With the ongoing COVID-xix pandemic, many moms-to-be are planning virtual babe showers in lieu of in-person parties. And while these online gatherings work a footling differently, the intent is the aforementioned: to gloat you and babe. Virtual belly rubs it is!

Although the concept has taken off more recently, virtual babe showers aren't completely new. Many moms have opted for online celebrations in the past to connect with family and friends who can't make it to an in-person event.

Have Teresa Cox, 34, a stay-at-home mom to a four-year-old male child and blogger at Only Made Fun. Cox held a virtual baby shower a few years ago considering she had a high-adventure pregnancy and couldn't travel to the Westward Coast to be with her hubby's family. "My mother in law was the one who came up with the thought of a virtual shower so that everyone could feel like they were a part of the commemoration," she says.

"The key advantage to a virtual issue is that no one has to travel, a bigger group tin be invited and it's much less expensive compared to [an in-person] outcome," says Kurt Perschke, owner of WebBabyShower, a virtual baby shower service that offers invitations, a customizable website and born games. (WebBabyShower is offering What to Expect readers ten percent off their services.)

Hosting a Virtual Baby Shower

What is a virtual babe shower?

Well, virtual baby showers don't center effectually food, though attendees are certainly welcome to brand up a plate and consume at their leisure. Whatwill happen is that anybody will log in at the appointed fourth dimension to celebrate y'all and babe from afar. Here, a pace-past-step guide to planning your perfect virtual babe shower.

Cull your virtual infant shower "venue"

Start, decide on a site that everyone tin can utilize for a live video chat, such every bit Skype, Google Hangouts or Zoom, says Perschke. Some loved ones may not be tech-savvy, then information technology'due south smart to exam the service ahead of fourth dimension to work out any potential bug.

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Stick with something that you detect easy to use and ane you lot're adequately confident that, say, your elderly grandma volition exist able to piece of work. "Don't try to reinvent the wheel here," he says.

We recommend using Zoom for your virtual shower video chat, since the platform offers fun options to customize your background. Just keep in mind that Zoom calls are capped at xl minutes unless you have a paid subscription.

Don't fret, though: If you prefer to stick with the free choice, you'll still take plenty of time to fit a virtual baby shower video chat in that timeframe. Learn more by checking out our guide to using Zoom, and go fun virtual backgrounds for your online baby shower.

Create your virtual baby shower timeline

Although y'all don't have to stick to a strict timeline, you may find it helpful to have a general schedule to go on the event running smoothly. Here are 2 alternate virtual shower timelines to consider, depending on how much fourth dimension you take:

If you have forty minutes

  • 11–11:05 a.m. Catch upwardly with those who "arrive" to the chat early, and let anybody figure out how to navigate the video call and prep for the party.
  • 11:05–11:25 a.thousand. Let the games begin! (Curlicue downward for more game and prize ideas.)
  • xi:25-11:35: Open gifts, if yous're choosing to do so. (If you'd prefer not to open gifts during your virtual shower, you can skip this step and devote some other 10 minutes to games.)
  • xi:35–11:twoscore a.grand. Virtual goodbyes!

If you have 90 minutes

  • 11–11:10 a.m. Catch up with those who "get in" to the chat early on, and let everyone figure out how to navigate the video call and prep for the party.
  • 11:x a.m.–12 p.m. Let the games begin! (Meet the lesser of the page for game and prize ideas.)
  • 12–12:20 p.m. Open up gifts, if you're choosing to exercise so. (If you'd prefer non to open gifts during your virtual shower, y'all can skip this step and devote another 20 minutes to games.)
  • 12:20–12:xxx p.m. Virtual goodbyes!

Send out virtual babe shower invitations

Next, it'south fourth dimension to engage someone to send out baby shower invitations. That tin can be you!

"Over half of our customers are moms themselves," says Perschke. There'due south a different baby shower etiquette at play with virtual parties, and it's totally acceptable to take ownership over your experience and throw 1 yourself.

To go on with the virtual theme, consider sending e-vites, such equally from Paperless Post or Minted.

Set up your baby registry

If y'all haven't already done so, now is a bully fourth dimension to create your baby registry. You lot may also want to include a link to it on your invitation. Many moms-to-exist already prefer online infant registries.

If you don't have one yet, browse the best online baby registries and review a baby registry checklist to make certain you lot have everything you'll demand once baby arrives.

Consider virtual baby shower decorations

Decorating for a virtual shower is optional, but it might help you feel festive to put up a few decorations in the area where y'all'll be hosting the live video chat.

For Cox, her mother-in-law (who hosted) sent her a box a week before the party filled with everything she needed to set up, like wall decorations, beautiful napkins and the supplies she'd need for games and prizes. This alleviated her need to do whatsoever prep.

Moms-to-exist have also gotten creative with Zoom's virtual backgrounds. Here's a variety of options to fit the theme of your virtual baby shower — experience free to download them for your party. Don't forget to include the link to download so other guests tin can feature the groundwork, besides! You'll find even more backgrounds in our Zoom baby shower guide.

virtual zoom background it's a girl

virtual zoom background it's a boy

Programme virtual baby shower games and activities

  • Guess the Number.The host holds upwards a jar filled with sweets (likd M&Ms, jelly beans or Hershey's Kisses) and asks guests to guess how many are inside.
  • The Price Is Correct. The host holds up various baby items (such equally a onesie, bottle or toy) and guests guess how much they toll. (Cox played this one at her virtual shower, and noted that it "got everyone talking and laughing considering of how different prices are now compared to when some of them had kids.")
  • Proper noun That Baby Song. The host plays different nursery rhymes or popular baby songs and guests endeavor to estimate the proper noun equally rapidly every bit they tin.
  • Who'southward That Baby? Before the phone call starts, ask guests to email photos of themselves as babies to the host. The host shares them with the group and everyone tries to guess who is who.
  • How Well Do You Know Mom? Use the downloadable template beneath to quiz guests on how well they know the mom-to-be.
  • The Celebrity Baby Name Game. Use the downloadable template below to friction match glory infant names with the celebrity mom.

For prizes, zilch is easier than east-gift cards: Send winners a gift menu for their next food delivery via DoorDash, some bucks to spend at Sephora or an Amazon credit, which can assistance purchase just about anything.

virtual baby shower game

virtual baby shower games

Take a virtual baby shower guest volume

Yous too have an opportunity to get creative with a virtual "invitee book" for your shower. Effort this Google Slides invitee book template that you can copy, customize and transport to your guests to fill out.

All you have to practice is open up the link, click "File," "Make a copy" and "Entire presentation." You can then edit the data and ship it off to guests. Ask them to fill in their advice for the mom-to-be before or during the shower.

Hither's what the guest book volition look similar:

virtual baby shower guest book

virtual baby guest book

Should you open gifts at a virtual baby shower?

As for presents, you lot tin choose what you'd like to do. In that location are a few options: Your relatives and friends can open up the gifts they "brought" to the party and show them to yous onscreen (then mail them later), or they tin send gifts ahead of time for you lot to open up on the chat.

"Some moms want to open presents over live video, but others don't want to focus on that. A virtual shower is much more flexible than a traditional one," says Perschke.

Transport virtual baby shower thank you notes

Don't forget to say cheers! Moms-to-be should give thanks their friends and relatives for attending with a thoughtful annotation.

To help make the process easier, download and use the templates beneath to say "Give thanks you lot!"

virtual baby shower thank you note

virtual baby shower thank you note

virtual baby shower thank you note