Newborn Baby Clothes
Newborn Baby 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 some of the more unusual advice said to remember
when she's up at 2 a.m. nursing the baby in the rocking chair,
feeling exhausted and lonely that hundreds of other women are
up, too, with their babies. Her favorite piece of advice came from
the hostess herself: "Whatever works."
A variation on the advice book involves having each guest write a
wish or proverb for the baby. The possibilities are endless: You
could use poems, quotes, or something original.
Arts and crafts
Craft projects can also 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: Each guest puts together a quilt block, and then
the group sews it together.
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 also 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 the 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 will 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 piρata. 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. Some party stores have befitting shapes, such
as a stork, bunny, or lamb. Think about filling the piρata 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 a bunch of stones from a nearby river,
and she put them in a dish, which became the candle holder.
Arielle Ikeda described a similar ritual done at 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 is likely to
be like. Or produce a mock documentary. Show the video during the
shower and present the tape as a gift.
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 to put film in your camera!
Newborn Baby Clothes
