Storybook Baby Shower

Are you planning a Storybook Baby Shower? If so, read on for all you need to know about Book themed Baby Showers.

Planning a Baby Shower is a fun and exciting way to show parents-to-be your support. It is a celebration of a new addition to the family and a celebration of mothers.

Of course, there are many different adorable themes you can take when planning a Baby Shower. A Storybook Baby Shower is an amazing way to celebrate the arrival of any little bundle of joy. All of us can remember the many moments spent reading storybooks with our parents as a child. I still have many of my childhood storybooks on a shelf in my house. Reminiscing over these stories brings around a feeling of nostalgia for many.

Books such as We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and The Gruffalo are just a few personal favorites.

Moreover, there are many benefits of reading to babies and children at a young age. Stories can inspire their minds with creativity and happiness. Babies can pick up all kinds of information from books, by reading to them you are enriching their brains with knowledge about the big wide world around them.

What is a Storybook Baby Shower?

A Storybook Baby Shower is a traditional theme perfect for a family who loves books and loves to read. The invitations, decor, and food are all inspired by children’s books. Guests can be encouraged on the invitation to gift their choice of book to build a collection of books for the new baby. The host may choose to display all of the classic storybooks out for the guests to browse through and pick up their favorites for a quick read. Nonetheless, you may dedicate one book in particular to be the main theme of the shower.

How do you throw a Storybook Baby Shower?

storybook baby shower ideas — Photo Credit Pink Pistashio

The process of planning a Baby Shower should be a fun activity involving minimal stress and maximum creativity! Expectant moms can take the ropes and do the planning, or a friend or relative may choose to be the host. However, if the Mom to be decides to take a back seat, it is a good idea that the planner should still consult with her throughout. This will ensure the party remains a reflection of her perfect party.

See below for my top tips and fun ideas for how to pull off the most amazing and memorable Book Baby Shower for your pregnant loved one.

Where to host a Book Themed Baby Shower

storybook baby shower ideas cake — Photo Credit M Cakes Sweets

Let’s start with the basics. Setting an appropriate date and time for the Shower is the first thing that needs to be decided. Firstly, the prime time is usually when the mother is around seven months pregnant and is still able to comfortably attend the shower, relax and enjoy the festivities. A piece of advice I should stress – start planning early! This provides guests with a lot of notice to save the date to ensure they can attend.

The venue comes next. When deciding on a location, it is key to consider the time of year and what weather comes with that. If the shower falls in Spring or Summer, a back garden or a nearby park is an inexpensive option. I’d advise frequently checking the weather forecast in the lead up to the Shower to avoid the rain ruining all of your hard work.

A Storybook themed Baby Shower is appropriate for both an inside and outside environment. A living room is a perfect venue. All of the shelves can be filled with various storybooks, and guests can enjoy themselves in the comfort of a sofa. If you prefer an outside affair, a ‘bear hunt’ in the park is an adventurous activity that plays on the storybook theme.

Storybook Baby Shower Invitations

Let your creativity shine when designing the invitations. Thousands of fun templates can be found online on sites like Pinterest. You can use these as inspiration to make your own. Invitations in the form of storybooks is an obvious yet adorable idea, displaying ‘Once Upon A Time’ in a fairytale style detailed with the spine of the book down the edge of the page. You may want to take an easier route and purchase ready-made invitations, Etsy has a large range available to order.

What to do at a Storybook Baby Shower

The most important thing is that you want your guests to be kept entertained. Activities are the essence of a fun party. An arts and crafts table is a good edition for the younger guests. A fun idea is can decorate and color in pictures of various storybook characters. A quiz is always enjoyable for a more competitive activity, testing the guests on their knowledge of storybook trivia. Or go for some more traditional Baby Shower games.

Decorations for a Book Themed Baby Shower

book baby shower decor — Photo credit The Event Shoppe

The books on display should be at the forefront of the decor at your Storybook Baby Shower. You could put bunting up in the shape of different characters. For example, the characters from The Jungle Book. The food table display should be complete with themed napkins and paper plates.

When it comes to the menu, there are any number of routes you could take. I recommend serving a buffet, as it allows for guests to help themselves when they arrive and throughout the shower. The buffet-style food could include an array of sweet and savoury bites. For example, fruit cocktail skewers or a chocolate caterpillar cake inspired by the classic story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

very-hungry-caterpillar-fruit-idea — Photo credit Pretty My Party

Furthermore, cupcakes topped with storybook decorations are also guaranteed to go down a treat.

For a savory option for the table, any kind of egg dish which you could name after the Humpty Dumpty story is a cute idea.

Thank You Gifts

Although it is not required for the host to provide their guests with a gift, I do think it is a thoughtful touch. Handing out a parting gift as a thank you for coming to the celebration is a great way to show your guests you appreciate them. Small gifts could be a scented candle, soap, stationery, or a bag of sweets. Even put a little storybook into the bag for a lovely little takeaway!

Storybook Baby Shower Final Thoughts

Planning and executing a Storybook Baby Shower simply requires imagination, creativity and love.

Personally, this is one of my most favorite Baby Shower themes. Mostly because it gives you a head start on building your Baby’s own mini-library. And because classic children’s books can be read and re-read and passed on down the generations. Plus your Guests get to write a short inscription in their gifted book which your child can look back on time and time again!

Remember, this theme can be as relaxed or elaborate as you like. And it’s the perfect way to start to create a wide range of storybooks the whole family can enjoy!

About Author

Jane Sheriff is the founder, creative director, party planner and mom of three. She started Darling Celebrations back in 2012 to share easy and beautiful ideas for celebrating the special events in life.