Connecting Family and Friends to celebrate your baby shower.

We’ve collected all of the best ideas to help you plan your online Virtual Baby Shower!

When we think of baby showers, we typically imagine a group of a dozen or so close relatives and friends all gathered together celebrating the approaching bundle of joy! Although celebrations around the world can be postponed- some things can’t be- like the birth of a baby! Due to Covid-19, your in-person baby shower plans have probably changed or even canceled, but let’s face it, one of the best parts of the baby shower is getting some gifts that you are in dire need of day 1 of the baby’s arrival. We are coming up with solutions for mom’s to be so you can still celebrate the upcoming arrival.

Introducing the virtual baby shower. That’s right: virtual. All online, no matter the distance. The concept of virtual baby showers is not new, we have been including our loved ones who can’t be there for some time now by virtually. having them on video chat here and there. The difference is now it is just not Aunt Becky in Georgia, it is pretty much everyone that will need to attend online. So it takes a bit more organization and effort so it’s enjoyable for everyone.

What is a Virtual Baby Shower?

Virtual or online baby showers are generally the same concept and usually will happen before the baby arrives The difference is you will only have one or two people attending in person with you vs. 10 or 20, and more than likely, they are living in the house. Once the baby is born, it is a great time to have Virtual Sip and See, which we will cover in a later post.

We should acknowledge mom-to-be’s feelings now- a virtual shower isn’t going to totally replace the one you have been dreaming and planning since you found out you were expecting. This situation isn’t normal, so if you are feeling a bit down or disappointed—it is ok, that’s normal. It will be different, but that does not mean you can’t celebrate, register, have a theme, open gifts, play games, and everything else you dreamed of!

If you are thinking of taking your baby shower virtual, here’s our expert guidance on how to pull off an amazing and unique virtual baby shower.

Who Hosts a Virtual Baby Shower?

The nice thing about Virtual Showers is the rules are thrown out on hosting. Here are FOUR options

1) The expecting parents to host their own shower. Start planning your shower for free at LYFETYMES, -everything you need in one place to plan any party or shower.

2. You can also have a close friend or family member help you host.

3. But even if your Co-host or Co-Hosts live far away, it’s still totally possible to coordinate via LYFETYMES, since the party is entirely virtual anyway and you can be added as Guest Of Honor.

4. Check out our LYFETYMES Vendor Marketplace to find party services such as event planning, balloon stylist, photography, catering, and more.

Steps to Hosting a Successful Virtual Baby Shower



Virtual Showers can still be festive and engaging. It does not just have to be a Face-time call, you can make it as memorable as you want, but if you want it to be as successful as possible, then it does require some planning and effort. Here is a quick rundown of how to get it done!

• Start Planning Your Party at LYFETYMES -It is a free one-stop-shop for all thing parties.

• No more Paper Invites-Create your Free Party Website to text/email to guests to RSVP to your party, you can add a virtual party link, so all they have to do click and party with you! Digital invitations are super popular and totally boring. At LYFETYMES, you can create your Shower Website in a few clicks, add links to your registry and personalize with any picture or short video. Guests can RSVP and get all the party details from your site and just simply click on the virtual party link when it is Shower time! We also have Digital Thank you’s you can email once the shower wraps.

• Add an easy registry link for guests to send gifts to your door! Including a registry is a great way to receive cash or gifts directly.

• Determine where in the house, backyard, or space you will use for the party, a fun backdrop can be great for gift opening, a central focus of the room for photos. Zoom just launched backgrounds you can add to virtual call which is fun or you don’t want to worry about decorating.

• Determine Theme and Decor and order to your door ahead of time there are a ton of delivery solutions, like yard signs, food, cake, and balloons that can be dropped outside your door. Tableware isn’t really necessary. Streamers and balloons? Definitely be camera-ready. Check out the best Balloon Bar we have found yet here.

• Make an agenda, especially for your video call - make sure you have put some thought into the shower flow- the last thing you want is a boring virtual party with no structure!

• Cue The Music! Get in the mood with our favorite Baby Shower Songs here!

• Drinks! Check out the Parents 20 Fun Baby Shower Cocktails and Mocktails Recipes.

The Tech- Video Chat Services

There are lots of solutions out there to choose from, we recommend going with a free video service like Zoom, Skype, Facebook messenger rooms, or Google Hangouts. As long as you and your guests have an internet connection and a phone or computer with a webcam, then they can join. These are the top four easiest video solutions we have found:

• Zoom: Zoom is free for everyone to use, allows up to 100 connected devices (500 for an extra charge), and doesn’t require you to download an app, though there is an app option. All you need is an internet connection and a web browser (you can use a computer, tablet, or smartphone). The host sets up a virtual room with a unique ID and password, then sends out the information to guests. Guests don’t need an account to gain access to the party. Keep in mind: The free version of Zoom allows up to 40 minutes of meeting time per room; additional time is available for purchase, but you can also close out the room and start a new one, with that said, if some of your guests are not technical, this could prove to be trying exercise. Additionally, Zoom has come under fire lately for privacy concerns, but they claim they’re taking measures to increase security.

• Facebook Messenger Rooms- Facebook is launching this feature to compete with Zoom. Messenger Rooms make it easy to spend quality time with friends, loved ones, and people who share your interests. Create a room right from Messenger or Facebook, and invite anyone to join your video call, even if they don’t have a Facebook account. Rooms will soon hold up to 50 people with no time limit. Facebook plans to add ways to create Rooms from Instagram Direct, WhatsApp, and Portal as well. Features will include 14 camera filters and changeable backgrounds. 

• Google Hangouts: This service only works if you have a Google/Gmail account, which is free and fairly easy to sign up for. Google Hangout video calls allow a maximum of 10 devices, but up to 250 participants if the call is audio/phone only. They just launched the tile view comparable to Zoom and planning on adding noise-canceling features.

• Skype:  One of the most well known and been around a while. Skype is free to use on any computer, tablet, or mobile device, and it doesn’t require you to download the app if you’re using a computer web browser. The key differences: it allows up to 50 devices, and there’s no password protection.

Gift Opening at a Virtual Baby Shower



So with any Virtual Celebration, we suggest you flip around the traditional agenda! People love to see their gifts opened and you want to keep the shower engaging and not everyone can stay on for over an hour so start your first activity with drinks and gifts! You open the gifts sent to you (because you provided the information on your LYFETYMES Guest Website) on camera for everyone to see. Or you can have guests hold onto their gifts during the shower and open them for you on camera so you can see (then they can send them to you later). Or you can do a combination of both! We are seeing delays in shipping due to Covid-19, so the earlier you plan and get the word out, the better!

Virtual Baby Shower Games

You can still have a ton of fun playing Baby Shower Games with your guests- but keep it simple!

• The Price Is Right: Have guests take a moment to fill out a card with their best guesses for the price of each item as they join. Toward the end of the shower go through the list and the person with the closest price of each item scored one point. The guest with the most points won bragging rights! Get copies of the game card that you can download and print for free HERE from https://realhousemoms.com/ Tip: Look up prices ahead of time!

• Baby Bingo- Everyone loves bingo—and when it’s baby-themed, it’s even better. Use these printable bingo cards to get the party going when the mom-to-be opens presents. Instructions: Have Guests print out bingo cards ahead of time. Each gift that the mom-to-be opens at the shower becomes a clue for bingo. You can download a free set of 24 Bingo Cards to print HERE.

  
  

If you are wanting to be more adventurous, check out our How To Throw A Drive-By Baby Shower article here!