Just so you know, What to Expect may earn commissions from the links included on this page. All sales and prices are accurate at the time of publishing.
Hosting a virtual baby shower everyone will love starts with keeping it simple, interactive, and personal. Choose an easy-to-use video platform, plan a few fun games, and give guests plenty of opportunities to celebrate together. With a little planning, your online shower can be just as joyful and meaningful as an in-person gathering.
Here's everything you need for a memorable virtual baby shower, from invites to games.
Why have a virtual baby shower?
"The key advantage to a virtual event is that no one has to travel, a bigger group can be invited, and it's much less expensive compared to an in-person event," says Kurt Perschke, owner of WebBabyShower, a virtual baby shower service that offers invitations, a customizable website, and built-in games. (WebBabyShower is offering What to Expect readers 10% off their services.)
"My husband and I recently relocated, and our family and friends are literally from coast to coast here in the U.S., so we have decided a virtual shower is best for everyone," says What to Expect Community mom KrisB0307.
Teresa Cox, a stay-at-home mom and blogger, held a virtual baby shower several years ago because she had a high-risk pregnancy and couldn't travel to the West Coast to be with her husband's family. "My mother-in-law was the one who came up with the idea of a virtual shower so that everyone could feel like they were a part of the celebration," she says.
Whether you'd like to celebrate with far-flung loved ones or need to host a celebration remotely for health reasons, a virtual baby shower or baby sprinkle can bring people together just like an in-person one. After all, the intent is the same: to celebrate you and your baby.
Want more baby shower ideas and other inspiration for how to celebrate your pregnancy? Connect with other parents in your birth month group in our free What to Expect app.
How does a virtual baby shower work?
Everyone will log in at the scheduled time to celebrate you and your baby from afar. From there, you'll enjoy many of the same traditions as an in-person shower, including games, gifts, and conversation.
"Have someone dedicated to emceeing the call," suggests Community member Dizzylzzy86. "It will go way smoother."
Step by step, here's how to plan your party:
Choose your virtual baby shower "venue"
Choose a platform everyone can easily use for a live video chat, such as Google Meet or Zoom, says Perschke. Some guests may not be tech-savvy, so it's smart to test the platform ahead of time to work out any potential issues.
Stick with something that you find easy to use and one you're fairly confident that, say, your elderly grandma will be able to work. "Don't try to reinvent the wheel here," he says.
Keep in mind that Zoom calls are capped at 40 minutes unless you have a paid subscription. Learn more by checking out our guide to using Zoom (which also includes some fun backgrounds!).
Create your virtual baby shower timeline
Although you don't have to stick to a strict timeline, you may find it helpful to have a general schedule to keep the event running smoothly. Here are two options to consider, depending on how much time you have:
If you have 40 minutes
- 11–11:05 a.m. Welcome guests, catch up with early arrivals, and give everyone a few minutes to get comfortable with the video call.
- 11:05–11:25 a.m. Let the games begin! (Scroll down for baby shower games and prize ideas.)
- 11:25-11:35 a.m.: Open gifts, if you like. (Or skip gift opening and spend more time playing games.)
- 11:35–11:40 a.m. Wrap up and say your virtual goodbyes.
If you have 90 minutes
- 11–11:10 a.m. Welcome guests and give everyone time to join and settle in.
- 11:10 a.m.–12 p.m. Play games!
- 12–12:20 p.m. Open gifts, if you like. (Or skip this and spend more time on games.)
- 12:20–12:30 p.m. Say your virtual goodbyes.
Send out virtual baby shower invitations
Next, it's time to decide who's sending out baby shower invitations. And yes, that person can be you!
"Over half of our customers are moms themselves," says Perschke. There's a different baby shower etiquette at play with virtual parties, and it's totally acceptable to take ownership over your experience and throw one yourself.
To match the virtual theme, consider sending digital invitations through services like Paperless Post or Punchbowl.
"My friend is sending out shower-by-mail evites," says Community mom surpriseinjuly. "All of my friends and family are across the country so it's an evite with a little poem about being far away but wanting to celebrate, and there's a link to my registry. It's actually really sweet."
Set up your baby registry
If you haven't already done so, now is a great time to create your baby registry. Include a link in your invitation so guests can easily shop for gifts.
Need help getting started? Browse the best online baby registries and use our baby registry checklist to make sure you have everything you'll need once your baby arrives.
Consider virtual baby shower decorations
Decorations are optional, but adding a few festive touches to the space where you'll be on camera can make the celebration feel extra special.
For Cox, her mother-in-law mailed a box a week before the party filled with decorations, game supplies, and prizes, making setup easy.
Moms-to-be have also have fun with virtual backgrounds. Download one to fit your baby shower theme, and share the link so other guests can use the background, too!
Plan the food
Food isn't the main event at a virtual shower, but you can still make it part of the fun. Suggest everyone enjoy the same meal — pizza and cupcakes, for example — or simply encourage guests to grab their favorite snack to enjoy during the party.
"I threw a virtual baby shower for my SIL during the height of COVID, and it went so well," says Community member Ellealyse. "I planned games that work well over Zoom and made treats ahead of time, then dropped them and the party favors off to the guests ahead of time. You could easily mail everything too. It was a huge success!"
Plan virtual baby shower games and activities
Many classic baby shower games work just as well online. For example:
- Guess the Number. The host holds up a jar filled with candy (like M&Ms, jelly beans, or Hershey's Kisses) and asks guests to guess how many pieces are inside.
- The Price Is Right. The host shows various baby items (such as a onesie, bottle, or toy) while guests guess how much each one costs. (Cox played this one at her virtual shower and noted that it "got everyone talking and laughing because of how different prices are now compared to when some of them had kids.")
- Name That Baby Song. Play nursery rhymes or popular baby songs, and ask guests to guess the name.
- Who's That Baby? Ask guests to email baby photos to the host before the shower, then have everyone guess who is who.
- How Well Do You Know Mom? Use the downloadable template below to quiz guests.
For prizes, nothing is easier than digital gift cards: Send winners a gift card for their next food delivery via DoorDash, some bucks to spend at Sephora, or an Amazon credit, which can help buy just about anything.
Set up a virtual baby shower guest book
Create a digital guest book where friends and family can leave advice, well wishes, or favorite memories. You can find templates online or use the images below to create your own.
"With a virtual baby shower, I was able to have family from Alaska, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York join," says Community mom MamaDillon. "That wouldn't have happened otherwise.”
Decide about gifts
As for presents, you can choose what you'd like to do. For example, guests can show you the baby shower gifts they "brought" to the party onscreen (then mail them later), or they can send gifts ahead of time for you to open on (or before) 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.
"We had gifts sent to us ahead of time, so we just displayed them all behind us," says Community mom babyarlo1128.
"We did a game with a prize, opened some presents, another game, a few more presents, etc., just to break things up," says Community mom lskippy29.
"Make sure to show your baby bump," says Community mom Twinsagain2025. "Everyone wants to see it!"
Send virtual baby shower thank-you notes
Don't forget to thank everyone for celebrating with you. A thoughtful thank-you note lets guests know how much you appreciate their support.
To make the process easier, download the templates below to send a heartfelt message.
Yes 
No 
