Rattle Themed Baby Shower

If you find rattle-themed party supplies such as plates and napkins, in all likelihood the vendor will also sell some form of baby shower invitations that match the items. These types of invites normally need to be filled in with the shower details one-by-one prior to mailing out to the shower guests. However they are quite affordable and would give your guests a glimpse of things to come.

If you prefer a more upscale look and aren't worried about spending a few bucks on each invitation, you can buy fully customized pre-printed invites such as the one shown in the photograph to the right. You'll save time since you won't have to fill each invitation in with all the shower details. At many online invitation retailers, you can choose the theme and change the color scheme to fit your shower motif. The invites shown to the right are available at Tiny Prints.

If you are crafty, another option is to make some rattle-themed invitations using scrapbooking or craft supplies. Make your own rattle themed shower invitations using supplies and instructions from Creative Memories. The card shown below is just one of the many baby shower card designs featured in their project idea center.

Local retailers like Party America and online baby shower retailers sell many rattle-themed baby shower supplies such as balloons and tableware party packs that include napkins, plates and beverage cups. By choosing your pattern up front, you can focus in on a color scheme and theme to give a cohesive look to the entire party.

The pink tableware shown to the right is also available in blue and there are many other patterns available (such as the art deco dots shown in the intro photo for this lens). No matter what tableware pattern you choose, you should get streamers and balloons that have the same color scheme. You can either make or buy cardboard cut-outs of rattles to hang on the walls and from the ceiling.

I don't have any specific instructions for creating rattle themed food. Just use the standard baby shower fare such as a baked potato or taco bar, fruit and veggie trays, finger sandwiches, jello salads, cheese and crackers, etc. Pick your favorite year-round appetizer recipes and serve them on baby-themed platters and trays.

You can also use a rattle-shaped cookie cutter to give the sandwiches, cheese, cookies and jello jigglers a fun shape to match the party theme. Decorate the table with covers that match the rattle-themed tableware and then sprinkle rattle-shaped confetti around the food trays.

I also found a recipe at Tasty Eating for creating chocolate-covered rice krispie balls that are decorated to look like rattles. Please visit their website for complete instructions.

The one thing that can always be shaped like a rattle is the cake or cupcakes that you serve. Below you will find some rattle-shaped cake photos for inspiration as well as a video with step-by-step instructions for creating some great looking rattle cupcakes.

Classic baby shower games are your best bet for a rattle-themed baby shower. Here are 5 of my favorites...


Don't Say Baby Game - When the guests arrive at the shower, give each of them a yarn necklace that has either small rattle charms (you can find plastic ones at local party supply shops). Any time they get 'caught' saying the word baby during the shower, they must give one of their rattle charms to the person that caught them. At the end of the baby shower, the person with the most rattles on their necklace wins. I love this game because it gets your guests mingling and talking to one another.


Baby Word Scramble Game - If you have a computer, you can easily make up game sheets for the guests to use at the shower. Take 20 to 25 baby words (like rattle and pacifier), scramble them up (letrat and rifcaipe) and put them on the game sheets - be sure to use some rattle clip art in the corners. At the party, hand out the game sheets and give guests 5 minutes to unscramble as many of the words as possible. The person with the most unscrambled words wins.

Baby Item Memory Game - Borrow 10 to 15 small baby items (or buy them if you want some little gifts to give to the expectant Mom). Place the items on a large tray or cookie sheet. Hand out blank pieces of paper and pencils to all of the guests. Then, parade the tray around the room stopping for just a few seconds at each guest's chair so they can get a quick look at the tray of items. Cover the tray back up and give the guests a few minutes to write down all the items on the tray. The one that gets the most items wins.

A twist on this game is to parade around the tray and then have another person ask the guests to write down exactly what you (the hostess) was wearing (including jewelry). Usually everyone is so focused on the tray that they aren't even looking at the hostess so you'll get a few laughs when you tell them what to write down.


How Big is Mommy's Tummy Game - You are sure to get a few laughs and giggles with this fun baby shower game. Just buy some super cheap toilet paper at a Dollar Store or warehouse store like Sam's Club. Using rolls of toilet paper (or yarn), let each guests tear off toilet paper or cut a piece of yarn that they think will measure the same length as Mommy's new waste-line. Have the expectant Mommy stand up in the middle of the room. Then have each guests wrap their toilet paper or yarn around Mom's tummy to see who is closest to the right size to determine the winner.


Draw Baby's Face - This is another game that will have your guests laughing out loud. Give a cheap round paper plate and crayon to each of the shower guests. Have them place the plate on top of their head and ask them to draw the baby's face on the plate while they are being timed for one minute. After the time has passed, ask the mom-to-be to pick the winning baby face drawing.

Say thank you to your guests by giving them a little something to take home with them. Any of the party favors shown in the photo above will remind them of how much fun they had at your rattle themed baby shower. Personalized mint tins with a rattle motif and rattle design cookies are fun favor choices. I also love the plush baby-shaped rattles because they can be used as decorations at the party and then given to the guests for them to take home.

I found some clever rattle-shaped rice krispie favors that you can give to guests to say thank you at Baby Showers 101. The instructions are as follows: "Bake a batch of rice crispy "balls". (Form the rice crispy into the shape of a ball, allowing it to set and firm up.) This acts as the top of a baby rattle. Use a Popsicle stick as the handle of the rattle. You can either write on the Popsicle stick with Blue for a boy and pink for a girl saying......"It's a girl/ It's a boy" or paint it on if you're really crafty. If the gender has not been determined, phrases such as "Baby on the way", works too. Wrap the top of the rattle (the rice crispy balls) with a cellophane or plastic wrap, and secure it in place with a ribbon color to suit the gender of the baby."

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