Arrival Shower Ideas

Updated on February 18, 2007
S.D. asks from McKinney, TX
12 answers

A friend of mine just had her second child, and we're wanting to give her an "Arrival" shower so that her friends and family can come meet the new baby. Does anyone have any creative ideas for this sort of shower in the way of decorations, food, or low-key activities to keep guests entertained who aren't able to hold the baby at a particular moment?

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S.R.

answers from Dallas on

Play a game with cloths pins where when someone says baby they lose there clothes pin to someone else who ever gets the most clothes pins gets a prize.

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L.F.

answers from Dallas on

I make custom made diaper cakes (my sis already listed the site) I can make it anyway you want it! I started making them for my girlfriends for their baby showers a few years ago,they were so highly anticipated that the hostess of the showers started calling me asking if I would be making one,because they planned on using it as the centerpiece! It does make a great centerpiece on the food or gift table, and I can match the diaper cake with whatever decorations you will use. I can also make a mother's corsage for her to wear that matches the diaper cake. I've been to an "arrival" shower before and I think it's best to keep the games and excitement to a minium because there will be a sweet new baby there! Ladies love to just munch and mingle and share new advice with the mom. An activity that could keep everyone busy is to have everyone bring their scrapbooking supplies and have everyone sit around a table and each person can make a premade scrapbook page for the new baby (all Mom has to do is stick in her favorite photos!) Just make sure you have an album to put them all in and to have everyone make the same size pages. You can also have everyone write a letter to the new mom to include in the scrapbook, or have them write on little notes their best "new mom advice." This will help prevent a "long line" of anxious women to hold the baby and unwarranted new mom advice! I would keep the decorations to a minimum too, just tie a couple of balloons around the mailbox, maybe a cute sign on the front door welcoming baby, and a pretty tablecloth with babyshower plates, cups and utensils.

One last tidbit, you might want to assign someone to be the enforcer of good washing of hands before they get to hold the baby! It is important that everyone washes their hands before the baby, but it can be overwhelming and nervewracking for the new mom to make sure that everyone's hands are clean!

http://www.bumblebeebabyboutique.com
http://www.myspace.com/bumblebeebabyboutique

1 mom found this helpful
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M.F.

answers from Dallas on

We've done this several times for adoptions and second babies. Don't have it at the new mom's house. Definitely have a hostess. As far as themes, we did typical baby shower things. Pink for a girl, blue for a boy. "Welcome (baby's name)" on the cake or on signs. Maybe decorate with something that goes with the nursery theme. As far as activities, we usually had prayer cards or advice cards for guests to fill out. You can use scrapbooking paper if the mom is a scrapbooker so she can put the cards in the baby's book.
Other than that, we usually have a good time eating and chatting and watching the kids run around (because somehow there are more kids at a second baby shower).

1 mom found this helpful
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H.S.

answers from Dallas on

Everyone cant hold the baby at the same time but they can write inspirational messages to the new baby and the parent. so later on the mom can use them in the child's scrapbook or baby book. this way when the child is older the parent can recall all the guest that came to see them. you might also try putting out cameras to go along with the messages.

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C.H.

answers from Dallas on

My sister held a "sip and see" shower when my son was born last January. It worked much better than trying to do a shower beforehand because of the holidays and because this was my second. Everyone had a great time holding the new baby!

We wanted to include everyone, including the guys. So we enticed them with the promise of having the TV on with whatever major sporting event was on. (We also had beer available for the guys to "sip" but that may not be for everyone.) Since my second was a boy, the sports thing fit right in. It was very casual, and we didn't really do a "theme" per se. We had a cake with "Welcome Alex" on it. Otherwise, it was more like a small party for family and friends than it was a baby shower. We didn't do the games for receiving advice and such because, that had been done with my first. However, having the matting of a picture frame available for everyone to sign for the new baby's room is a great idea. Or, have everyone sign the "Showers" page in the new baby's book.

My sister put on the invite that we were requesting everyone's "presence" but not their "presents." In the end, I think most people brought a gift, but with it being a second baby, the mom just needs a lot less stuff than with the first.

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T.L.

answers from Dallas on

Hi, I make Diaper Cakes (Pipy Baby Cakes) and I'm local! Email me for pics!! They're super cute!!

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C.A.

answers from Dallas on

Hi S.,

I agree with the sip and see ideas. I have gone to a few and they are like low key showers. Just a bunch of wine and girls 'aww'ing over a baby :) . The ones I've been to don't really have activities.

Good luck! C.

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R.W.

answers from Dallas on

Hello S., my name is R. W. and my friend and I have our own business (Stylish Soiree Catering & event Planning) I would be glad to give you some ideas if you need be and also help plan it if you are in need of help with that. I think that it is good to play a game that goes on during the whole showers such as "How Man Baby Necklaces will you have " That game consists of the following, as each guests enters the shower give them a necklace madeof small baby bottles or other types of baby favors, each time a person is caught with their legs crossed the person gets to take their necklace the person at the end of the shower that has the most wins. Please Check out our page on myspace www.myspace.com/stylishsoiree

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D.W.

answers from Dallas on

In the south I was told these are called "sip and See" events and they were almost like an afternoon tea. (I'm from California, had no clue what they were talking about)
Anyway, one of my favorite ideas was to have a bunch of size 1 diapers w/ sharpies available, then the guests could write notes on the diapers. When mom changes the diapers she sees a new message each time.
If mom doesn't really need anything you can have a diaper and wipe shower.
Have fun!

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A.M.

answers from Dallas on

You can may be do some crafts, write letters to the baby of how they felt when they first saw him/her. May be a scrapbook of some sort or like a guestbook.

If you are interested, I do customized cakes. Please have a look at my website http://www.brilliantcakes.com.

L.A.

answers from Dallas on

I had one of these when my son was born. It was a quilt tying, one lady made a cute baby sized quilt and then people took turns tying it. Also a diaper cake is really useful and can be used as a center piece. We used it as a game. Bring it out and everyone looks at it for 30 seconds, cover it up with a baby blanket, everyone then writes down what is on it by memory. Change something on it and uncover it, then have poeple guess what changes have been made. Do this a couple of times. It's a cute little game. I got mine from here: www.bumblebeebabyboutique.com They are adorable.
Also at : http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5007915&order=&a...

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A.M.

answers from Dallas on

Well first you need a "theme". How about baby safari animals? Baby tigers,monkeys,giraffes,zebras.... You could play the game where everyone has to write down the correct name of an animal baby,(ie:tiger=cub). Or maybe an active/action game like animals pictionary? Another game is "Guess the Animal". Put small animal figures(ie:snake,scorpion,parrot,frog)in a separate small paper or cloth bag. Or even a jungle safari party favor bag. Pass the bags around for everyone to feel and try to identify them.

You could make cookies or little cakes with baby animals on them. Accent the decor with stuffed animals everywhere,incense, and jungle type artificial plants. You could serve exotic finger foods like chicken kabobs,mini pita breads and hummus,cucumber spears with chili powder and lime juice,papaya,mango,guava juice,cocunut shrimp or chicken skewers,etc.
Here is a site that offers a bunch of safari themed party supplies:
http://www.birthdaydirect.com/theme-party-supplies-jungle...

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