Virtual baby shower ideas and how to host one
A virtual baby shower is a short video call where family and friends far away celebrate the parent-to-be together. Plan about an hour, pick three to five games that work on screen, and share the gift list link before the call so presents arrive by post.
When a virtual shower makes sense
- Family is spread across states or overseas, and only a few people could travel.
- The parent-to-be has been told to rest, or would rather not host a houseful late in pregnancy.
- You want a second, smaller celebration for people who missed the in-person shower.
- A hybrid shower: a small group in the room, with everyone else joining on a screen set up at the end of the table.
How to host a virtual baby shower
- Agree it with the parent-to-be. Check they are comfortable on camera for an hour, and ask who should be invited. They choose; you run it.
- Pick a platform everyone can use. Choose a video call app the oldest guest already has on their phone or computer, plus a shared online whiteboard for drawing games and a group chat or shared document for answers and wishes. Test the link with one or two people a few days before.
- Choose a time that works across time zones. For family in Perth and the eastern states, remember Perth is behind, and further behind Sydney and Melbourne during daylight saving. For overseas guests, put both local times in the invitation.
- Send the invitation and the link. Include the date, the start time in each time zone, the call link, the registry link, any theme and what guests need for the games.
- Post a kit, if you have time. A small envelope with game sheets, a pen and a tea bag or chocolate, mailed to each household a week before, makes everyone feel part of it.
- Collect things in advance. Baby photos for the guessing game, wishes for the baby, and questions about the parents, all by email a week before.
- Name a co-host. One person runs the games while another watches the chat, admits latecomers and helps anyone who cannot get their sound working.
- Record or screenshot the end. A group screenshot with everyone waving is the keepsake. Ask before recording.
A one-hour running order
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| First 10 minutes | Everyone joins, says hello and introduces themselves and how they know the parent-to-be |
| 10 to 20 minutes | Icebreaker: guess the baby photo, shown as a slideshow |
| 20 to 35 minutes | A team game such as trivia or baby Pictionary in breakout rooms |
| 35 to 50 minutes | Gift opening, if gifts have arrived, or reading out the wishes guests sent in |
| Last 10 minutes | Winners announced, a toast to the parent-to-be and the group screenshot |
Games that work on a video call
Pick games where guests answer on paper or in the chat, so no one needs to share their screen. Full instructions for each are in baby shower games.
- Guess the baby photo: show guests' baby photos as a numbered slideshow and everyone writes down who is who.
- Who knows the parents best: read questions out, guests answer in the chat, then the parents reveal the real answers.
- Baby shower trivia: share one question at a time on screen. Our baby shower trivia has 30 questions with answers.
- The price is right, baby edition: show a picture of each item and guests guess the price; the closest total wins.
- Baby Pictionary: teams take turns drawing baby words on a shared online whiteboard.
- Name that baby song: play short clips through the call and teams type the title and artist.
- Due date predictions: guests send their guesses by message, and you announce the winner after the birth.
- Wishes for the baby: everyone reads out a wish or a piece of advice, and the host collects them into one document for the parents.
Themes and small touches
- A shared background: everyone sets the same theme picture as their video background, such as stars, teddy bears or a garden.
- A dress code: wear the theme colour, or pyjamas for a late-morning brunch shower.
- Same snack, different kitchens: ask everyone to have a cupcake or a scone ready to eat together.
- A cake for the parent-to-be: arrange a delivery from a local bakery to their door on the morning of the shower.
- Prizes by post: buy small prizes in advance and post them to the winners after the call.
Gifts when guests are far away
Distance makes the gift list more useful, not less. Share the parents' registry for the baby shower with the invitation, so guests buy what is needed and have it posted to the parents' address, or chip in online.
Guests who are not sure what to send can use baby shower gift ideas, and anyone unsure about spending can check how much to give for a baby shower. The baby shower wishing well guide explains how a cash fund for bigger items works.
If the parents have not built their list yet, start them with the baby registry checklist.
More baby shower guides
For themes, food and decoration ideas, see the baby shower ideas hub, and for the full planning timeline, how to plan a baby shower.
One group gift from everyone on the call
When guests are in different cities, a shared fund is easier than ten parcels. Everyone on the call puts in what suits them through one link, and the parents get the big item they need.
- 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
Virtual baby shower FAQ
About an hour is plenty. Attention drops faster on a video call than in a room, so keep games short and finish with the group screenshot while everyone is still there.
Three to five is a common recommendation for any baby shower; online, the lower end works better. Choose games where guests answer on paper or in the chat.
Share the registry link with the invitation, so guests can buy from the list and post it to the parents, or put money towards a bigger item. Gifts that arrive before the call can be opened on screen.
Pick a time that suits the parent-to-be and the largest group of guests, then list the start time in each time zone on the invitation. Remember Perth is behind the eastern states, and further behind Sydney and Melbourne during daylight saving.
The date, the start time in each time zone, the call link, the registry link, any theme or dress code, and anything guests need to send or have ready for the games.
Share the gift list with the call link
Create a free registry for the baby with a wishing well for the big items, and send one link to everyone joining online.