Baby Shower Scrapbook Ideas

Baby shower is an occasion wherein the parents of a newborn baby or who is about to be born are "showered" with gifts. Some couples, in order to celebrate their parenthood, throw a party or plan a cozy get-together with their near and dear ones, which are given the name of "baby showers". Till about recently, baby showers were like any other regular party with games, food, gifts etc. However now, the trend to make this a more emotional, close wound and memorable affair is fast catching up! Now, the couples are replacing the traditional baby shower games with involving the guests in making scrapbooks which have pictures of the newborn baby, the expecting mother and the father. These baby books are created with the idea that when the child grows up, he as well as the other family members can reminiscence the old times by looking at the scrapbook.

Creative Scrapbook Ideas for a Baby Shower

If you too are planning to get your guests involved in this activity at the baby shower, you need to be ready with the supplies, before the guests arrive. Ideally, a scrapbook which has a leather or cloth cover should be chosen as it looks formal, special, timeless and unlike the commonly used ones. A good idea here would be to get the baby's initials as well as date of birth engraved on the cover of the scrapbook! Besides this, you would need pictures that you want to be included in the scrapbook, stickers, ribbons, buttons, printouts of some quotes on motherhood and children (you will find plenty of these on the Internet), cards and other decorative items such as patterned papers, that you think will add to the beauty of the scrapbook. Be ready with the supplies needed to carry on the work, such as scissors, colors, glue, pencils, markers, card stock paper and other stationery. Do not leave anything for the last moment and be prepared with everything in advance.

Arrange for a big table to be kept in the middle of the room, around which all your invitees can sit and carry on this activity. Before the baby shower, sit with your partner and brainstorm as to how would you want the different pages to shape up. What all things, pictures, decorations, wordings, you would want in the scrapbook. You can of course leave the details up to the guests as to how to decorate it and plan the layout of each page, yet you two should have a basic idea about how the scrapbook should finally look. Here are some scrapbook ideas on the list of things that you can include in it:

• Start by writing about those moments when you two were excited and at the same time, nervous about becoming parents. In this section, both the partners can write their feelings, fears, anticipation and happiness about the birth of their baby.
• The letter from the doctor confirming the pregnancy as well as ultrasound photographs can be included in the next few pages.
• Some incidents that are wroth mentioning are about the mother's food cravings and mood swings. They will be great to add some humor to the scrapbook. These can be posted along with monthly pictures of the mother's growing tummy.
• Pictures of the time of delivery, when you two were at the hospital, pictures of the nurses and doctors who helped in the delivery, letter confirming the birth given by the doctor, the baby's weight and height at the time of birth, baby's time and date of birth, the color of his eyes, the color of his hair, his foot and hand imprints - these are the things that you should include in the scrapbook as they make for valuable memories.
• Include all the pictures of the baby's firsts like his first smile, his first walk, his first tooth, his first bath, first haircut, first outside trip, etc.
• Devote the last section of the book to the entire baby shower event. Click the photographs of the decorations, guests, food menu, gifts and cards received from the invitees, cake etc. and have them posted then and there in the scrapbook by all your invitees.
• You can paste the party invitation on the cover of the scrapbook, along with some of the cards and gifts received as they will make the cover look very attractive!

While conducting this activity, explain the general layout to the guests, however, at the same time, give some pages to them to design in whichever way they want. They can write some blessings for the baby and the mother or draw something funny which the child can enjoy when he grows up and sees! In other words, give the guests freedom to design and decorate some pages according to their wish! This will add abundance of creativity to your baby shower scrapbook!

Things to Do on Your Birthday

A Golden Birthday!
When your date of birth is the same as your age, it is known as the Golden Birthday! E.g. - You turning 18 on the 18th (of any month).Regardless of who we are and what we've accomplished, birthdays can make us feel like a child all over again. Growing up, we try to make this day special than any other day. However, as responsibilities pile on, somewhere the spirit to go out there and do something fun diminishes. But we are here to tell you, it's never too late to begin. After all, it's your birthday!

Activities to Make Your Birthday Extra Special

One of the most important things to do, while deciding what to do on your birthday, is plan ahead of time. If you wish to spend time with family and friends, then you need to make sure they're available for the day. Also, it is a good practice to have a budget and then finalize the activities you wish to accomplish. Below, you will find some of our suggestions. Take a look.
Ride a Scooter



Rent a scooter and take your best friend/partner/spouse on a ride through the countryside, along the coast, or in the mountains.Test Drive



Everyone has a soft spot for that one car they wished they had. Well, if you can't own it, test drive it instead.Swim with Dolphins



Swim with the dolphins and other (safer) aquatic animals. You don't need to be scared of anything; it's perfectly safe. There are many tourist destinations that have such attractions.Rock Climbing



Indulge in extreme sports. You can try mountain biking, rock climbing (indoor or outdoor), street luge, bungee jumping, base jumping, wakeboarding, barefoot skiing, river rafting, snowboarding, and even speed skiing.Museum Visit



For history buffs - spending a day at a museum. You can either take a trip to one of the biggest museums around the globe or choose to visit one close to your place. Either way, your day is going to be splendid.Movies with Friends



If you have different groups of friends from work and school, and want to spend your day with all of them, choose 3 to 4 current movies playing in theaters and watch them with your groups of friends.Bucket List



One month or ten days prior to your birthday, start making a bucket list for yourself. Write down things you've always wanted to do in the order of "must accomplish" to "can do it any other day". Gather friends and/or family members, and spend the day doing the things from your list.Get a Makeover



Take a risk, be bold, and get a makeover to change your look completely. A makeover, regardless of age or gender, is really helpful as it gives an immense morale boost. Plus, it'll keep your mind off how old you're getting.Party with Strangers



Be kind and do something nice for others. Plan a birthday party with your family and friends at an orphanage or retirement home. You will not only have a great time enjoying your birthday, but bring joy to others as well.Thank Your Parents



Thank your parents for bringing you into this world by taking them on a holiday. After all, without them, this day wouldn't have been possible.Go Camping



Go camping with your family and/or close friends over the weekend. Get away from the world for a couple of days and enjoy quiet, fun moments with the people you love and care for the most.At the Beach



Spend the day at the beach. Play volleyball, surf, skate, water ski, sail, snorkel, or ride a hydrobike. Watch the sunset and light a bonfire. Sing songs, play truth or dare, make S'mores, and watch the stars as the skies turn dark.House Party



Spend the day at home, but in style. Invite family and/or close friends and host a barbeque party or a potluck lunch. If you have a pool, tell everyone to grab their bathing suits. Or you can even go to the closest park and make all the arrangements there.Arrange a Sleepover



Arrange a sleepover, with a twist. The sleepover will last for the entire day where your friends, along with you, can relax, enjoy, and unwind. Rent DVDs and have a movie marathon, get takeout or cook at home with everyone, play video games or indoor games, drink (only for adults) and gossip, and dance till your feet hurt.Amusement Park



Get tickets to your favorite amusement park and enjoy all the rides you've loved as a child. Take loads of pictures, print them, and make an album full of memories.Hit the Restaurants



One week prior to your birthday, sit with your family and/or friends to make a list of all your favorite restaurants to eat and places to hang out. On your birthday, take your camera and visit as many places and restaurants as you can (with everyone who gave the suggestions).Watch the Game



For sports fans, watching their favorite team play can also make the birthday special. This can be tricky if no games are played on your birthday. So... have a backup plan.Go Sailing



Depending on your budget, rent a sailboat and cruise the open waters with family and/or close friends. Pack lunch, grab champagne (drink responsibly), spot dolphins, take tons of pictures, and watch the sunset before you call it a day.Take a Holiday



Make arrangements to visit your dream destination. If you have been putting off your travel plans, make them happen NOW. Don't delay any longer. Pack your bags and take a holiday with family, close friends, and/or that special someone.Donate and Shop



One week prior to your birthday, clean out your closet and donate all the clothes that you haven't worn for over a year. It'll make space for new ones. Make a budget and go shopping on your birthday.
Select one or more things to do for your birthday and take tons of pictures. You can print your favorite pictures and make a yearly album of memories. As years go by, you will have loads of memories to share with family and friends.

Toddler Activities at Home

The age group of toddlers is between 1 -3 years of age. The word toddler has originated from 'toddle'. The meaning of toddle is to walk unsteadily with short steps. Children in this age group are still learning to walk and like to do many other activities. The urge to learn new things makes these children curious and interested in their surroundings. It is necessary to keep them engaged in activities through which they learn a lot, which includes art and craft, child development puzzles and basic coordination games. The art activities for toddlers could be anything which includes drawing and painting, etc. Read more on craft ideas for toddlers.

Fun Toddler Activities at Home

The fun toddler activities along with those necessary for mental growth are mentioned in the article below. For very small toddlers i.e. from the age group below 1 year, simple activities are recommended. Chatting with children of this age could be fun.

Chatting: Children learn a lot through the activity of chatting. If you observe them carefully, they try to get familiar with sounds and words. Chatting with these toddlers help them absorb words. It doesn't matter whether they understand those words or not. As they hear the words repetitively, the language skills develop. Read more on listening skills for children.

Peekaboo: It is a common game played with babies. One has to cover his face with his hands and suddenly pop it for the baby to see. Apparently the game seems to be simple. However, is important from the point of development of object permanence in the infants. The capability to understand that the objects continue to exist even without being seen, touched or heard is known as object permanence.

Sensory Bottles: These bottles are easy to make. One can make 'lava bottles', 'discovery bottles' and 'snow globes' in this activity. The lava bottles are called so because of the lava lamp effect that is created by them. To make these bottles, one has to fill them with water and baby oil in equal proportions. The discovery bottles are filled with rice and small objects are mixed in it. As the bottles are rolled, one can see these objects emerging at the surface. To make snow globes, a plastic bottle should be filled with water and corn syrup in equal ratio. Beads, glitter and paper clips should then be added. As the glitter settles down slowly, it dazzles and creates a nice visual effect.

Outdoor Activities: The indoor toddler activities at home though, are important for children's growth, outdoor games for toddlers too help in the mental development.

Water and Sand: Playing with sand and water is an activity which kids enjoy a lot. Children also learn through this activity. Mixing the sand and water helps in the development of their imaginative skills. The sand chosen for this activity need to be free of lime. This activity doesn't require much monitoring on the part of mothers.

Walking: The activity of walking is important from the point of child development. They can not only learn to walk quickly, but also discover new things as they are taken for a stroll. Letting toddlers walk in their natural surroundings is an enriching experience for them. Taking children to nearby gardens helps them discover different types of flowers, plants, big trees, small insects, birds and animals. Read more on preschool games for toddlers.

Different toddler activities at home which are mentioned in the article above, are necessary for their overall growth. One should find out as many activities as possible to bring about development of toddlers.

Coed Baby Shower Ideas

Baby shower is a beautiful event arranged either by the best friend or a close relative of the to-be-mom. It's a celebration to welcome the new family member with all the love and happiness showered over the to-be-mom. Usually a baby shower is a women's party and men are not invited. But these days coed baby showers or couple baby showers are getting too much popular. Inviting the to-be-dad and his friends can be real fun. But since men will be invited for this occasion, you have to forget the traditions of general baby shower and arrange an altogether different baby shower. Scroll down for some wonderful coed baby shower ideas.

Fun Ideas for a Coed Baby Shower

Before planning a coed baby shower, it is necessary that the host makes sure that the to-be-parents are fine with this idea. It may happen that some men would prefer to be away from such events. It can also happen that the to-be-mom is uncomfortable with this idea. Thus, it is always wise to ask the to-be-parents and then only start with the preparations. Once you get the green signal, you can scratch your head and find some creative and fun ideas for coed baby shower. Given below are some suggestions and ideas that you can implement in your coed baby shower.

Invitation Ideas
It is necessary that you invite your guests, at least 3 to 4 weeks before the coed baby shower. Moreover, deciding the date of the baby shower also plays an important role. Make sure there is no football match or baseball match on that day, else all the men will be stuck to TV on the baby shower day! Send baby shower invitations to couples with simple yet catchy wordings. Make sure you mention in the invitation that it's a coed baby shower. Use simple wordings like, Bring Your Hubby, Come Celebrate! It's a Couples Baby Shower...Don't Be Late! Avoid using shades of pink in the invitation and try to use some manly colors. Do not make the invitation wordings too girly. If you have a theme based baby shower like a cowboy baby shower, do mention it in the invitation.

Favor Ideas
As mentioned earlier, when you are planning a coed baby shower, you have to break the traditional rules of baby shower. Coed baby shower favors need to be different from normal baby shower favors. Keep in mind that men will not appreciate colored candies wrapped in beautiful colorful papers! So, you have to get something that men will like to carry with them. You can have baby shower favors that are gender neutral, like, simply hand over a bottle of wine as the couple steps out after the event. Or you can have separate baby shower favors for men and women. T-shirts, movie rental coupons, cigars, shot glasses, etc. make some great coed baby shower favors.

Ideas for Games
Playing games at a coed baby shower can be fun, provided the to-be-parents agree on arranging them. Some may feel awkward to play games at baby shower, so make sure the couple is comfortable with playing games. Games at couple baby shower can be simple, yet loaded with fun. You need some games that need active participation. Do not include those traditional baby shower games where ladies narrate their delivery stories. You can include simple games where the couples are provided with play dough and other supplies and they have to mold a baby out of it. The to-be-parents then select the best dough baby made by the guests. Else you can have the diaper games where couples are provided with a naked baby dolls, diaper pins and cloth diapers. The couple that finishes first wins the game. There are no limits to the games that can be included for coed baby shower and you can have any of them. Just make sure that they are decent and the guests are comfortable playing them.

These were some ideas and suggestions on planning a coed baby shower. You can include these ideas or use innovative ideas of your own. Inviting men at baby shower can bring in a lot of fun and joy with well planned ideas.

Baby Shower Ideas and Themes

A baby shower is a great way to celebrate the would-be mother's first baby bump. It is a great time to shower the would-be mother with some of the most useful and interesting gifts that would be a great help to the mother on the baby's arrival. A baby shower is commonly an event that is exclusively arranged by and for the ladies, however with the changing trends several people like to accommodate men into this ceremony as well. Planning a baby shower is a task that is usually taken up by one of the friends of relatives of the expecting mother.

Baby Shower Ideas and Themes

Picking out a baby shower theme is very easy, however you need to take special care to execute the theme. In case you are not willing to spend on the ready-made baby shower kits, then you can always make the preparations at home. There also exists DIY kits that are simply great for planning a baby shower. A theme can be incorporated into the get-together while selecting each and every item, starting from the plates, paper napkins, table sloth, balloons as well as baby shower favors.

Elegant Tea Party

Well this one can be a great idea for the ladies, with some great aromatic teas, and some cucumber sandwiches and mouth-watering accompaniments for the tea party. You can include some lip smacking finger foods at the beginning of the baby shower. Make sure you have healthy food being served, especially make it a point to avoid the things that are not good for the expecting mother. Bring out the expensive china, and drape your tables in the choicest tablecloths and use linen napkins to go with the theme. It could be a great addition if you could add fresh flowers as centerpieces for the tables.

Movie Buff Mommy

Well, this one is for movie lovers; you can plan your entire baby shower around several movies. You can use movie posters for decorating the party venue, and also play some movie soundtracks to create the perfect ambiance for this baby shower. You can even rent some baby related movies like Look Who's Talking, Baby's Day Out, or Three Men and a Baby.. It can be great for the mother-to-be to enjoy these movies with her friends. As bridal shower favors, you can give away CDs and DVDs of famous movies, which the guests will love for sure.

Fun and Games

If you want the baby shower to be really different and fun for the mom-to-be as well as the guests, then incorporating a lot of fun games and activities can be a great idea. In the beginning it can be a great idea to put down the names of all your guests on a paper and have a lucky draw. Arrange for a special gift of the lucky draw winner. In addition to this there exists a lot of games and activities that can be fun for the guests. In case you are apprehensive about designing your own games, then you can always use the ready-made baby shower game kits that are available in the market.

Baby Shower Activities

A baby shower is a fun way to celebrate the impending arrival of a new addition to the family and to congratulate and share the happiness of the mother-to-be. It can be a get-together of friends, family, colleagues and church-groups. Planning a baby shower systematically, would include making all the arrangements from the location, to the guest list and the food arrangements. To make the baby shower an interesting and fun-filled affair and one that everyone would remember, it is essential to include some unique and interesting baby shower activities. These activities can be either physical or less physical, but should be able to include the participation of all the guests. Here are some unique and fun activities that you can add while hosting a baby shower.

Baby Shower Activities
Baby shower games need to be planned well according to the guests invited and the location where the baby shower is going to be held. Following are some activities that are easy to organize and fun too.

Keepsake Making
This is a fun and easy activity to indulge the guests in and will require some amount of baby shower planning beforehand. Purchase 50 to 100 plain white baby t-shirts, colored markers, fabric paints, cartoon stamps, glitter, etc. and hand them over to the guests as they arrive. Ask them to personalize each t-shirt with a message for the baby or some artwork on the t-shirts. Then put these up in a line on a clothesline and preserve it as a keepsake for the child.

Make a Wish
For this unique baby shower activity, you will need some candles and colored papers. Give the guests the colored papers and ask them to write down a wish on behalf of the baby or a prayer or a blessing and personalize it. Then wrap this paper around a candle and place it in a box, that has been decorated as per the baby shower theme. Hand over this box to the mother-to-be at the end of the party.

The Time That Was
While sending out invites for the baby shower, mention in the invitation cards that the guests should bring along with them, something that would tell the baby of the world that was before he was born. It should be something meaningful and significant for the baby, maybe a picture from the newspapers or a magazine. Once the guests arrive and have settled, seat them in a circle and ask them to hand it out to the mother-to-be, explaining its importance and significance. She can then compile them into an album or make a collage out of them, for the baby to go through when he grows up.

Beads for the Baby
Ask the guests to get some colorful beads when they come for the baby shower. Gather all the guests at one place once everyone has arrived and ask them to hold out the beads. Then one-by one, each guest should make a wish or a prayer for the baby and the mother-to-be and place it on a table. At the end of it, the mother-to-be should attach the beads to a string and wear it around her neck or arms. This will symbolize that the love and best wishes of the guests are always with the mom-to-be and the baby.

Few Minutes to Fame
This is a great baby shower idea, but you will need a camcorder or video camera for this. The host should go around interviewing all the guests in the baby shower party, asking them how they are related to the mother, a guess on the sex of the baby (if unknown), why the mother-to-be would make a good mother and a sweet message for the baby. At the end of it, gather all the guests and the to-be-mother to show them this fun compilation.

You can also include some fun baby shower games based on the theme of the baby shower while hosting a baby shower. Make sure that all the guests are comfortable participating in the activities. You can make use of some cool baby shower ideas to make your baby shower celebration even more fun and memorable.

Creative Baby Shower Ideas

Think while planning a creative baby shower. Think how to do, what to do, and if you have done a baby shower before then how to make it more creative this time around! Attractive baby shower decorations help create a perfect mood and feeling for the party guests. Great theme ideas, fun games, delicious recipes, creative baby shower gifts get you off towards a kicking start. Also baby shower gifts are an essential part of the event. We can buy baby shower clothes, games, baby bags, booties, bottles blankets etc.

Ideas for a Baby Shower

If you are looking at a fascinated backdrop baby shower or a simple elegance for fun, have a look at few things to how you will plan and decorate:

Planning the Budget
The budget is the first thing to be decided. Without planning the budget, one can't go ahead with the party planning. There are lots of inexpensive and classy ways to decorate even within a limited budget. Use your budget to create an elegant and fun backdrop for your baby party!

Deciding the Location
The location depends upon how big the guest list will be. The location can be decided not too far away and which is easily accessible for the guests. Choose a location or the restaurant where you can implement your creative ideas for entire party. Deciding the location will help you to design a creative party theme, decoration, etc., easily.

Unique Baby Shower Theme
First decide what theme do you want to follow. There are various themes like diaper baby showers, sports baby showers, princess baby showers, etc. Decide on what theme you want to follow. Think about your guests. What do they like and what is their taste. Some themes are to be applied for a baby boy and some for a baby girl. Keeping this in mind, we need to make sure of writing some guy's or girl's names on the invitations. Digital printing of invitation cards are always welcome on the creative front. Creative planning seems natural and easy for some women. Planning a theme can be made easier when we follow a common theme but with our own creativity. We can make a theme creative by picking a simple theme or an idea, and make a lifeless or dull baby shower the talk of the town. Perfect baby shower planning can give a good impression to your guests and they will appreciate the effort a lot. Flower arrangements and centerpieces can rock the themed creations. You can arrange colorful balloons in different shapes and cartoon characters.

Baby Shower Invitations
The baby shower invitation is the first glimpse your guest has of the baby shower. The first impression is very important one too. Make sure that your guests are greeted with something that will make them want to take the time to come to the baby shower. Creative baby shower invitations are important to reflect the theme and spirit of your baby shower party. This helps us give a personal touch to the invitation. The baby shower invitation wordings should include all particulars of the event. The theme of the invitation should highlight the volume of the special event. A must to-do task is adding information about the date, time, location of the event, the name of the respected guest, phone number, and email address. There are wonderful little sayings for baby boys as well as baby girls. Baby shower invitations contain important details of the baby shower event, but they need to be cute and fun as well. The type of invitation will give your guests an idea of the events that will be conducted at the baby shower. Some invitations can be formal or informal.

Types of invitations
Custom invitations, generic invitations, printed invitations and novelty invitations

Decide upfront what kind of invitation you will be sending. The type of invitation will give your guests an idea of what will be expected at the baby shower. Something like a proper sit-down meal will require a formal kind of invitation. A laid-back baby shower with creative elements would be represented well with an informal invitation.

Custom Invitations: Custom invitations are invitations in which you place an order with a printing shop or online store. You can customize the background, theme and wording according to your overall party theme. There are a huge variety of cards that one can select from.

Generic Invitations: Generic invitations are the invitations that are pre-printed out. They are available at grocery stores, craft stores, or on the Internet. In these type of invitations, they leave a blank space on the invitation that can be filled out easily by you.

Printed Invitations: You can print an invitation on normal paper and then stick it to the background paper that you want to use. You can even print it on some cardstock to give it a heavier, more refined look.

Novelty Invitations: These types of invitations are fun to give and receive too. They manage to lend a fresh, creative twist to the baby shower. You can use almost anything that is related to your theme.

Arranging the Games
Games are a fun part of a baby shower. Baby shower games are a must to make the function more enjoyable for all. You can keep prizes for winners to make it more exciting and that will help the baby shower become a hit. Prizes could be small candles, sachet, boxes of note cards, candy bars, refrigerator magnets, etc. In fact, prizes can be anything that could be useful for the winner to take home, use and cherish.

Deciding the Food Menu
Your truly delightful moment as being a baby shower hostess will come alive with the happy smiles of all your delighted guests. When the food is served, that's when the final opinion is formed in all your guests' minds about the whole function overall. Drinks are one of the most basic requirements of the baby shower. Punch is definitely the most popular choice of drink. Food can be served in buffet style meal by arranging long or circular tables or also by arranging casual style meal which consist of a drink, finger foods or appetizers & dessert. One can get lots of ooh and ahhs with these food ideas and recipes. The menu is very important and something you must always keep in mind as a priority.

Baby Shower Favors
Baby shower favors are an important part of a baby shower. These favors largely depend upon the baby shower theme we choose. Baby shower favors are usually placed on the table where the shower guests will be sitting, or in the baskets kept around the place. Baby shower favors can be purchased in bulk from the local department store. Homemade baby shower favors too can be made with decorative craft arts and papers. Make sure the baby shower favors you choose to give match the personality, type and style of the guests that you are inviting. Some cool and creative baby shower gift ideas are - wrapped up cookies and sweet treats, small scented hand soaps, candles, coffee mugs, gourmet coffee samples, perfume samples, etc.

A baby shower is a happy and fun event, for the mother and family involved, and also for the guests. Step by step simple planning can ensure that your baby shower is fun-filled and, cherished by the guests, and goes off absolutely smoothly. Use the above ideas and plan well in advance, so you too can enjoy a hassle-free and happy event along with your friends and family.