While so much in our world has been on hold until social distancing is over, there are many ways in which life is still going on. Pregnancy is definitely one of those things. But how do you celebrate a growing baby and their parents from a distance?
By now we’re all familiar with and have our favorite video conferencing platform. Choose the one that’s familiar to you so you’re not trying to learn about new features when trying to host the party. Electronic invitations have also been around for a long time prior to the pandemic. They’re a straightforward and simple way to invite and keep track of all the attending party guests.
What about the things that don’t seem as straightforward? We’ve got some ideas to help you plan a virtual baby shower and make it just as special as it would be in person.
Decorations
When all the party-goers aren’t in the same place, are decorations even possible? Yes—you’ll just have to think about them a little differently.
Themed Outfits
Give the party-goers special instructions on what to wear while on camera for the party. Even something as simple as everyone being dressed up or in coordinated outfits will help add to the atmosphere of a digital party.
Change the Background
There are some video chat platforms that will allow you to change your background. You can design a special background for everyone to use. They could all look the same or they could each be designed specifically for each party guest. You could even incorporate a baby picture of the person or a picture with the mother/father.
Ship the Supplies
Bring the banners and balloons to them! There are lots of party decor kits sold online that you can have shipped to the parents-to-be’s home. They’ll be able to decorate the room she’s in and take pictures with the bump.
Food
You’re a little off-the-hook on this one—you can’t exactly serve everyone the same beautiful spread of eats that you would at a normal party. Invite the guests to plan a special meal, snack, or drink to have during the virtual party. It’s not going to be Instagramable cupcakes, but it will help everyone get into a celebration mode.
However, you can still give the mother and father-to-be a special spread of food and drink by ordering them some delivery. Find out what her biggest cravings are or what favorite local spot they miss the most while staying inside.
Activities
Nobody likes going to a party only to find themselves staring at the clock the whole time. What’s more, large social gatherings on a video call can get awkward if not managed well. That’s why the activities you choose for the shower are an important piece of the planning puzzle.
The Newly-parent Game
Just like the newlywed game, this activity can be a great way for the guests to learn more about mom and dad and have some fun in the process. As the host, you ask the mom a question to answer secretly on a piece of paper. Before announcing her answer to the group, everyone else tries to answer the question how they think the mom will answer it. The person matching the mom’s answer the most wins.
Here are a few questions to get your list started:
- If {mom} could have any celebrity be her baby’s nanny, who would she choose?
- How will {family pet} initially react upon meeting the baby?
- What will {dad} miss the most after the baby arrives?
- What genetic trait from {spouse} is {mom} most hoping the baby will have?
- What genetic trait from {mom} is she hoping the baby will have the most?
- What does {mom} think the baby’s first word is going to be?
- Who does {mom} think is more likely to sleep through the baby crying in the middle of the night?
Celebrity Baby Names Quiz
We all know that celebrities have a knack for giving their children interesting names. Regardless of whether the parents have decided on the name for their baby, everyone will have fun trying to match the celebrity with their real “unique” baby name.
A simple internet search will give you lots of names to build your own quiz. Or, you can benefit from the work we’ve already done and use ours. You’re welcome.
Love and Encouragement for the Parents
Connecting virtually for such a significant life milestone can feel like it’s not enough to celebrate the ones you love. Reach out to all of the invited guests to write some notes of love and encouragement to the parents-to-be. Adding this special touch as a physical gift or spoken out loud during the party can be just the thing to help with not being in the same room together.
Some prompts for the guests to answer:
- Share a story or a quality about {parnet 1} that shapes how you picture them as a parent.
- Share a story or a quality about {parnet 2} that shapes how you picture them as a parent.
- Let’s celebrate the amazing female body! If you’ve been pregnant, share a weird or funny thing that happened to your body during or after pregnancy.
- If you’re a parent, share one (or more) life hacks you remember from having a newborn.
- If you’re a parent, share one (or more) things you wish you knew or understood when you had your first child.
- If you’re a parent, what’s something you and your spouse found helpful for your marriage during the first few months/years of parenthood?
There are many things that we have to set aside or put on pause while fighting the spread of the virus. However, we can still take the time to honor and lift up the parents-to-be in our lives. The village will just have to get a little more creative with how to connect and spread the love.
