How to Host an Amazing Socially Distanced Baby Shower

The current health crisis has caused so many losses. There are the obvious big losses that get talked about on the news, but then there are the small things. The missed vacations and canceled birthday parties. The losses that people feel silly even mentioning in comparison to more important things, but losses just the same.

One of these losses is for the expectant mama. My pregnant friends have all the regular stresses of life but are also mourning the fact that they didn’t get to sport their basketball belly in the cutest maternity fashion and the fact that their dreams of a fun baby shower are as good as over.

Or are they?

If there's one silver lining of these crazy quarantine times, it's the creativity that has come from people who work to make the best of situations. Be it virtual happy hours or birthday party parades, the heartwarming methods used to celebrate loved ones over the past few months has been astounding. Of course we have to be mindful of CDC recommendations to make sure safety is a priority, but mindful creativity can go a long way.

Here are some ideas of how to plan an amazing baby shower to make that new mama in your life feel celebrated and spoiled — even from a distance:

The Virtual Shower

OK, I know that Zoom is a blessing and a curse for a lot of people. We’ve all experienced those painful meetings with background noise and disruptions, or the opposite — filled with awkward silence. But here are some ways to make a virtual baby shower fun for everyone:

  • Identify a host: It’s vital that there's a host to move the shower along, give directions and “run” the shower so that the mama being honored doesn’t feel all awkward eyes (and ears) on her.

  • Be informative: Make sure that your invites give very specific information about how to access the shower (Zoom link and how to join) as well as specific tips, like trying to be in a quiet place without a lot of background noise. This is new to most people and they will need it spelled out for them.

  • Decorate: Just because everyone will be in different places doesn’t mean there's no need to decorate. The opposite is actually true. As the host, drop off a box of fun baby shower decor, including balloons and banners, to decorate before the shower.

  • Play games: Love them or hate them, games make a baby shower lighthearted and provide the, much-needed ice-breaker for a possibly awkward social event. Here are some ideas:

“Guess Mama's waist measurement” — If the mom-to-be is game to share her stats, everyone can type their guess in the comments and the the actual measurement can be done live and revealed.

Google Form quizzes — All of those quiz games about names of baby animals or baby traditions around the world can be typed up on a Google Form and the link can easily shared in the comments for guests to click and complete on the spot.

KAHOOT! — This is just one of many game show-style resources that can be so fun to play in a large group. All your guests will need is a smartphone to participate. As the host, create a free account and find tons of already created random baby fact games by simply searching “baby shower.” YouTube is your friend with helpful tips on running this fun and easy game.

  • Provide prizes: While you might not be able to have adorably wrapped prizes, you can easily email or text a $5 gift card to Starbucks or Target that any guest would be excited about.

  • Wrap the gifts (yes, really): While it’s so easy to have gifts shipped directly to the mama-to-be, a huge part of a baby shower is UNwrapping the gifts. Ask guests to drop off wrapped presents — if possible — to the host or the mama-to-be before the shower or request that they ship to a designated person who is willing to wrap and deliver gifts to be opened on the special day.

  • Have refreshments: While it may not be possible to have a bowl of punch and cupcakes served to your guests, encourage them to have a sweat treat and something to drink when they sit down to join the shower so that everyone feels like they're doing an activity together.

  • Elevate the invites: Since most baby showers include a party favor, consider including a fun party hat or favor in the invitation that guests can wear or bring with them to the event to make it more festive on their end.

In addition to a virtual shower there are other options for baby showers that could be a great fit for your situation. Here’s a couple ideas:

A Diaper Parade

Have a designated meeting spot of guests that's close to the mama-to-be’s home. Make sure cars are decorated with signs and balloons and then circle her block a few times with music blasting. Have everyone drop off diapers and gifts on the porch to celebrate this special occasion.

A Porch Party

Have the host set up a table with decorations and wrapped goodies for guests to stop by in front of the expecting mom's house and drop off presents and take a treat. You can even have a quick game or task for them to complete like writing a sweet message to the guest of honor on diapers or taking a selfie in front of a backdrop for a memory book. You can even have a food truck or ice-cream cart scheduled to park outside of your drive-by destination to make it feel extra special.

A Small Socially Distanced Shower

At the time of this writing, each state and county have their own mandates, but for those that live in places where small gatherings are now ok, a small baby shower may be a possibility. Just make sure you're being extra careful for the expecting mom and any vulnerable guests like older family members and following CDC guidelines.

  • Be upfront from the start and follow the CDC recommendation to "remind invited guests to stay home if they have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days or are showing COVID-19 symptoms."

  • Make it clear in the invite that all guests should bring and wear their face masks as "cloth face coverings are most essential in times when physical distancing is difficult" – especially if the event is indoors or in a small space.

  • Host the shower outdoors and set tables 6-feet apart if possible. If outdoors isn't an option, the CDC recommends making sure the room is well ventilated (i.e. open all windows, turn on a fan, etc.)

  • According to the CDC, "There is no evidence that COVID-19 is spread by food. However, people sharing utensils and congregating around food service areas can pose a risk." Anyone who's ever been to a baby shower knows this to be true, so to prevent the clumping of people around food, try to have things prepackaged – maybe a cute picnic meal that's already been packed for each person inside a cute paper bag, utensils and all, or a meal that's already been set at each individual setting.

  • Have hand sanitizer at every table — and take advantage of the day to make them cute with a customized label that matches the day's theme/colors. You can even give each guest a small individual bottle as a favor.

  • Set up several touchless garbage cans to limit contact with commonly touched surfaces and to prevent clumping around a single garbage can.

Who knows how long we'll be looking for alternative ways to celebrate these big life events, but don’t cancel plans or think that life has to stop. Use these tips along with the power of the internet for countless amazing ideas to inspire you to create events that everyone will remember.