Baby shower activities

Silly shower games can be a hoot — if the crowd's in the mood. If not, we know plenty of other activities that are both fun and engaging. A handwritten book of advice may be the best gift of all for an expectant mother. Or consider a group crafts project. These are our favorites:

Write a book

Buy or make a small blank book. Ask each guest to write a piece of advice in the book for the mother- or parents-to-be.

Expectant mother Arielle Ikeda of Forest Knolls, California, gave us a sampling of the words of wisdom culled from family and friends at her baby shower. "Most of the advice was about sleep — 'Sleep when the baby sleeps,' 'Get as much rest as possible,' " she says. But a bit of the more unusual advice told her to remember that when she's up at 2 a.m. — nursing the baby in the rocking chair, feeling exhausted and lonely — hundreds of other women are up, too, with their babies. Her favorite piece of advice came from the hostess: "Whatever works."

A variation on the advice book involves asking each guest to write a wish or proverb for the baby. You could use poems, quotes, or something original.

Arts and crafts

Craft projects can be a great activity at a shower, if your guests are comfortable with the idea. You can float it by them ahead of time. Here are a few suggestions:

• A quilting bee: Have your guests bring squares of favorite fabrics to the shower, or the host can provide the squares. They need to be a uniform size, though — 6 square inches works well. At the shower, provide fabric pens or paint so each guest can decorate her square with a picture or a message for the baby. Then the group can sew the quilt together at the shower, or one person can take the squares home and put it together later. It's a nice way to remember the day and get everyone involved in a group project.
• A felt board: The hostess chooses a theme or a book and buys a felt board and felt. The guests trace shapes, cut them out, and glue on features. You could do an animal theme or numbers and letters. The possibilities are endless: Think of Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things Are, or The Cat in the Hat. When you're done, the mom-to-be has a wonderful decoration for her nursery.
• A handmade wall hanging or floor mat: This is a great group project — guests can help paint or design the mat — and something any parent would cherish.
  "If you know the future parents' taste and preferences and are artistically inclined, this can be a wonderful and unique gift," says Jill Wood of A Child's Eye View, a children's design firm in Oakland, California. "If you know the baby's sex and name, you can even personalize it. You can take cues from the baby's room or nursery. For instance, if it's a nautical theme, the mat can be an ocean mural, or a circus scene if it's clown wallpaper." You'll find everything you need at art supply stores. Use acrylic paints, a primed canvas mat, and a satin polymer varnish to seal it.
• Prefired pottery at do-it-yourself shops: These studios offer a great setting for parties. You can host the shower at the shop and decorate plates, bowls, mugs, or picture frames for the expectant parents.

• Blow by blow

  Consider a piñata. The mom-to-be should be cautious about swinging a bat, of course, but this can be a great activity, especially if the shower is coed or is an outdoor event like a barbecue. Some party stores have appropriate shapes, such as a stork, bunny, or lamb. Think about filling the piñata with small infant paraphernalia — pacifiers, diaper pins — or tiny baby dolls, candy, pens, pencils, erasers, or novelty key chains.

  A personal touch

  Rituals can be nice. Suzi Lee of Davis, California, organized a small shower for her best friend. "There were only four of us, which made it intimate. Each of us had a candle wrapped as a gift. We lit a candle and said a blessing or poem for the baby." Suzi's son, Carver, had gathered stones from a nearby river, and she put them in a dish, which became the candle holder.
  
  Arielle Ikeda described a similar ritual from her shower: "There was a cake. Each of us lit a candle and made a wish — out loud — for the baby. The wishes reflected all our personalities. Then, like a birthday cake, I blew the candles out."

  15 minutes of fame

  If you're a video hound, consider making a home video similar to the old television show "This Is Your Life." Interview family and friends about the parents-to-be and ask who the baby will be like. Or produce a mock documentary. Show the video during the shower and present the tape as a gift.
  
  If this is too high-tech but you have a digital camera and printer available, take a group photo of the gathering with the mother-to-be in the center. You could ask the guests to hold their gift. Print out the photo and ask guests to sign the back, and then place the photo in a special frame to decorate the nursery .
  
  Whatever you choose to do, make sure you're prepared. You don't want to be running around at the last minute while you're waiting for your guests. Try not to get so caught up in the details that you can't have fun. Remember, this is a celebration for someone close. Don't forget your camera!
  via babycenter