November 11, 2009
- Baby Shower Prizes And Favors Guaranteed To Be A Big Hit
Depending on the number of people attending your baby shower providing favors and/or game prizes can get to be a strain on your budget.
In addition, it is hard to find things that a lot of people attending would like to receive as a prize or favor. If you have both males and females attending then the task of selecting these items becomes even more complex.
Here are some ideas that hopefully will help you out with this item on your check list for your baby shower:
A Comfort Gift Bag
Create a gift bag of comfort type items like bath salts, hand soaps and lotions, foot massage cream, etc. If you watch for sales on these type items you can save a good bit and will be able to make several gifts of this type.Handmade Gifts
If you sew, kit or crochet then perhaps you could make some nice handmade gifts. These are always treasured by the receiver because they know that a labor of love has gone into them.
Decorative Candles
Take an ordinary nicely scented candle and add small baby items, such as pins, pacifiers or small baby toys. Take a rubber band and put it around the candle with these little items behind the rubber band. This way the person receiving the gift can leave the small items behind for the expectant mother and keep the nice smelling candle for themselves.
Filled Baby Bottles
Fill baby bottles with candy; something tasty like Dove Dark Chocolates. Put the bottle in a Ziploc bag so the receiver of the gift can keep the chocolates in the plastic bag and leave the baby bottle with the new mom.
Picture Frames
Most anyone, male or female, can use a small picture frame. Many will choose to take it to work and place a favorite picture on their desk.
Fresh Flowers
If you are like my friend who has beautiful roses in her yard, then you could make an inexpensive gift of fresh flowers. This is a gift that can also be enjoyed by everyone while they are attending the shower.
Calendars
Calendars with sine beautiful scenic pictures or some cute pet pictures also work well as gifts for both male and female guests. They are not real expensive but are a gift that most everyone can really use.
Some ideas for wrapping your gifts are disposable or cloth diapers, booties or shower theme related gift bags. Also, good is tissue paper in a blue, pink or yellow color.
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November 9, 2009
- Imprinted Baby Shower Invitations Cards, Baby Shower Party Games, Prizes & Gift Ideas for Baby Shower Party
Baby Shower Party Games, Prizes and Gift Planning Ideas for Baby Showers
Baby showers do not have to be a formal affair where people are stoic and appear to not be having any fun. One way to ensure that people will have a good time is to plan exciting and fun baby shower party games that include creative prizes the guests will be vying for. Plus this will give the Mom-to-Be a lasting memory of her baby shower being fun and relaxing. Read More About Baby Shower Party Games, Prizes and Gifts.
There are numerous games that can be played that suit both traditional baby showers as well as co-ed or couples baby showers. On the personalized baby shower invitations, it is fun to get the interest of guests by indicating a door prize will be given to the first person who RSVP’s to the hostess.
Games are also a great way to makes things a bit more relaxed for everyone. Plus, most people will rise to the challenge and try to win the prize for the shower games. A fun game that can last throughout the shower is the diaper pin baby game. Everyone will start out with one clothespin - a clothespin is usually better to use not only for clothing sakes, but also for not sticking people. Whenever someone says the word “baby” another person can take their clothespin. Whoever ends up with the most clothespins wins a prize. You can set a time limit or just whenever it appears that the baby shower is starting to wrap up.
Another fun game, but is more solitary, is loading a wrapped basket full of baby items. Then allow each guest a certain amount of time to peer inside the basket, such as 15 seconds, and then guess how many items they can remember seeing in the basket. Another way to play this game is to camouflage the basket so no one can see inside and ask the guests to guess what could possibly be inside of the basket. Whoever guesses the most items wins.
There are numerous baby shower games that can be played that will get the guests interacting and lighten the mood of the shower party. Plus everyone enjoys receiving a prize. Suggested baby shower prizes for the games include candles, lotion or something such as that. If the baby shower is a couples or co-ed baby shower then the prizes can include such things are specialty BBQ sauce or gift card.
Regardless of the shower games, they can reflect the theme of the baby shower. Once the games have been decided, then gathering the needed items will need to be done. Then the prizes for each of the games can be decided upon. Keeping all the items for the baby shower in one place is the best idea, not only to help keep organized, but the host will not be stressed wondering where everything is and panicking that something is missing.
Once the printed baby shower announcements, custom baby shower cards or discount baby shower invitations have been sent to the invited guests, then the host can start gathering the needed items for the party. And, don’t forget to order the baby shower thank you cards to match the invitations for the Mom-to-Be. Sample baby shower invitations verses, wordings and saying for baby cards are available from websites.
November 8, 2009
- Baby Shower Games, Baby Shower Prizes & Baby Shower Invitations
The baby shower games played at a baby shower are usually one of the most memorable experiences during the pre-baby events. However, to ensure the baby shower games are successful there should be some thoughtful baby shower party planning. Before starting the baby shower games, it’s a good idea to go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves and their relationship to the Mommy-to-Be.
Here are some of the more popular baby shower games you can play during the baby shower:
Guess Mommy-to-Be's Tummy Size: You will need some string / yarn and scissors for this game. Have each participant pull the yarn to the size they believe would fit perfectly around the Mommy-to-Be's center of her pregnant tummy. After everyone cuts their string, compare the results to the Mommy-to-Be's actual tummy. Give a prize to the guest who is the closest! This baby shower game is an ole favorite and will be enjoyed by all.
Say "Baby": You will need baby safety pins or another type of baby object you can place on a string for each guests at the baby shower as well as string or yarn, enough for each woman to wear as a necklace. Have each guest place the necklace with the baby safety pins around her neck when she gets to the party. The rules for this baby shower game are given at the beginning of the baby shower. Whenever someone says the word "baby" during the baby shower, any woman who calls it out gets a pin from the other woman who stated the word. At the end of the baby shower, the woman with the most pins wins a prize.
Naming Baby Items: You will need a pad of paper and pen for each guest. Have each guest write down as many baby products as they can name, such as bottle, blanket, pacifier, etc during a five minute period. This sounds easy, and IS at first, but during last few minutes, the participants will start racking their brains for more baby items. The guest with the most baby products named will win and receive a prize.
Make The Mommy-to-Be's Baby: You will need baby magazines, scissors, glue and paper. Divide the guests into teams with each team having three members, and give each team some baby magazines. Ask each team to cut out pieces of different baby qualities and put together a picture of what they think the Mommy-to-Be's baby will look like. Ask the Mommy-to-Be pick the baby she likes the best. Prizes will go to the winning team. This is another of the most popular baby shower games.
Guess The Gerber's: You will need Gerber's infant food, pads of paper and pens. You will need to take the labels off of the baby food jars and have the guests at the baby shower guess the food, i.e. carrots, peas, sweet potato. This game usually has ten different jars or more of different baby food. The winner is the guest with the most correct guesses.
Guess the Number of Safety Pins: You will need a lot of safety pins and a jar. Pass a jar full of baby safety pins around so all the guests can view it. Each guess will then guess the number of safety pins they think are in the jar. The one who guesses the closest wins a baby shower prize. This another baby shower game favorite.
Place The Baby On The Mommy-to-Be: You will need cutouts of a baby, tape and blindfolds. This is a version of Pin The Tail on the Donkey, a game kids love to play. Blindfold each guests and give them a paper baby to place the baby as close to the Mommy-to-Be’s tummy as possible. The one who gets closest to placing the paper baby on the pregnant tummy wins.
Bottle Races: You will need several baby bottles with milk. Have each guest take a bottle filled with a milk (you may substitute milk for another liquid) and suck the bottle as a baby would. The woman who drinks the most during an allotted time wins the baby shower gift. This is always a laughter filled baby shower game.
Baby Bingo: You will need pens and bingo cards. Before opening the baby shower gifts, number each baby shower gift on the box starting with one. If you know that 35 people will be attending the baby shower, pre-print bingo cards with numbers 1 through 35 and randomly place them on 35 cards. When the Mommy-to-Be's decides to open the presents, she grabs the present she wants to open and reads the number out loud. As soon as someone receives bingo, they win the baby shower game and the baby shower prize.
What’s the baby item: You will need various baby products and a blindfold. A bag of baby items are placed in front of the Mommy-to-Be for her to take one item out at a time blindfolded and tell the baby shower guests what item she has in her hands. This is really fun baby shower game when you choose some crazy baby toys or products.
Complete the Baby Rhyme: You will need a book containing baby rhymes. The host will read out loud to all the guest a part of the rhyme, which is to be completed by the other women.
Baby Bingo: You will need pens and bingo cards. Before opening the baby shower gifts, number each baby shower gift on the box starting with one. If you know that 35 people will be attending the baby shower, pre-print bingo cards with numbers 1 through 35 and randomly place them on 35 cards. When the Mommy-to-Be's decides to open the presents, she grabs the present she wants to open and reads the number out loud. As soon as someone receives bingo, they win the baby shower game and the baby shower prize.
How’s the Baby: Ask all guests to bring a baby picture of themselves before the baby shower. Have all the pictures in a collage and draw lines for people to fill in who they think the babies are out of the people at the baby shower. If most guests don't know each other, just have the pictures of the mother, mother-in-law, sisters, and Mommy-to-Be. See how many people guess right. You can make copies of the baby picture collage to see how many can guess right.
Baby Scrambler: Another fun baby shower game is to choose 25 baby related items and scramble the spelling. For instance, pacifier can be changed to reiifpca. Ask the guests to unscramble the words. The one who gets the most right in five minutes receives a baby shower prize.
Name that Baby Song: You will need a pad of paper and pen for each guest. Have each guest write down all the songs that have baby in their titles, like baby love, Santa baby, one for my baby and so on. Allow five minutes for this game. This baby shower game can be made more difficult by asking who also wrote the songs.
Dirty Diaper Circle: You will need a diaper, chocolate and music player. Although one of our "dirtiest" baby shower games, it is one of the favorites. The host takes a diaper that has been "fixed" with warm chocolate in the right place and have the guests pass it to the person next to them is in a circle. When the host stops the music, whoever is holding the diaper is out of the game.
Pacifier in the baby’s mouth: You will need a blindfold, a baby picture and a pacifier drawing for each guest. Tape a picture or drawing of a baby on the wall and have the blindfolded women try to tape the pacifier as close to the mouth of the baby as possible. The one who gets the closest ones.
Blindfold Diapering: You will need a blindfold, baby doll (life size) and diapers. One of the funniest baby shower games. It calls for the guests to be divided into teams of up to five people. Each team has a doll, blindfold and diapers. The object is for each participant to place the blindfold on, take the current diaper off the doll and place the new one on while blindfolded. After the first person completes diapering, they run to the next teammate who places the blindfold on and has to do the same. The first team to finish diapering wins!
Baby Tic-Tac-Toe: You will need a large erasable board to use for the tic-tac-toe board, writing utensil, and baby facts. Baby shower guests are divided into teams and are ask to answer a question about a baby fact. If they get the answer right, they get to choose a space, like the classic tic-tac-toe game.
The baby shower games are a very important part of your baby shower. You want to do everything you can to ensure the baby shower games are enjoyed by all and are a huge success. Here’s some tips for ensuring your baby shower games are successful:
a. Be sure you have writing utensils for everyone
b. Wrap games prizes
c. Make sure to have extra prizes in case of tie games
You can view lot of printable Baby Shower Announcements, Baby Shower Invitations and imprinted Baby Shower Cards, add your personal message, along with your favorite fonts, ink color and then Preview your personalized baby card. This process allows you to see your baby card before you buy!
More on Baby Shower Games, Baby Shower Prizes & Baby Shower Invitations.
- Types of Baby Showers & Baby Shower Invitations
Surprise Baby Shower – Surprise baby showers can be fun if they are the Mommy-to-Be typically enjoys such events. If you are thinking of hosting a surprise baby shower, you must have the help of those close to the Mommy-to-Be to determine her needs and wants for the baby. The guest list will also need to be planned very carefully, checking it with a close relative or friend to ensure you haven't left anyone out close to the Mommy-to-Be. Although the surprise baby shower is not traditional, sometimes it is nice for a second baby shower (if the Mommy-to-Be is going to have a second) to throw a surprise baby shower.
Keep in mind that surprise baby showers can be stressful for the Mommy-to-Be as well as the planners, since you need to en sure you invite the right people without asking, and pick an available time when the Mommy-to-Be and family will be around. Usually surprise baby shower is not the first baby shower, but if there are going to be multiple showers then this can be fun! No matter whether the baby shower is a surprise or not, keep in mind that it is for the mom!
A non-surprise baby shower is a safer bet, since it gives you a chance to review the guest list with the Mommy-to-Be and also allows the Mommy-to-Be to register for gifts and let the host know if there is anything particular needed for the baby. Regardless of whether the baby shower is a surprise or not, remember it is for the Mommy-to-Be! Make sure she has a comfy chair to sit in, someone to hand her gifts, her favorite food and plenty of help getting the gifts to her car and into her home. It's her special day!
Couples Baby Shower – Baby showers have always tended to be for women, with women and about women, but times are changing. Fathers are now taking a more active role in planning for the new baby and might feel left out in the baby shower party celebrations. If you are considering a Couples Baby Shower Invitations the big consideration is to make the men feel welcome and comfortable.
You should limit the cutesy baby shower decorations for the couples baby shower, and the food shouldn't be all dainty either. You might consider a BBQ, giant sub sandwiches, pizza or a deli style buffet. Since you are all there to have a good time, structure is much less important. You will want to have nametags with the relationship to the parents-to-be if you are mixing people who know each other with those who don't, and make sure you have a large, special name tag for the Mommy-to-Be.
There are also appropriate gifts for the Daddy-to-Be like a “coach" t-shirt, so don't forget about him. Baby Shower favors can be given, but give something that would be appreciated by the couple, like candles and food items which are always a good choice. Other ideas are to make cookies with baby themed cookie cutters, then frost them with the baby's name (if known) or a question mark and the couple’s last name. You could wrap the cookies in cellophane and put them next to a cute baking favor like the baby shower rolling pin recipe cardholder. You could even put a recipe for the cookies behind the card that's included with the favor! (What man does not love cookies!)
Couples baby shower games should be funny and easy for all guests. You can take the couples first names and determine how many baby names can be derived from the letters. A prize can be given for the funniest name and the most names devised. Always a great game is to fill baby bottles with a favorite beverage and see who can empty the bottle first. Have all of the couple baby shower guests bring their baby pictures, number them and see who can guess the most correctly.
The couples baby shower prizes should be something silly, like Nerf basketball sets or Frisbees. Don’t forget to take plenty of pictures and put someone in charge of videotaping so that the pictures and video tapes can be given to the new parents. Couples baby showers can be a great way to combine a baby shower celebration and an evening out with friends. When sending the couples baby shower invitations, be sure and indicate that it is a baby shower for couples.
Baby Showers for the second . . . or More child – Although baby showers have traditionally been for first time parents, it is becoming more common for family, friends or co-workers to have a baby shower for the second child, third child or beyond. It's wonderful to hold babyshowers for second and third babies, since they deserve special recognition too! Parents will appreciate new clothes for the baby, particularly if they are having a different gender child from their other children.
Baby shower gifts of time are also very welcome! New moms will appreciate your assistance with household chores, a gift of babysitting or some home-cooked meals brought to her house. It's also a great idea to give something to the parents for themselves, like tickets to a movie, a gift certificate for dinner at a restaurant or items mom can use to pamper herself, like body lotion, candles, pretty soaps or maybe even a good book of short stories. When planning these type baby showers, the safest route to take is to ask the expectant parents what items they have and what they need. When sending the Baby Shower Invitations be sure and indicate that it is a second, third, fourth child babyshower.
Baby Showers for Single Moms – Baby Showers for single moms are perfectly acceptable and always a good idea. Single moms will need extra support, and a baby shower will allow her family friends to show their support. Here, gifts of your time and energy will be ideal and appreciated.
Welcome Home Baby Shower - A welcome home baby shower is an "after the fact" baby shower of the little one being born! This baby shower is not your traditional party or baby shower, but a great way for people who could not attend the baby shower to join in the fun. The biggest drawback to a welcome home baby shower is that the new parents are usually overwhelmed with the new baby and usually want some time alone.
The welcome home baby showers are mostly held a month or two after the baby is born to give the parents time to adjust. The nice thing about welcome home baby showers is that the Mommy-to-Be can tell her host and guests what she still needs for the baby, so it is a great way for her to get all the essentials she still does not have for the new baby. When you send custom welcome home baby shower invitations, be sure to indicate that it is a welcome home baby shower. And don’t forget your matching welcome home baby shower thank you cards with the same theme as your welcome home baby shower cards.
You can view lot of printable Baby Shower Announcements, popular Baby Shower Invitations and printed Baby Shower Cards, add your personal message, along with your favorite fonts, ink color and then Preview your personalized baby card. This process allows you to see your baby card before you buy!