what you are going to do at a baby shower, there are several things you will want to consider.
Location
What location you are hosting a baby shower in can definitely limit the activities you are able to have there. Is the space small? How much seating is there? Do you have extra tables available?
All these things will need to be considered when deciding what baby shower activities you will plan for your event.
Number of Guests
It is always a good idea to have guests RSVP to the baby shower so you know how many people to expect. Lots of these baby shower activities require a certain number of supplies so you will want to make sure there is enough to go around.
Cost
Some activities don’t cost much at all while others may require more materials. It is important to know what kind of budget for the baby shower you are working with before planning what activities you are going to host.
Desires of the Mom-to-Be
The shower is held in honor of the mom-to-be so make sure to include her in the decisions of what activities to have at her shower! This is especially true if she has asked not to have games.
There are plenty on this list that are more sentimental in value, so it is important to know what she wants. Is she looking for advice from guests? Does she want a keepsake to remember her shower by? Or is she looking for minimal activities and just wants to spend time visiting with loved ones?
All of these factors are important to consider when deciding what activities to plan for the baby shower.
17 Baby Shower Activities Guests Will Love (That Aren't Games)
Here are the 17 best baby shower activities you should consider when planning your upcoming “No Game Baby shower”. Seriously though, these are all great options for guests to enjoy themselves while celebrating the arrival of the newest addition to the family.
1. Raffle
A raffle is one of the easiest baby shower activities to participate in! Simply give everyone a raffle ticket when they arrive at the party and then pick a few tickets for some awesome prizes at the end of the shower! Or your guests can earn more raffle prizes throughout the shower participating in other activities. The choice is yours!
You can expand this to a diaper raffle (we will touch on this more in just a sec) or just a way to hand out fun party favors for guests.
2. Diaper Raffle
Turn up the excitement at your baby shower with a diaper raffle – because let’s face it, a growing family can never have too many diapers! In fact, a single baby will go through thousands of diapers during their first few years of life.
Hosting a diaper raffle not only adds a playful twist to your celebration but also provides a practical and much-appreciated gift for the parents-to-be. How does it work? Simple! Guests earn raffle tickets for every pack of diapers they bring, and in return, they stand a chance to win fabulous prizes.
It’s a win-win – the parents stock up on diapers, and guests have the chance to score some fantastic rewards and join in the fun!
3. Decorate Onesies
This is one of my favorite baby shower activities! Purchase a bunch of plain white onesies (the simple packs from Gerber are usually the cheapest) and all sorts of decorating supplies.
Let your guests have fun socializing while they create adorable onesies for baby to wear! There are so many different art supplies you can use, but here are just some of my favorites:
- Fabric paints
- Iron-on letters and decals
- Fabric markers
- Stencils
- Stamps
You could also recreate this same activity with other materials such as bibs or burp clothes.
4. Decorate Blocks
Similar to decorating onesies, guests can decorate plain blocks for the baby to play with them they are older. Create a station with materials and let creativity blossom!
I love the idea of prepping the blocks with letters and numbers prior to the baby shower and then letter the guests fill in the empty sides from there. This blog has a great tutorial of just how to do that!
This is another great baby shower activity that gives mom a piece of her family and friends to enjoy as her baby grows.
5. Advice for Mom Cards
You can set up a designated ‘Advice Corner’ where guests can share their pearls of wisdom, parenting tips, and sweet messages for the new mom. Whether it’s a tried-and-true parenting hack, a comforting note, or a humorous story, these advice cards will become treasured as the mom begins this new journey into motherhood.
Collect these notes in a box or even a small scrapbook for mom to have.
You can either use blank cards or there are some adorable templates to make it easy. Etsy has so many beautiful templates that can be matched to the baby shower theme or décor. Check them out here.
6. Guessing Station
There really is no way of knowing exactly when the baby is coming or what their height and weight will be, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun guessing!
Set up a guessing station and let all the guests take a stab at all the basic questions we love to answer as soon as the baby is born. From the arrival date to the height and weight, it’s all fair game.
You can use a poster with a chart for everyone to make their guesses or use a cute template card like this.
Make sure to save them for after the baby is born to see who got the closest!
We did this baby shower activity at my party, and it was a blast! Only one person guessed the correct date which was a day later than everyone else (I already had an induction scheduled). She was just teasing me, but little did she know my labor would take as long as it did!
7. Dessert Decorating
Center your baby shower all around decorating delicious goodies together! You could have cookies shaped like baby items, cupcakes, or even do a small cake decorating class.
This is perfect for a small, intimate gathering where guests can just enjoy each other’s company and visit for the duration of the party without the awkwardness of games!
Plus, these treats can double as your party favor for guests to take home after the baby shower!
8. Swap Cards for Books
Traditionally many guests bring cards to go along with their gifts to send well wishes to the parents or offer advice. Often these cards just end up discarded or packed away somewhere never to be read again.
It is becoming more and more popular with modern moms to request their guests bring books instead of cards to the baby shower. This is such an awesome way to have a lasting memory from those who attended your baby shower and start a small library for the baby.
You can suggest that each guest bring their favorite childhood book or maybe one that they love reading to their own children. And then ask them to sign their name and write a short message inside the book for mom and baby to read together. This is such a meaningful way to celebrate the birth of this new baby together!
As an activity for the baby shower, each guest could take turns telling everyone why they brought the book or why it is special to them.
9. Baby Time Capsule
A baby time capsule is such a fun idea for a baby shower activity, I wish I had done it at my own. Prior to the shower, ask your guests to bring something to place in a box that baby can enjoy at a later date (maybe their 18th birthday?) The possibilities are endless, but here are a few suggestions:
- Newspaper clippings
- Coins or stamps
- Any popular item from that year
- Pictures
- Letters to the baby
- Future predictions for the world/for the baby
This is such a great way for the baby to see later what life was like the year they were born and have special mementos from friends and family members. Mom can even add a few items of her own from the first few weeks after baby is born.
10. Photo Booth
You will already be taking lots of photos to remember the big deal, so why not make a photo booth! All you have to do is provide a fun backdrop or balloon arch and a few props for your guests to have a blast.
And this is such a low stress activity. Just set it up in a corner or off to the sides so people don’t feel pressured to participate.
Even if you aren’t into taking silly photos with props, having a nice background is a great way for the mom-to-be to get a photo with everyone who came to celebrate her new baby.
11. Write Messages on Diapers
Those late-night diaper changes can be hard for any new parent, so bring a smile to their faces with a funny message or note written on the diaper! This is a great baby shower activity because it is simple and does not require many supplies.
Just set up a table with markers or colorful sharpies and a set of diapers (newborn is probably your best bet for size). Then let guests have fun drawing pictures or writing whatever message they’d like to the new parents.
By the end of the shower there will be a whole box full of colorful diapers that are so much better than the plain boring ones!
12. Baby Name Suggestions
Is the baby’s name a secret? Or are the new parents struggling to decide exactly what to call their upcoming little one? Make an activity surrounding the baby’s name!
This is a simple baby shower activity to set up – all you need is paper and some pens. Have your guests fill out what they think the baby will be named and then let the mom read out all the guesses! It is fun to see what names everyone comes up with.
13. Family Tradition Cards
I recently heard of this activity, and I am obsessed with it! So much of the baby shower is centered around the baby’s first year of life (which is a fun year don’t get me wrong), but there is so much more life ahead of them!
Similar to all the other activities on this list with cards, give your guests a card and a pen with the instructions to write down an idea for a tradition she can start with her child. This can be used for any event in the baby’s life such as birthdays, holidays, life milestones, etc.
To make it easier for you, Etsy has this beautiful set that is so easy to print out and use!
You can then take the time for each guest to share their tradition and why it is so special in their family. Then the mom-to-be can have these cards to hopefully begin starting her own traditions with her baby.
14. Fill the Freezer with Meals
This is the perfect activity for a baby shower, in fact it can replace the whole party itself! Have guests come over for a party in the kitchen to put together all sorts of freezer meals for the new parents to be ready for their baby to come.
These meals can include crockpot dishes, lasagnas, casseroles, or even soups. Make sure to label everything well and include heating instructions so the parents are all set to go for their first few weeks with a newborn.
15. Pampering Station
Transform your baby shower into a pampering paradise with a pampering station for guests to enjoy! Create a cozy corner where guests can indulge in some well-deserved self-care.
Set up nail polish stations for manicures or pedicures, face masks for a refreshing glow, and maybe even a massage chair for the ultimate relaxation.
It’s a spa day meets baby shower, and it’s all about celebrating and pampering the amazing mom-to-be.
16. Visit and Mingle
Don’t think to have a successful baby shower that each minute has to be planned with activities. There is something so special about a group of family and friends getting together to celebrate the new addition to their family and simply spending time together.
A great baby shower activity is allowing your guests the space to visit and chat with loved ones. It is events like this that bring people together that may not often have the chance to see each other.
So relax and don’t stress. Allow your guests to enjoy the party without too much planning on your part.
17. Open Gifts
And finally, watching mom open gifts is one of the best baby shower activities! Set up a comfy spot for mom where everyone can see her and enjoy watching her open all the wonderful things people brought to spoil her baby.
Be sure to have someone handing her gifts and writing down who brought what so she can write her thank you notes later!
Which of These Awesome Baby Shower Activities Will You Try?
That wraps up our list of the best baby shower activities that are not games! I hope this showed you how many meaningful activities you can plan for a baby shower that doesn’t involve anything cheesy or awkward.
Baby showers are meant to shower the mom in love and get everyone excited for the new arrival coming soon. And planning this party doesn’t have to be stressful and overwhelming.
Just choose a few activities that will be meaningful to the mom-to-be and your shower is sure to be a huge success. Happy celebrating!
Check out more great baby shower related content:
- How to Ask for Books Instead of Cards at a Baby Shower
- How to Host a Diaper Raffle at a Baby Shower
- How to Throw a Virtual Baby Shower
- Best Locations to Host a Baby Shower
- Baby Shower Thank You Cards: How to Write the Perfect Card
- The Ultimate Baby Registry Guide
- 12 Virtual Baby Shower Game Ideas That Will Keep Guest Laughing
- 33 Best Baby Shower Game Prize Ideas (That Aren’t Gift Cards)
If you are pregnant, check out these blog posts to help you prepare for your baby:
- Top 10 Things Your Labor Nurse Wants You To Know
- Preparing for Pregnancy: 7 First Trimester Must-Haves You Can’t Do Without
- 7 Tips for the First 7 Days of Breastfeeding
- Navigating Pumping at Work: Top 11 Tips for a New Mom’s Success
- Everything You Need to Pack in Your Hospital Bag
- The Ultimate Third Trimester Checklist
- Baby Medicine Cabinet Essentials
- How to Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy
- Postpartum Must-Haves for a Vaginal Delivery
I love these ideas! I am going to have to remember these for my future baby shower! <3