Baby shower ideas for Australian hosts
Good baby shower ideas start with the parent-to-be: a simple theme, an afternoon tea menu, a few decorations on a small budget and one keepsake activity guests can leave behind. Many Australian showers are held in the final trimester. In a 2018 Finder survey of 2,005 Australian parents, 53% had a baby shower.
Baby shower guides
- How to plan a baby showerStep-by-step planning, a countdown timeline, who hosts, invitations, showers at work and a realistic budget.
- Baby shower gamesTwenty games with how to play, what you need and which ones suit co-ed, adults-only or quiet groups, plus prize ideas.
- Baby shower triviaThirty trivia questions with answers on Australian babies, baby animals and growing up, ready to read out.
- Virtual baby shower ideasHow to run a shower on a video call for family interstate or overseas, with games that work on screen.
- Baby shower gift ideasGift ideas by budget and card wishes, for guests who are not sure what to bring.
Baby shower themes
A theme gives you a colour palette and something to hang the decorations on. One or two colours and one motif is plenty.
- Storybook shower: ask each guest to bring a favourite children's book with a note written inside the cover, so the baby starts life with a small library.
- Teddy bears' picnic: picnic rugs, a basket of sandwiches and a teddy at every place setting. Works indoors or in a park.
- Rubber ducks and bath time: yellow and white, a duck on the cake and bath toys as table decorations that go home with the parents.
- Gumnuts and wattle: soft greens and yellows, native flowers in jars and an Australian bush feel that suits any season.
- Twinkle twinkle little star: navy and gold, paper stars on string and a night-sky cake for an afternoon that runs into early evening.
- Oh baby brunch: a late-morning spread of pastries, fruit and good coffee for guests who would rather not do a long afternoon.
- Rainbow: every colour at once, which suits families keeping the baby's sex a surprise and makes decorating easy.
Decoration ideas by budget
Discount store party ranges cover most of a home shower. Spend on one focal point, such as a balloon arch or the cake table, rather than a little of everything. Prices change, so treat these as bands.
Under $20
- Letter balloon banner: A foil "BABY" balloon banner above the food table does most of the decorating on its own.
- Pastel balloon bundle: A big bag of plain pastel balloons, tied in clusters of three, fills corners and doorways cheaply.
- Autograph garland: A garland of cut-outs that every guest signs on arrival, so the decoration becomes a keepsake for the nursery.
$20 to $50
- Table decorating kit: A boxed kit with a banner, hanging decorations and table pieces in one colour scheme saves a trip to three shops.
- Balloon boxes: Clear or pastel boxes with letters spelling "BABY" make a photo spot for the parent-to-be and guests.
- Supermarket flowers in jars: Two or three bunches split across mismatched jars cover a long table and go home with guests at the end.
$50 or more
- Balloon garland or arch: A ready-made organic balloon garland over a doorway or the gift table is the one big piece people remember.
- Hired backdrop or flower wall: Local party stylists hire backdrops for a day, which is worth it for a large shower in a hall or function room.
- Dessert table styling: Stands, a tablecloth and a tiered cake turn the food into the main decoration.
Baby shower food
Most showers run as a morning or afternoon tea, so finger food beats a sit-down meal. Ask the parent-to-be what they are avoiding during pregnancy and label each dish.
- Ribbon sandwiches: egg and lettuce, chicken and mayo, cucumber and cream cheese, crusts off, cut into fingers.
- Scones with jam and cream, or a scone board where guests choose their toppings.
- Sausage rolls and mini quiches from the bakery, warmed in the oven just before guests arrive.
- Cupcakes or a cake in the theme, plus something not sweet for the people who skip dessert.
- Mocktails or a pink lemonade in a drinks dispenser, so the parent-to-be has something special to drink too.
- Tea and good coffee: at an afternoon tea, this is what most guests reach for first.
Keepsake activities guests leave behind
If guests are older or do not know each other, swap loud games for quiet activities the parents can keep. For more, see baby shower games and the ready-made baby shower trivia.
- Wishes for the baby: guests write a wish or a piece of advice on a card, to be read on a future birthday.
- Late-night nappy notes: guests write encouraging or funny notes on nappies, so the parents find them during 3am changes.
- Decorate a bodysuit: plain bodysuits in a few sizes and fabric markers, and the baby wears guests' artwork for months.
- Time capsule: guests add a note, a newspaper page or a prediction, sealed until a future birthday, such as their 18th.
If you are adding a gender reveal
Some families fold a gender reveal into the shower. Keep it simple and safe: a cake with a coloured filling, a box of balloons or confetti poppers used outdoors. Skip pyrotechnics, smoke flares and anything flammable.
Gifts and the registry
A registry for the baby shower lets the parents list what they need and shows guests what is already bought. Not sure what to add? Start with this checklist of baby essentials.
For bigger items, many parents add a cash fund; the baby shower wishing well guide explains how.
Guests asking how much to spend can read how much to give for a baby shower, or browse baby shower gift ideas.
Make the big-ticket item a group gift
A pram, a cot or a car seat is a lot for one guest, but easy when ten friends or a whole family each put in a little. Pooling it into one fund means the parents get the thing they really need instead of five sets of bodysuits.
- Create a free registry for the occasion.
- Add a wishing well.
- Share one link with everyone who wants to chip in.
- Buy the gift once you know the total.
Setting up a registry with a wishing well is free. Guests can chip in by bank transfer, in cash or in store with no EasyRegistry fee. Card and PayPal contributions are a Premium feature ($39 one time), and card funds are released when the registry closes.
How a group gift wishing well works, and how much to ask each person for
If you have been asked to chip in or sign the card
Keep your card message short and about the parents and the baby: a wish, a bit of advice or a promise to drop off dinner after the birth. There are sample wishes in baby shower gift ideas.
For a shared gift, any amount is welcome and a small optional amount from each person adds up quickly; the group gift guide explains how a collection works.
Baby shower FAQ
Many people choose the final trimester, and The Sleep Store says it is often in the last few weeks. Ask the parent-to-be what suits them, and plan earlier if they would rather not leave it late.
Usually a close friend, but a sister, cousin, grandmother-to-be, mother-in-law or godparent can host, and some parents host their own, especially for a second baby. The old rule that family should not host is relaxed now.
Often, yes. Baby Bunting describes the guest list as people of any and all genders who care for the growing family. A co-ed shower works best with a longer food spread and games that teams can play together.
A 2018 Finder survey put the average at $672 per shower, not counting gifts, with New South Wales highest at $795. A home shower with a shared menu can cost far less.
Three to five is a common recommendation, and fewer is fine if guests are happy to chat. Mix one icebreaker, one guessing game and one keepsake activity.
Set up the baby shower gift list
Create a free registry for the baby, add the things the parents need and a wishing well for the big items, then put one link on the invitation.