Helping your PRC: Baby Shower Part 2

(Continued from yesterday's post)

Now that you've planned the essentials of the baby shower, there are a few more details you might want to consider.

3 Ways to Make your PRC Baby Shower a Success

1.) Food & Decorations
Don't forget the food! Pull out your Church Lady Book of Recipes and make something nice. A cake is a must. It will be a particular hit if it's cute and baby themed. Make sure there are a lot of healthy snacks too, as most pregnancy resource centers try to encourage good eating and prenatal care. Think veggie and fruit trays, pretzels, and other fun, healthy snacks.

Don't forget to make the venue look festive too. Streamers and balloons - make it look nice, but at the same time don't blow your budget on it.



2.) Icebreakers
Chances are that no one at your baby shower knows each other. Although I can tell you a horrible story about a time when two women did, but we won't go there. It's important to remember sensitivity to these women, their situations, etc. But, at the same time, to have fun, you'll all want to get to know each other a bit. The goal then is to break the ice as much as possible without disclosing too much info they might not want to share.

Icebreakers alone are a touchy subject - right? How many of you rolled your eyes when you saw: 2) Icebreakers? Probably a lot. So be wise. Definitely avoid icebreakers that require physical contact, even if it's just shaking hands.

Go with something like "Marooned." It's easy, flexible and you can add whatever twist you'd like. The basic is you're stuck on an island what _____(3 things, 2 movies, 5 foods, etc. - maybe put a baby twist on and ask for baby items) would you have with you?
Example: Hi, I'm ___. If I were marooned I'd be sure to have my favorite hat, my knitting needles, and ...don't laugh...my old stuffed bear.

Or whatever. You might want to have the ladies add when their baby's due. You can also ask if they know the sex of the baby and the name they've picked out or are considering - but you might want to save those questions for a game later on.

If you have a younger crowd who looks like they might not be too introverted, there's the animal icebreaker that's great for helping to remember names. Each person associates their name with an animal that shares the same first letter and then concludes by imitating that animal in sound and gesture.
Example: Hi I'm Beth and my animal's a bluebird! Chirp, chirp (flap arms)

Or whatever.

Name tags can be a good idea. But some people find it makes the environment feel more like a meeting and less like a party.

3.)Fun and Games
Games are part of practically every baby shower - whether for a crisis pregnancy center or not. However, in selecting games for your PRC shower, be use to use extra special sensitivity to the women for whom the shower is being held.
Important rule: Avoid games that make reference to the father of the baby. It's often a sore subject. Also, stay away from baby food tasting and other food-related games.

This website offers a number of baby games - not all of which are PRC suitable. Some of them can also make great icebreakers.

I highly recommend fill in the blank nursery rhymes. Here's one you can print off and pass around. Give people a time limit, and the one who fills in the most correctly wins.

As with all parties, make sure you have a lot of games on hand, but don't force anyone to play or make the games drag out for too long.

For that matter, don't make the party drag on too long.

Have fun!

Photo Credit: Flickr