Wash cloth animals are cute and also a little gift.

This is only one kind, lots of U Tube video for others to make.

This is more of an "activity" but pretty low key. It worked nicely for our daughter's baby shower that we had at a tea house. Our daughter didn't want any of the "regular" shower activities, so this was a good fit. Each person is given one of these cards (and a pen) at the beginning of the shower. They fill them out at their leisure during the shower. I had a basket for the cards to be placed in as people completed them. They definitely brought a lot of smiles, and it was really sweet to read them all later. Our grandson is 4 now and the cards still sit in the basket in his room. I got them from Etsy and they have tons of designs.

If you're interested, here's a link...AzureHaven.etsy.com

When is the baby shower?

Most young mothers-to-be have interests and/or have a theme in mind for the baby in their choice of decor for the baby's room etc. Baby showers are given by friends. Friends should know the mom to be well enough to know her likes, dislikes and what makes her laugh. Pick a theme based on those.

What is she like? Who is she? Does she collect unicorns or is she into steampunk. Does she dance or race cars? The theme should please the mom to be, not be something that someone got off the internet that is no reflection of her. Celebrate her. That is what makes a successful theme.

What makes me smile is when the honoree walks in and sees that her friends love and know her.

watchme, babyshowers are given by friends and family. Aunts, sisters, and cousins are very common, for example.

In our case, our daughter helped me plan the shower. She had been to a shower herself that was held at a tea house and really enjoyed it. She also suggested the Baby Wishes cards I posted. The shower was lovely, and she was very pleased. Having it at the tea house actually made it easier for me in several ways, so I was pleased, too.

A friend of mine had a baby shower about a year ago. It was the most elaborate decorations, I've ever seen. Most of the ideas came from Pinterest. A lot of the items were inexpensive and bought at Dollar Tree. Gigantic boxes covered and plain colored wrapping paper and done up to look like blocks,A platter with nutter-butter cookies iced in pink to look like a baby wrapped in a bunting, a clothesline stretched across the fireplace with baby items hanging on it, a coffee mug rack spray painted and little baby items hanging on it, lots of balloons etc. Check out Pinterest I'm sure you will get some great ideas.

Grumpy old woman here. I detest baby showers. My own daughter did, too. She refused to allow any to be given for her.

Rhizo -

My point was that whoever gives the shower should know enough about the mother-to-be to know what theme she might enjoy.

I'm a grumpy old woman too, Anglophilia.

I don't mind showers but they should be small intimate affairs given by friends because they want to do something to celebrate their friend's moment. Anything else becomes nothing but a gift grab and that includes immediate family members who hold showers.

Grumpy young woman here. I dislike showers. Honestly, the very idea of a baby shower has always seemed offputting to me. Why am I buying your baby stuff again? And if I do, I just grudingly send the gift and forgo the shower. Same thing with bridal showers. The inane games, the precious weird food, and the utter tedium of sitting and watching a grown person opening gifts forever. Not fun. I stopped going to all non family showers years ago.

HOWEVER, I appreciate the fact that lots people enjoy them and the tradition,especially the mother/bride to be. I am no help regarding activities that may make it fun. I wish you luck with that. Better yet,maybe have NO silly games and make it a fun party. I think I (and many others) would enjoy showers if they did not include some pushy person or persons INSISTING that everyone take part in the games and activities instead of letting people enjoy the company. The showers in my family have always been game free,with great food and no sitting and watching people opening gifts. They were enjoyable get togethers.As Kathy mentioned, lots of people make requests for books with special messages written in them,including the last mother to be that sent me an invite to her shower. (I did not go, but I sent her a giant box of diapers, another of wipes, and 6 or 7 different baby shampoos, soap, etc. ) I did not send the book though. This was a coworker and since it is unlikely I will be close with or even have much if any contact with the child, i was unsure what message to write. My only advice would be to at least make sure the food is good. Its the least one can do for people who show up and participate in such an event. I have never had good food at a shower,except those that i did the cooking for. ;)

Maybe have a raffle for a pretty gift basket or some other useful door prize rather than some cutesy trinket for everyone that likely will go to waste. I was going through a closet the other day and came upon a stash of useless cutesy garbage that i got at showers. In the trash it went.

And with all things in life, I believe that the more pink one can have around,the better. A baby shower for a girl seems the perfect excuse. And sparkles. Never enough sparkles. And hearts. Pink sparkly hearts always bring a smile. To me anyway.

I have seen very cute wreaths made of pacifiers and bottles that were cute. The aforementioned coworker dipped into MY stash of mod podge that I use for my halloween bottles to create very pretty glittery bottles that she turned into centerpieces for her shower. Is it an autumn affair??? Paint some pumpkins pink! Use them to mark the house. Instead if tying balloons to the mailbox, tie em to the pink pumpkins. Or, if you know the babies name, use tiny pumpkins. Paint them pink and then paint her name on them, one letter each pumpkin. Bottom line, pink.

i agree with the mom-to-be usualy has a theme for the baby's room and the shower should follow that theme.

find out how she is decorating the baby's room and go from there.

i love when a book is asked for instead of a card!! the baby's library is started and i have seen where people give their old books (in good shape) to donate to the library. great way to recycle -reuse and they get more books that way!!

I saw this on Facebook and thought it was adorable for presenting a mother to be with a baby quilt. It’s stuffed with diapers.