How to Plan a Baby Shower: Step-by-step Checklist

There's a tiny human being on the way, and you want to celebrate them and their parents in the best way possible. 

But there's a lot that goes into planning a baby shower. So, you're probably wondering where to start!

Luckily, you’re in the right place. In this article, you'll find all that you need to know about how to plan a baby shower.

When to start planning a baby shower

You’ll need approximately two months to plan a baby shower. 

This should give you enough time to plan things in detail and ensure that all costs are covered. 

Baby showers are typically hosted around one or two months before the baby’s due date. So, you should probably start planning the baby shower when the mom-to-be is six months pregnant. 

That way, the shower will be hosted by month seven or eight of her pregnancy.

Baby shower to-do list

When you’re planning a baby shower, there are lots of important things that need to be done.

Whether you’re clueless on what these things are, or you just need a little reminder, here’s a baby shower to-do list:

Eight weeks before the baby shower:

• Draft a guest list

• Set a date and time

• Browse and choose venues for the baby shower

• Find a caterer

• Choose a theme

• Create/buy your baby shower invitations

• Make a baby shower website

• Create a baby registry with Moonsift

Six weeks before the baby shower:

• Send out baby shower invitations

• Share the baby registry

• Make a list of supplies needed for the event

Four weeks before the baby shower:

• Choose baby games and decide on entertainment

• Find an MC, or ask a close friend or family member

• Confirm the menu

Three weeks before the baby shower:

• Buy all the necessary supplies for the event

• Confirm the guest list

One week before the baby shower:

• Confirm entertainment and get the games ready

• Send out reminders to other organizers, and people you’re relying on for the baby shower

• Make sure everything is running smoothly, and tackle any last-minute tasks

The day before the baby shower:

• Prepare decor

• Start preparing food

• Pick up any last-minute supplies

How do you host a fun baby shower?

Baby showers don’t have to be formal and boring. 

You can spice things up by adding a few fun games for everyone to play – or planning other engaging activities.

What fun baby games can we play?

There are lots of different baby games that can help to keep guests entertained.

Here are a few popular choices:

• The price is right. Guests guess the price of popular baby items.

• Baby photo guessing game. Everyone provides a baby photo and guesses which photo belongs to which guest.

• Dirty diapers. Smear different candy bars on baby diapers and encourage guests to guess which candy bar is in each.

• Play-doh babies. Get guests to make their own babies out of play-doh. The expecting parent gets to choose the winner!

• Diaper crafting. Divide into teams. Each team nominates a team member and dresses them in a diaper made from toilet roll.

How do you play the price is right during a baby shower?

The price is right is a popular baby shower game where the host gets a few commonly known baby items, and the guests have to guess the price of each item.

To execute this game successfully, you’ll need to make sure you have the following things:

1. Printable ‘the price is right’ game sheets

2. Pens

3. A timer

4. Winning prize

To play the game, follow these steps:

1. Hand out a game sheet and pen to each guest

2. Set the timer and ask your guests to fill in the cost next to each item, and to calculate the total of all items

3. The winner will be the person with the closest total to the actual final cost

You can also play in teams rather than as individuals if you want to keep the conversation flowing.

What can I do instead of games at a baby shower?

If you’re looking for an alternative way to have a baby shower, you can include various fun and engaging activities that aren’t games. 

Here are some ideas:

• Hire a photo booth. Encourage guests to take pictures holding baby-related props and share them on social media.

• Diaper raffle. Ask guests to bring a pack of diapers to receive a ticket for a raffle draw.

• Host a creative activity. For instance, a paint and sip session where guests get to paint on canvases while enjoying a nice drink.

• Diaper messages. Guests get to write sweet or silly messages on the baby’s diapers.

• Baby bib decorating station. Guests decorate the baby’s bibs.

• Gender reveal. Your nearest and dearest are all here, so it’s a great chance to do your gender reveal – and saves planning two separate events!

Who to invite to a baby shower?

When you’re drafting your guest list, you should mainly include people who have a close relationship with the mom-to-be.

If you’re hosting a coed shower, then you can invite the close friends and family members of the mom and dad-to-be. 

You can also invite the mom or dad-to-be’s colleagues or acquaintances if they have a developing relationship.

How many people should I invite to a baby shower?

Baby showers are meant to be intimate. People typically host between 20 and 40 guests, but the number would depend on the size of your family and friends. 

A coed shower will generally have more people than a traditional shower where there are women only.

But remember, there are no rules. The important thing is to take into account what you think the expecting parents would like.

What foods are served at a baby shower?

Baby showers typically include refreshments. 

But the food you serve at a baby shower will depend on your budget or manpower. 

Often, the easiest and least stressful option is light snacks and finger foods.

Alternatively, if you have an intimate guest list, you can gather a few extra hands to save money on catering and prepare a meal. 

For instance, you could have a BBQ menu, or prepare a popular, crowd-pleasing dish.

Here are some tips to bear in mind when serving food at a baby shower.

• Think about where guests will be eating. For instance, will guests be sitting at tables, standing or eating on their laps? This will help to steer the menu.

• Ask about dietary requirements. It’s a good idea to add a question about dietary requirements to your baby shower invitation, to make sure everyone is catered for.

• Offer a range of options. Offering a choice of foods that range in texture, temperature and spiciness can ensure you have foods available that are appealing to everyone.

• Label foods. If you’re hosting a buffet, labeling dishes with tags or cards can help guests to select foods that adhere to their dietary requirements.

• Be mindful of food safety. Make sure food is prepared safely – for instance, wash fruits and vegetables carefully and check that all meat is well-cooked.

• Make food accessible. If you’re serving food buffet-style, do your best to avoid overcrowding. For instance, consider pulling tables away from walls so guests can access them from both sides.

• Make dishes ahead of time. If you’re handling the catering yourself, choose dishes that you can prepare ahead of time so there’s less to worry about on the day.

• Steer clear of mess. Opt for mess-free foods that are easy to eat, especially if guests are going to be eating standing up.

What is the average cost of a baby shower?

A typical baby shower can cost anything between $200 to $1,000. This amount depends on various factors like catering, venue, guests, and more.

How can I host an inexpensive baby shower?

Baby showers can be costly, and at times, it’s better to spend your money on important things that the baby will need. 

Luckily, you can host an inexpensive baby shower by gathering help from friends and family, and doing things yourself instead of hiring certain services.

Here’s a list of tips and ideas to help you host a baby shower on a budget:

• Make centerpieces and do the decorations yourself

• Host the baby shower at home or ask to use someone’s house for free

• Use online baby shower invitations

• Cook your own food

• Use free games and entertainment ideas online

• Bake a baby shower cake yourself

• Have a limited guest list

• Host a virtual baby shower

Whose responsibility is it to pay for a baby shower?

There’s no right or wrong when it comes to who pays for a baby shower.

Typically though, the cost is covered by whoever is planning the event.

Sometimes, the expecting parents organize and pay for their baby shower themselves, but this isn’t usually the case.

Rather, baby showers are often organized – and paid for – by friends or family members of the mom and dad-to-be.

Baby shower gifts

Gifts are part of the tradition of baby showers. 

But if you’re clueless about the correct baby shower etiquette, don’t worry. Here are some key considerations.

What is a good budget for baby shower gifts?

That depends on your relationship to the expecting parents.

If you’re an acquaintance, a good budget for a baby shower gift can be anything between $25 and $50. 

But, if you have a close relationship with the mom or dad-to-be, you should consider digging a little deeper into your pockets and spending between $50 and $100.

Meanwhile, family members typically go for higher-cost items that the baby can use for a long time. These items often range between $100 and $150.

Best presents for baby showers

Newborn essentials are excellent choices when it comes to baby shower presents, as these are items that are sure to be used frequently.

Here are some categories to explore:

• Clothes

• Newborn bath essentials

• Feeding items

• Baby nursery items

• Health essentials

• Playtime

• Outdoor essentials

Nowadays, most expecting parents put together a baby registry ahead of time, so that guests can pick items out that they actually need and want. More on that a bit later!

Do you open presents at a baby shower?

Traditionally, the mom-to-be would open the gifts in front of the guests at a baby shower, but it’s becoming less common.

Opening all the gifts at the baby shower might become tedious and disengaging, depending on the kind of crowd you have. Alternatively, you could encourage an activity like baby bib decorating.

Should I make a baby shower registry?

Creating a baby registry is a great way to direct guests to the gifts that the mom and dad-to-be actually want.

Plus, it avoids duplicate gifts and makes life a lot easier for guests who will know exactly how to put a smile on the expecting parents’ faces.

Universal gift registry providers like Moonsift let you add items to your registry from any store in the world – meaning you can be sure to link guests to the exact items you want.

Number of items

The average baby registry includes 100 to 120 items. This consists of all the items you’ll need for the baby.

The good thing about having a wide assortment of items on your registry is that your guests have many options to choose from, and could purchase multiple items if they wanted to.

Price range for baby shower gifts

A decent baby shower gift can range between $25 and $150. 

Apart from affordability, the appropriate spend for a baby shower gift will likely be based on your relationship with the parents of the baby on the way.

Always include items that span a range of price points on your baby registry, so that your guests aren’t pressured into spending more than they’re comfortable with.

How to create a baby shower registry

Creating a baby shower registry is easy on Moonsift.

1. Sign up

2. Install the Moonsift extension to your desktop, or download the app from the App Store

3. Create a new collection for your baby registry

4. Head to the product page of the item you want to save

5. Save the item using our universal save button (on desktop) or sharing the item to the Moonsift app (on mobile devices)

6. Hone your baby registry and share with one simple link!

Start your baby registry today.

Ready to host a memorable baby shower?

Hosting a baby shower might seem like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. 

The most important thing is to leave yourself enough time, consider what the mom-to-be would like most, and make sure their nearest and dearest are there.

With our tips and ideas up your sleeve, you’re all set to host a memorable and enjoyable baby shower – both for the expecting parents and their guests.

You got this!