Baby Shower Arts and Crafts Activities
Arts and crafts activities are great at showers as long as they require little time and minimum skills. The best part about this type of activity is that the resulting art, usually created for the new baby, is a one-of-a-kind piece.
Showers with an art activity have some space and equipment considerations, so the number of guests should be kept in mind when selecting a project to do. The space requirements will differ depending on the size of the project, but there should be work stations with adequate lighting, seating, and tabletop area.
If you choose a messy project, you may want to protect furniture, clothing, or other surfaces and provide some cleaning supplies. If you will be holding your shower in a backyard or park, creating art may be the perfect touch.
Alert
When choosing a painting activity, remember to consider ventilation and material toxicity. Certain red and blue paints have ingredients that are potentially dangerous for pregnant women. Never use oil paints or paints that require thinning with mineral spirits or turpentine. The fumes can be dangerous.
Activity 3: Painted Canvas “Baby Quilt”
This art activity yields a nursery-ready art project “brushed” by all the guests. Guests are given a small, square art canvas to paint. When finished the individual squares will be arranged and hung together to form a “quilt.” You will need to purchase materials in advance at a craft- or art-supply store and do some canvas prep in the days before the party.
Canvases come in a variety of sizes from 5" × 5" to 12" × 12". Be sure to buy enough canvases to form a grid. You will also need acrylic paint and a selection of brushes (you should have one brush per guest plus five to eight extras). See Everydayeventplanner.com for a painted quilt layout.
Activity 4: Teddy Bear Workshop
Who wouldn’t love to make a teddy bear for the new baby? Teddy bears are easy to make, and the funny thing about them is that as they near completion, they take on their own personality. This activity is well suited to showers where the mommy-to-be has been “showered” before and has a well-stocked nursery, or for a second or third baby.
There are several ways to incorporate this activity into your baby shower. The Build-a-Bear Workshop, a national chain of teddy-bear–making shops, will host a party at any one of their stores. Bear makers can choose one of some 20 different bear styles. They then take their un-stuffed bears and make their way from the stuffing station to the finishing station, where they are fluffed and brushed.
Essential
Giving a teddy bear a heart can be a magical moment. Purchase red puffy hearts from your local craft store. Have each guest sign one and seal it with a special wish for baby in her bear, then enclose it in the bear before sewing it up. What a wonderful gift from the heart!
A birth certificate is issued and the newborn bear is given a dollhouse-shaped carry-home carton. And what will the teddy bear wear? You can dress your bear in everything from diamonds and leopard print to baseball shirts and sneakers.
If you want to make teddy bears at home, there are kits and patterns available. To make a bear from scratch, it takes about four hours and access to a sewing machine. It is a great activity for a group of women who have sewing and craft skills. This activity can be expanded to become an entire shower theme.
