Making a Successful Coed Baby Shower

Have you started planning your baby shower yet? Often these events are focused primarily around women. Bows, sweet treats and flower decor are strewn across the tables. But, sometimes, you want to celebrate your new baby with all the people in your life that are special – including men. Having the whole family participate can be a great way to move into this new phase of life. Instead of tea sandwiches and frills, think NFL onesies and grills.

Here are some tips make your coed baby shower a fantastic event:

Grill Out

Step away from the idea of brunches and tiny quiches. Instead, fire up the grill and enjoy the good ol’ outdoors. Cooking up a hearty meal of hamburgers or barbeque chicken is a guaranteed way to keep the guests happy. And, while the dads are tasked with prepping the meat, the moms can get in some gabbing about birth plan options and choosing a pediatrician.

Try a Sports Theme

Another way to get men excited about this event is to focus the theme on your family's favorite sports team. You can get a cake in the shape of a football, instead of a rattle, and request gifts that fit the theme, like an NFL onesie or baby blanket. If the team colors happen to also be the colors of your baby’s nursery, you'll be even better poised to plan around this theme. It'll be like a Super Bowl party with the upcoming baby as the MVP.

Prepare for Diaper Changing Life

Gross everyone out and add some high stakes competition with the diaper guessing game. Prep is easy. Grab 5 or 6 diapers and mini chocolate bars. Think Butterfinger, Snickers and Hershey's with nuts. You'll microwave each unwrapped chocolate bar in a diaper and have guests compete to guess which chocolate bar is which. Reward the team with the most correct guesses with an exciting prize. Consider prize options like a movie gift certificate, Chipotle gift card or gift certificate for BabyFans.com so you friends can also order NFL onesies for their child.

Baby Bottle Chugging Contest

Bring some humor and a competitive element into your event by adding a bottle chugging contest. Take some of the baby bottles you've purchased for the new infant and fill these with juice or beer (your choice). Choose volunteers from the crowd to race to see who can finish the bottle first. You’ll be surprised how difficult this is and how absolutely hilarious watching it is.

With fun activities for the whole family, dads will be psyched to attend this typically exclusive event.