Baby Shower Checklist for the Host: Before, During and After

A baby shower goes smoothly when the host has stopped making decisions by the time the first guest arrives. That is what a checklist is for: it moves the thinking to the weeks before, so the day itself is just doing. Here is a checklist you can copy, grouped by when it needs to happen.

For the longer explanation of why things are in this order, read how to plan a baby shower step by step. For a dated version built from your own shower date, use the timeline generator. Everything else is on the baby shower planning hub.

Planning Tasks (8 to 4 Weeks Out)

• Agree the date, time and length with the parent-to-be.
• Decide who is hosting and who is paying for what.
• Set a total budget, then split it by category with the budget calculator.
• Draft the guest list with names and contact details.
• Book or confirm the venue, and check tables, chairs and a place for gifts.
• Choose the theme and colors.
• Decide the menu style: full meal, light bites, or cake and drinks only.
• Send the invitations with an RSVP date and the registry link.
• Order the cake or arrange who is baking it.

Buying and Printing (3 to 1 Weeks Out)

• Work out food quantities with the food calculator once the RSVPs are in.
• Buy or print decor, banner and table signs.
• Buy or print the games and small prizes.
• Print food labels and a menu sign, so guests with allergies can read what is in each dish.
• Buy favors and tags.
• Buy paper goods: plates, napkins, cups, cutlery.
• Buy drinks and non-perishable food.
• Confirm cake and catering pickup or delivery times.
• Write the one-page day-of schedule.

The Day Before

• Buy perishables and prepare any make-ahead dishes.
• Set up tables, linens and the gift table.
• Put out signs, labels and decor that will not get dirty.
• Chill drinks, and buy ice.
• Charge the camera and phone, and check the playlist.
• Pack the car if the venue is not your home.

The Packing List

This is the list of small things that always get forgotten:

• Tape, scissors, safety pins and a marker
• Pens, a notebook or gift log, and a guest book
• A knife, a cake server and candles with a lighter
• Serving spoons, tongs and a ladle for each dish
• Trash bags and paper towels
• A tablecloth for the gift table and a basket for cards
• Name tags, if guests will not all know each other
• A stain remover pen and wipes
• Extra batteries and a phone charger
• Cups, plates and napkins, with a spare 10 percent

Setup on the Day

Allow an hour and a half for a home shower, and more for a rented room. Work in this order:

1. Set up tables and chairs so the guest of honor has a good seat with room for gifts beside her.
2. Put out signs, banners and the welcome sign.
3. Set up the drink station away from the food so people do not line up in one place.
4. Lay out games and pens at each seat, or on a table by the door.
5. Put the gift table somewhere visible, near the door, with the card basket.
6. Food goes out last, and cold food stays cold until the guests arrive.

During the Shower

Keep the schedule on a single page, folded in your pocket. The host’s jobs on the day are small and specific.

Greet and Welcome

Assign a greeter if you can. Make sure each person who arrives gets a drink, a name tag if needed, a game card and a place to put the gift. Start the welcome on time. A shower that begins fifteen minutes late tends to end late.

Keep the Schedule Light

Move from one part of the day to the next without announcing every step. Tell people what is coming up next, and give them two or three minutes’ notice before games begin. If the food is taking longer than planned, cut a game rather than the cake.

Gift Opening

Give the gift scribe a pen and a list, with a column for the gift and a column for the giver. Pass each gift to the guest of honor. A tip: keep cards with their gifts or put a numbered sticker on each, so the list stays right.

Photos

Ask one person to be the photographer, and take a group photo while everyone is still there. Ask the guest of honor in advance whether she would like any photos with particular people.

Jobs to Hand Out Before the Day

A host who does everything misses the shower. Give each of these jobs a name, and tell the person a week ahead:

• Greeter: at the door for the first half hour, pointing guests to the drink station and the gift table.
• Gift scribe: writes down each gift and giver during opening.
• Photographer: takes the group photo and candid shots, and sends them on afterward.
• Food lead: keeps the buffet topped up and clears plates, so the host is not in the kitchen the whole time.
• Game lead: explains each game and collects the sheets. This is often a co-host with a loud voice.

Checks That Are Easy to Miss

Some things are not on most checklists, and they are the ones guests notice.

• Allergies and dietary needs. Ask on the invitation, and label every dish with what is in it. Keep nut-containing and nut-free items on separate plates with their own serving spoons.
• Accessibility. Check that there is a step-free way in, a seat near the door for anyone who tires easily, and a bathroom that is easy to find.
• A quiet spot for the guest of honor. She may want to sit down for a few minutes, or step away from a loud room. A chair in a corner with a glass of water is enough.
• The weather plan. If any part of the shower is outdoors, decide the rain plan the week before, not that morning.
• Parking and directions. Put clear instructions on the invitation, or send a text with the address the day before.
• Children. If kids are invited, plan one table or activity for them, and food they will actually eat.

When Something Goes Wrong

It will. The cake arrives late, a guest brings an unexpected plus-one, the food runs short. The fix is nearly always the same: make a smaller version of the plan, and keep it calm.

If food is running late, start the games first and move the food to the middle. If you are short of food, serve the cake early and cut the slices smaller. If the room is too hot or too cold, move the gift opening to the least comfortable spot last. If a game is not working, stop it after a minute and move on; nobody remembers the game that ended early, but everyone remembers one that dragged. If the guest of honor is tired, skip gift opening and tell people you will send her photos of every gift, or hold it later in the week.

After the Shower

• Give the gift list to the parent-to-be along with the cards.
• Pack the gifts in the car first, then the decor and leftovers.
• Return anything you borrowed, and pay any outstanding vendor bills.
• Send the guests home with leftover food if you have it.
• Offer to help with the thank-you notes.
• Thank your co-hosts and helpers personally.

Want the Paperwork Done for You?

Our ready-made printable suites bundle the printed items on this checklist: the invitation, the welcome and menu signs, food labels, cupcake toppers, favor tags, diaper raffle sign and tickets, and thank-you cards. You type the names, date and menu once and everything updates to match. The Everything Kit adds a planner with a countdown checklist, a guest list with RSVP count, a budget tracker and a gift log. Digital download, nothing ships. Editing is easiest on a laptop or computer, and the files also open on a phone or tablet. You will find all three themes below.