Create your own:
That’s when the creating, shopping and sewing commenced…
We decorated our home…
My daughter drew sketches of baby things. Then we printed similar graphics, colored and glued them on paper plates to hang from the ceiling. Add pink and blue, or festive table cloths as well as some misc decorations.
We also made centerpieces with silk flowers floral taped to pens.
And the guests arrived…
As guests arrive COLLECT FABRIC SCRAPS. These will later be sewn into a memory blanket for baby. Be sure to take a picture of the sewn quilt to send with thank you cards. This is the guests’ gift to the new baby.
You can print these labels to add guests’ names and pin to fabric.
Also COLLECT BABY PICTURES and randomly arrange on a board and number. It would be best to number with removable post-it notes. Display during party, and possibly play ”Baby Faces” game at the end when everyone has been able to get to know the other guests.
Have everyone enter and guess the QTIP COUNT !
Add cotton swabs to a baby bottle, making sure to add tissue paper on the bottom so the ends cannot be counted. I had a formula can to drop in the guests’ guesses. For a prize, I chose a Nativity Play Set. Other ideas may be a bottle of bubbles, character washcloths, or anything related to “cleaning baby.”
{Click here for a How many gummy bears are in the bottle? printable}
This is also a good time to guess the BABY FOODS.
Label the jars before guests arrive. Decide if you want to cool or heat any of them to enhance flavors. Use the kid-friendly handout sheet to mark which flavor is in each jar. For prizes, I selected Sandwich Cutters which cut sandwiches into fun shapes, as well as snack containers.
Getting Ready for Baby!
When they are done, they can PACK THEIR "DIAPER BAG" gift bag. I had ours all ready before guests arrived to save time. It includes a baby bottle with their name for drinks, a plastic or (candy) pacifier, and (fruit rollup) wet wipes. They'll also use this to hold prizes won during the games.
Dolly Diaper Bags: Buy mini canvas bags at any craft store, or sew your own using my basic bag pattern. Embellish yourself, or make it a kids craft project!
The plastic pacifiers came in four colors. I used these to separate the kids into groups. This could be by age, gender or mixed. Strung on colorful yarn, worn around the neck - each one has their name.
Children are a Gift from God - bag insert
I chose to include a flyer that had several quotes from the Bible about God being the maker of ALL things, especially the children in the womb. Taking plastic baby party favors, they are rubber banded to a rolled up flyer. The guests later “dressed” their babies in play dough.
My mom was such a helper at this party, me being 8 months pregnant and worn out. She did a bonus help by creating mini name cards that say "I Have Called You By Name: You Are Mine… Isaiah 43:1." Then the guest's name and meaning of the name. She even laminated them! :)
LUNCH includes many baby themed foods:
Let’s feed the babies! It’s time to eat!
Babies in a Blanket - Hot Dog Halves wrapped in Croissants. Use food coloring and toothpick to make eyes.
Baby Fruit Blocks
Baby Bottle with apple juice (name on bottle or sippy cup). If using baby bottles, have clean scissors to cut the nipple hole bigger.
Baby Carrots - Bought in kid size packs. Had ranch dressing available.
Poo Pudding - Chocolate sugar free pudding
Potty Break Anyone?? Move on to the CHANGING TABLE!
After the babies have been fed, it’s time to change those dirty diapers!
An assortment of diapers with sweet smelling doo-doo awaits them! Each guest guesses what candy bar is melted in the diapers by looking at and smelling each diaper. The prizes were Tootsie Rolls, Stickers and Candy Bars!
Then wrap up those dirty diapers and have a DIAPER TOSS challenge!
We allowed each guest to toss 3 diapers into the pail, then moved it back another 5 feet and gave another 3 tries. We continued until the max distance was difficult. Any ties were solved by additional throws at a closer distance. Prizes were for Top Tossers - 1 girl and 1 boy. Even the moms tried this game!
PLAYTIME!
Baby's all clean, so have everyone sit down for playtime. Have little ones sit in an area with a BABY DOLL STATION and NIBBLE NECKLACE snack craft.
Nibble Necklaces are licorice laces strung with cereal and fruit snacks with holes in them.
The older kids will play BABY BINGO, DRAW A BABY and CLAYTIONARY.
BABY BINGO
Preparing for this game was easy. I had the baby feet shaped candies in party favor boxes (25-30 per box, a bag allows for 12 boxes). In small cups were kid scissors and glue sticks. Each guest cuts the images and pastes them onto their board at random. One sheet is cut and used to draw pictures and called out by host. I chose to describe the word using questions, such as "What does a baby sleep in?" or "What do you bring the baby home from the hospital in?"
Prize bins were displayed with several inexpensive gifts from party stores and dollar sections, as well as a collection of sale items I’ve purchased over time. The kids went crazy over the selection!
DRAW A BABY
Everyone takes a paper plate and crayon, writing their name on the (eating side) bottom. Time this activity around 2-5 minutes. Kids put the plate on their head and draw a baby with as much detail as they can think of. Host will list point values for things drawn and points for them being in place! Another option is Host choosing their favorite for a prize.
POINTS:
1 Point for each body part = Head, Body, Arms, Legs
1 point for any fingers or toes drawn
2 points for eyes, 1 point extra if drawn on face
2 points for a nose, 1 point extra if drawn on face
1 point for a smile or each ear drawn
5 points for a Belly Button! 2 bonus points if on the belly.
3 points for a Diaper on Body, or Hair on Head.
3 points for any clothes drawn (shirt, booties, etc.)
3 points for a pacifier, rattle, blanket or toy drawn.
*Winner gets a new box of crayons! Additional winners can chose from the leftover prize baskets.
SNACK TIME includes a dessert or treat, such as fruit snacks, animal crackers, or these window cookies found at Se7en's Blog.!
CLAY-TIONARY
Claytionary is Pictionary using clay. A list of baby themed words has been made for you. The host will whisper the word into the ear of the team’s artist. The first team to guess the word gets a point. Because everyone is a winner, the team with the most points gets to pick out their prize first.
Everyone's a winner - hand out mini or regular containers of play dough to each guest! If time is running short, this can be a quick pick gift to send home with each guest without playing the game.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU:
Before anyone leaves, be sure to guess their new friends' BABY FACES.
Consider having a list of names nearby for spelling, or add names to the list randomly before printing. Guesses can be made by each guest or perhaps each family. Prize could be a photo album.
On a board I displayed baby pictures of Mom and Dad with Baby’s Ultrasound. Included is a poem entitled “I Loved You From The Start.”
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For more ideas for teaching children about babies, and sibling shower ideas, see my blog post:
Preparing Children for a New Baby
Why a Sibling Shower? SmartParenting.com