Book-themed baby showers are a hot new trend that is as much fun as it is practical. The gift of reading is one of the best gifts you can give a little one and his or her parents! Here’s everything you need to know about the best books for a baby shower, what to write in a baby shower book, and so much more!
What do you typically give as gifts at baby showers? Bottles…baby blankets…diapers? Those are all great, practical gifts, but I like to get a little creative.
Personally, I love giving a stack of beautiful picture books as baby shower gifts.
Books are becoming more and more popular baby shower gifts. It’s easy to see why: they’re educational, encourage quality together time, get used over and over, and (I think) you can never have too many!
As book-themed baby showers pop up more often, here are all the ins and outs of hosting or attending a great book-themed baby shower. I’m also giving you the secrets for how to give meaningful books as baby shower gifts.
Book-Themed Baby Showers
Book-themed baby showers are a great idea for a few reasons:
- You’ll be helping to supply a great library for the baby – we all know the importance of reading.
- A book theme is gender-neutral, so this can work even if the parents don’t know the gender of the baby.
- Books give guests something to talk about – perfect when bringing together a group of different people.
- Book themes can easily be paired with other themes for easy decorating.
How Do You Plan A Perfect Baby Shower Around A Book Theme?
Here is a quick walkthrough of ideas for throwing a beautiful book-themed baby shower.
1. Send Out The Invitations
Grab some book-themed invitations and send them out about a month before the baby shower. Add a note within the invitation encouraging guests to bring their favorite book as a gift.
2. Decorate
Decorations are the fun part! You can decorate with standing books, stacked books, book characters or themes from stories.
3. Design a Food Menu to Go with the Theme
You can have a lot of fun pairing food and drinks with books.
Books that naturally go well with food are Pandas Love Pizza, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Peter Rabbit, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (or another book by Laura Numeroff), The Rainbow Fish, or Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli. These are just a few ideas – there are tons of possibilities.
You can also put out some gummy worms in a cute dish and call them Bookworms for fun.
4. Play Games at Book-Themed Baby Showers
You’re thinking it but I’ll go ahead and say it: baby shower games can be pretty lame, with the exception of these fun baby shower games, of course! However, using a book theme opens up a host of new possibilities for games that are actually fun.
You could have your guests create their own stories in a blank hardcover book that you provide. At the end of the shower, collect all the books and give them to the expectant mom! There will likely be some guests who may choose not to create a children’s book, and that’s ok.
Another story game idea is to play Story Cubes. Roll the dice and use the pictures to create a story. Guests may think they aren’t creative, but with this game, anyone can become a great storyteller and there are no wrong answers. Simply roll the cubes and let the pictures spark your imagination.
Finally, your guests could play Name That Storybook. The rules are simple: have a sheet with excerpts in one column and book titles in another. Guests then match them up (don’t forget to give prizes).
Books For a Baby Shower
The books on this list will earn smiles at any shower—with any theme. Every single one of these titles includes song lyrics, rhyming text, or characters that early readers will love.
- The Going To Bed Book by Sandra Boynton (or ANY of her books)
- Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr.
- The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
- All The Awake Animals Are Almost Asleep by Crescent Dragonwagon
- Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Salley Mavor
- Muncha Muncha Muncha by Candice Fleming
- Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt
- Dinoblock by Christopher Franceschelli
- Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdny
- If I Had a Little Dream by Nina Laden
- Baby Loves Quarks! by Ruth Spiro
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- Welcome by Mo Willems
- Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
- Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman
- I Wish You More by Amy Krause Rosenthal
- The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler
Do You Wrap Books for a Baby Shower?
Wrapping books in colorful paper or beautifully arranged in gift bags makes this gift fun and exciting to give as well as to receive.
You can also stack them in a pretty pattern, then use ribbon or twine to bind the entire thing together, if you prefer.
What to Write in a Baby Shower Book
Ok, you have the book(s) picked out. But what do you write in a baby shower book to make it a truly special gift?
With a little thought, coming up with what to write in a book for a baby shower can be simple, with a truly unforgettable gift as the end result.
A brief message such as “congratulations on your baby boy” is easy to write but also bland. Consider some variations on this type of inscription to give your gift a more meaningful message.
Adapt any of the following ideas by adding customized names, dates or additional information to deliver a heartfelt sentiment.
Some examples:
- These are going to be the most magical and memorable moments of your life.
- Welcome to endless and unconditional love.
- Your world is about to change…and it’s going to be better than ever.
- Reading Together = Happy Families!
- The time you spend with your child and a book lasts forever.
- A story a day means a lifetime of adventures.
- Wishing you many nights of bedtime stories and sweet dreams
- “You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.” -Dr. Seuss
- Given with love and the hope that these simple words will open the world of literature to you.
- Open a book and you can be anything you want to be.
- May your life be full of love and laughter and your shelves be full of books
Books make terrific baby shower gifts that the new family will likely use and love for years to come. Customize your gift and make it even more meaningful by including a thoughtful inscription on the inside cover.
Have you thrown or attended a book-themed baby shower? What are some of your tips or ideas?
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