There are so many amazing baby shower themes out there and it can be hard to decide on the best one to go with. It’s worth taking some time to think about it because once you have the theme nailed down, many of the decisions regarding the color theme, decor, invitations, and sometimes even the menu will be made for you.

I’ve found some of the best baby shower themes, grouped them into categories, and paired each theme with an invitation from Minted.

If you’re not familiar with Minted, they make absolutely gorgeous invitations, signs, invitation inserts (like for diaper raffles) party favor stickers, thank you cards and even free baby shower games printables. It’s nice to be able to get all these things in one spot so you’re not desperately trying to find teddy bear stickers at Target the night before the shower.

Whether you’re having a shower for a baby boy or baby girl or looking for something gender-neutral, here are some of the best baby shower theme ideas to spark creativity!

Safari

This baby shower theme is so much fun because it’s fairly easy to find decor to go with it. I love the idea of incorporating larger stuffed animals that the parents-to-be can take home with them (Melissa & Doug make the best giant animals).

Figure out how ‘lush’ you want to go with this theme, then work out your color scheme. As you can see from the pictures below, it can be very delicate and muted or wonderfully green and rich.

Woodland Friends

Anything with forest creatures makes for a cute baby shower theme, especially if you’re working with an outdoor party and have a forest as a backdrop.

Greenery plays a big part in this theme, so make sure you figure out what kind you want to use (and how easy it is to get your hands on it). If you can opt for natural materials like craft paper and wood, it will help carry the theme. If you’re looking for exceptional woodland creatures for a cake topper or something special, Schleich makes the nicest ones.

Feathered Friends

There is so much you can do with a bird theme whether it’s eggs, nests, storks or ducks. I love the idea of weaving in delicate meadow flowers, feathers and pretty pastel colors that are often associated with this theme.

Moons and Stars

This baby shower theme has so many possibilities: “Over the Moon,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” “Our Little Star,” “Love You to the Moon and Back,” “Luke, I’m Your Father” (just kidding—sort of).

Your best bet with this theme is to stick to cool blues, purple shades, and metallics. I’d also roll out the fairy lights with anything star-related.

Raindrops and Rainbows

Rain and rainbows are so fresh and light, which makes them a perfect baby shower theme. The color possibilities are endless — you could go soft and muted or bright and happy.

This theme would be perfect for spring babies, second babies (just a sprinkle), and rainbow babies, but I don’t think you can go wrong with this one.

Flowers

Whether it’s a garden party or flowers in bloom theme, I don’t think you can go wrong with flowers. They are fresh, new and all things baby.

Decide what type of flowers you’ll use (bright and fun vs. soft and meadowy), and let those colors dictate the rest of the decor. I also feel like bees and butterflies should make an appearance every once in a while.

Mama to Bee‌

Who doesn’t love a delicious pun?! I love this baby shower theme because it’s easy to find many things related to bees. Natural wood, wild flowers, greenery, soft or bright yellows, sunflowers, honey, etc., all work with this one. I would pick your invite and use the color theme and details to help guide your decor choices.

Baby-Q

How fun is this theme?! It would work especially well if you’re having a co-ed shower and don’t want to do anything too frilly. If you’re worried about it getting too much of a “Pitmasters” vibe, pair it with lemons and lemonade to stick with the theme but soften it a bit.

Sip and See‌

Sip and Sees are when the baby-to-be has already been born and you are there to celebrate the new baby. They tend to be a little more casual and include drinks (these are a few of my favorite things), but that doesn’t mean you have to dial down the decor.

Use your invite as a guide to your color palette, or use whatever drinks you’re serving to steer your colors and decorations. I love the champagne with the straws. You just know someone is falling in the bushes with that combo.

Baby is Brewing

Whether it’s a tea party, a coffee bar or a beer theme, I love how this theme sets the mood for the day.

I love this theme because you can have fun with the food without having to provide a full meal. Like coffee and donuts, or tea with macarons and little sammies, or beer with giant pretzels and that cheese dip stuff (I think I’m hungry).

Donuts‌

I’d be on board if all you said to me was ‘donuts’ in any situation. There are so many things you can do with sprinkles and candy to make this one fun.

This is another great theme for a baby sprinkle if the parents already have older kids and need a few things for their latest bundle of joy.

I also had to add the Bonjour Bébé invite because I kept saying it in a Moira Rose voice.

Balloons

Balloons are inexpensive yet make a huge impact. I love that this theme can go from a whimsical circus to elegant regency-period hot air balloons. The hot air balloon centerpiece below is just amazing, and I think the white balloon clouds in the last image are just brilliant.

Books & Nursery Rhymes‌

The key to this theme is deciding whether it’s going to be about books in general or focusing on one book or nursery rhyme, such as Winnie-the-Pooh and the Hundred Acre Woods, Peter Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, etc.

It’s so fun because the possibilities with the decorations are endless. If the theme also ties into the nursery decor, you can spring for more substantial decorations like the bunny lamp shown below.

Going Places

Planes, trains, and automobiles‌ are so much fun with white balloons as clouds, maps, or toy cars and trains. The color palette for these ones tends to stay in the blue, red, white, and natural wood camp, but I think you could go with any color and make it work.

As a mother of boys, I think the secondary theme for the Boy Mom Club invites should be “I hope you like urine.”

Outdoor Adventure

This is a perfect theme if you’re hosting a baby shower for someone who loves the outdoors or camping. It’s kind of like the woodland theme, but I feel like it’s a little more rugged. Instead of foxes and fairies, it’s more like bears and pine trees.

Natural colors and materials are the keys to this one's success. I love the idea of using cut wood as an easy (and cheap) decor element.

Under or Upon the Sea

I love that this theme can be beachy or more ocean-themed. Navy and white (and anchors) are probably going to be a must, but I love how people have woven in colors like coral and natural seagrass as well.

Beachy Baby‌

Soft sand and cool blues and coral work with this theme. I love the idea of sea shells and surf boards in there too! Most Minted baby shower invitations have different color options so you can customize the colors to match the vibe or if you’re trying to tailor it to a shower for a baby boy, baby girl or something gender neutral.

The Trick to Picking a Unique Baby Shower Theme

When deciding on a baby shower theme and don’t know where to start, my advice is to look at invitations. It’s the easiest way to narrow down what everyone likes because ‘woodland’ can look very different depending on who you’re talking to.

Once everyone is happy with the invite, use that to help pick colors, decor and the overall vibe of the party.

Don’t worry too much about decorating an entire space, either. Focus on the key spots, like the table with the food, the spot where the mom-to-be will sit to open gifts, or the table centrepiece where the guests will be to make the biggest impact. As you see from many of these photos, a single decorated dessert table can be just as effective as a fully decorated venue.

Hopefully, this has helped with some party inspiration, but feel free to let me know if you know of other great baby shower themes in the comments below. I’d love to hear them!

Also, check out: Is Minted’s Membership Program Worth It?