The countdown to the arrival of a new baby is an exciting time for any family.
For the friends and loved ones of the mom-to-be, it can also be a time filled with questions about what they can do to help prepare for the big celebration.
If you’re looking for meaningful baby shower activities that will have everyone excited, look no further!
In this blog post, we will discuss 14 different things that friends and family can do at a baby shower to make it memorable for everyone involved.
Welcoming a new little baby (or baby on the way!) is a moment that the guest of honor will always remember.
Bring your new little one into your life the right way, with meaningful baby shower activities. These are a great way to create lasting memories!
14 Meaningful Baby Shower Activities to Try
The best baby showers have a good combination of fun, creativity, and sentimentality.
These activities check all these boxes for guests and the mama-to-be!
The best part of these activities? Most of them double up as gifts for the baby or as lasting keepsakes!
Not only are guests enjoying themselves, but they’re also leaving a bit of love behind for your little one!
These activities are all totally unisex too. So whether you’re celebrating the impending arrival of a baby girl, or boy, or are Team Green and waiting to find out, you can easily incorporate these into any baby shower.
I’ve prioritized creative-focused activities, not fun baby shower games, for this list.
Don’t get me wrong, games are always welcome at a party!
But we’re going for lasting memories for new parents, not a “pass the dirty diaper” game with a melted candy bar that vaguely haunts your dreams.
However, if you want some unique baby shower games, check out this post of the best baby shower games and prizes!
Now, onto the meaningful baby shower activities!
1) Swap Your Greeting Card for a Favorite Book
This is such a great idea!
Traditionally, greeting cards are your guests’ way of sending you and your family best wishes, baby advice, and a whole lot of love. And while these cards are so appreciated, they tend to end up collected in a drawer or recycled.
Make your guests’ greetings a permanent fixture of love in your household by opting for a book option!
Simply request that guests bring a board book with their message written inside instead of a greeting card.
You can suggest that they bring their childhood favorite, classics like fairy tales or nursery rhymes, or maybe a book their children love!
You could even make a registry of books you’re hoping to collect.
Alternatively, you can have a book signing station set up and ready to go for your family members and friends to sign! Simply set up a display of board or picture books for your guests to pick from. They can write their greetings while at the party.
This idea is so meaningful because your friend’s well wishes will have a long life on your baby’s bookshelf way after the end of the shower.
Every time you read the book together, you’ll be reminded of the person who gifted it to you.
2) Burp Cloth/Blanket Stamping Station
Looking for a fun way to have a craft that everyone can take part in, regardless of their artistic abilities? Look no further than this unique stamping station!
Offer guests a variety of plain burp cloths or baby blankets. You’ll want a smooth stampable material like cotton, polyester, or muslin.
Another option is to go with plain white bibs like THESE >>
Next, set up a variety of rubber stamps and a few different colored ink pads. A stamp set like THIS ONE >> would be perfect!
Finally, let guests go wild! They can decorate their cloth to their hearts’ desires.
There are few baby items a new mom needs more than extra burp cloths or bibs. You go through them like crazy!
Not only does this activity create unique, personalized gifts, but it’s possibly the best way to stock them up with totally functional and necessary items.
This activity lets guests leave a personal touch (guests are literally making their “print” on the cloth!).
3) Family Tradition Cards
Have you heard of tradition cards? If not, you’re in for a treat!
Tradition cards are simply cards that guests fill out with their favorite family traditions. They can be anything from Christmas morning rituals to bedtime stories or even just advice on what has worked well for their family.
These cards truly celebrate the spirit of family and community. Which, hey, isn’t that what a baby shower is all about after all?
Offer guests cue cards. They can be as simple as a piece of paper passed from one to the next person, or you can purchase a beautiful family traditions card kit on Etsy HERE >>
These cards can be spread out on a table, contained in a book, or otherwise displayed.
Then simply ask that guests share stories of their family traditions and why they hold such a special place in their hearts.
You can choose to adopt some of your loved ones’ family traditions into your own family.
Sharing these traditions with your baby is a way to create lasting memories that connect you and your baby to your friends and family.
These cards make for a beautiful keepsake the expectant parents will look back on for years to come!
4) Keepsake Guest Book
Guestbooks are a common addition to most baby showers (and for good reason!).
These books offer a timeless keepsake, filled with warm wishes and messages from baby shower guests for baby (and parents!) to read through later.
The book doesn’t need to be fancy! A simple scrapbook like THIS will do. The real treasure is what is inside!
Yes, you can simply plop down the guest book next to a pen and have guests sign their name, but there is so much more fun you can have with it!
There are plenty of ways to get creative with your guestbook, but one of my favorites is the fingerprint guest book!
To create this keepsake, you’ll need a colorful ink pad and a few black Sharpies. Then, set up a sign that reads something like “Please leave your mark!”.
Guests can use their thumbprints to create little animals, flowers, trees, or any other design they dream up.
Remind guests to include their names and the date as well. You may need to do a few examples to help get the creative juices flowing!
Want to keep the guestbook a bit more traditional?
Why not do a photobook? Guests can add notes to mom and baby along with corresponding polaroid photos!
This visual aspect will make the guestbook even more treasured.
Something like the Instax Mini would be perfect for this activity. Grab an Instax Mini bundle with everything you need HERE >>
Or, you can add a fun twist on this classic idea by asking guests to bring their own baby photos to leave in the book!
This is such a sweet way to fill the pages and will give parents-to-be a good chuckle when they look back on all the photos and funny messages.
5) Create Baby’s First Alphabet Book
What’s more unique—or meaningful—than a homemade book for baby?
We all know that reading to your baby is extremely important, even during their first year.
That means there is simply no such thing as too much reading material (at least in my opinion!). Add a custom read to your baby’s bookshelf with this meaningful baby shower activity.
Provide guests with a stack of quality cardstock paper along with some decorating materials (pencils, markers, etc…)
Guests will each be assigned a letter (or two) that they are responsible for in the alphabet book!
Ask guests to follow a simple ABC formula such as “H is for Horse” to add to this custom alphabet book. They can also draw and color a corresponding visual.
Once done, you can slip these pages into clear, waterproof sleeves with a 3-ring punch like THESE.
When all the pages are collected, simply tie the spine together with a few pieces of ribbon or twine! Alternatively, you can keep pages in a binder, or even send it off to be professionally bound!
These pages will range from gorgeous to hysterical based on your guests’ artistic talents and humor!
Everyone will have a good time looking through this custom book too. It’ll be the perfect addition to the bookshelf in baby’s room.
6) Create A Wish and/or Advice Card
The most priceless gift has to be (solicited) advice from friends. So, why not set up an advice station. There’s no better way to let friends and family share their experiences.
There is so much I wish I could go back and tell myself before becoming a parent. Your friends and family are sure to have a lot of wisdom that they’d love to pass along too!
To do this, set up a station similar to the traditions cards mentioned above. Simply grab some cute notecards like THESE or buy advice cards on Etsy (see below for links).
Additionally (or alternatively), you can ask guests to leave a “wish” for the baby. This can be done on the backside of the advice card or on its own card entirely.
THIS simple card combines advice and wishes with simple fill-in-the-blank prompts >>
I also really like the simplicity of THIS set of advice cards >>
This idea brings a great sentimental touch to your baby shower because it speaks both to mom and baby. Plus, these notes can be kept in a baby book, a special jar like THIS or a keepsake box like THIS ONE for the baby to enjoy when he or she is older.
7) Make One-of-a-kind Baby Shower Onesies
This activity is a good idea as it allots for practically any age to participate while also providing useful gifts for the baby!
Plus, setting up this fun activity is a snap.
You’ll need enough plain, white onesies like THESE so that each guest can decorate at least one.
I recommend getting a few different sizes for the baby to grow into too. You’ll also want to buy some fabric paint pens like THESE.
Then, invite your guests to add personal designs to their onesies. Ask them to sign their name on the inside tag, so you know who decorated what!
This meaningful baby shower activity is easy and sweet for all.
When your baby wears the onesie in the future, you can snap a pic and share it with your loved one! They’ll be sure to get a good chuckle out of it.
8) Host a Photobooth
This baby shower activity is pure fun and so easy to bring to life! Many of us have forgotten the joy that non-digital photography can bring.
Create a makeshift photobooth with a simple drop sheet hung on the wall along with a few decorative touches such as floral garlands or metallic banner greetings that match the baby shower theme.
Set out a polaroid camera for instant fun or several disposable cameras to pass along the room!
I find that film cameras encourage fun and whimsy amongst guests and allow them to get a bit more creative than in your classic phone pictures.
Don’t forget to grab photo booth props like THESE >>
This activity creates obvious lasting memories and tends to get super goofy!
Plus, the baby will love looking through all the photos in the future too!
9) Customize a Set of Wooden Blocks
This activity is so cute and creative! A set of wooden blocks is a must-have for any nursery.
Make baby’s block set a vision of love by inviting friends and family to customize it during the baby shower.
Setting up this meaningful activity is simple. First, set out a set of wooden blocks along with paint pens for decorating.
You can choose a theme for guests to follow or leave it up to them!
I suggest an alphabet block theme. To do this, buy a set of alphabet blocks for decorating and ask that guests decorate a block with images that correspond with the letter.
For example, putting an apple or alligator on the “A” block.
This activity is perfect for family members and close friends who want to gift something personal and unique to baby.
It’s also a fun way to incorporate older siblings into the baby shower if they’re attending!
Plus, this activity offers the baby a sweet toy that is also a future learning opportunity.
Buy blank wooden blocks HERE >>
And don’t forget to grab some colorful sharpies for decorating >>
10) Fun at the Kids Table
Baby showers should have fun and meaningful activities for all ages, including kids!
There will likely be some little ones invited to your shower who will need something to keep them busy.
Provide meaningful fun with a table just for kids! This table can include many of the same crafts included in this list.
They can try a hand at decorating a wooden block, making a page for an alphabet book, or even stamping a burp cloth!
If the kids are super young or have too many jitters for a designated craft, offer paper for coloring along with various art supplies.
The kids’ creations can be added to your keepsake guestbook!
11) Stock the Diaper Bag
This activity is two-fold: it’s a great way to help the new parents be prepared for baby’s arrival AND it’s a fun way for guests to share baby advice.
To set it up, grab a diaper bag (or two, depending on how many guests you have) and ask people to bring their favorite diaper bag staples.
Yes, you’ll inevitably end up with a pack of diapers in the same sizes over and over, but you’d be surprised at what else guests come up with.
Baby clothes, essential oils, thermometers, diaper rash cream, and baby food are just a few of the items I’ve seen gifted during this activity.
The point is to offer small, inexpensive things that the parents will reach for again and again!
12) Fill the Freezer with Love
This activity is perfect for a baby shower! It’s also a great way to help new parents be prepared for the baby’s arrival!
To set up this activity, ask guests to bring their favorite freezer-friendly meals.
These can be homemade or store-bought, but they should be meals that the new parents can easily pop in the oven or microwave.
Meals like lasagna, casseroles, and soup are great options that freeze and reheat very well. Be sure to provide a way for guests to label their dishes so the new parents know what they’re eating and who the chef is.
This activity is a great way to help new parents save time and money. It’s also a great way to show them how much you care!
13) Create a Time Capsule
This is a really fun activity that can be done at any baby shower! It’s also a great way to help the new parents remember this special time in their lives.
To set up this activity, ask guests to bring a small item that represents what current life is like. These items can be placed in a box or jar and sealed until the baby turns 18.
Some ideas for items to include are:
- A letter to the baby
- Photographs
- Newspaper or magazine clippings
- Small items or trinkets
- Toys that are currently trendy
This activity is a great way to help the new parents remember this special time in their lives while also creating something very meaningful for the baby to enjoy in the future.
Plus, it’s just fun to see what everyone comes up with!
14) Decorate Diapers
Last, but certainly not least, this is perhaps the most practical meaningful baby shower activity there is!
Decorating diapers is a great way to help the new parents be prepared for baby’s arrival. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!
To set up this activity, all you need are some Sharpies and a pack of diapers. Guests can decorate the diapers however they like.
This activity is great for all ages and is sure to get everyone laughing, including the parents during those late night diaper changes.
Plus, it’s a great way to help the new parents be prepared for baby’s arrival with plenty of diapers!
Final Thoughts on Meaningful Baby Shower Activities
And there you have it, mamas! Meaningful baby shower activities that will make your event one to remember!
What are some other meaningful baby shower activities that you’ve done or seen? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
Want to read more helpful posts about baby showers? I’ve got you covered! Check out these popular posts:
- 10 Fun Baby Shower Games + Prize Ideas
- 21 Baby Shower Food Ideas (Brunch + Lunch)
- 25 Lovely Homemade Baby Shower Desserts – With Pictures!
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