5 Summer Baby Shower Themes to Host Outside

Sunshine, warm weather, and plenty of picture-perfect natural light make summer a great time to host a baby shower outdoors. Aren’t parents of summer and fall babies lucky?! 

Take advantage of the season by hosting your shower at a park or beach or in your own backyard. Here are some theme ideas to inspire your event.

Outdoor Summer Baby Shower Ideas

Make the day a joy for the mom-to-be and the guests with one of these fun outdoor celebrations.

Garden Party Baby Shower

A garden party theme is perfect for gardening mamas and those who enjoy a serene and charming atmosphere. Hint: If an expecting friend loves the Great British Baking Show, this is a theme to recommend!

Begin by transforming your outdoor space with floral arrangements, twinkling lights, and pastel-colored decor reminiscent of a blooming garden. 

Incorporate garden-fresh flavors into the menu with light tea sandwiches, vegetable mini quiches, herbaceous salads, and fruit tarts for dessert. Set up a botanical-inspired beverage station with infused water, iced tea, and sparkling lemonade. 

Did you know that each month has a corresponding flower, known as a birth month flower? Make a game out of matching each month with the correct flower. Another fun way to commemorate the event is to do some actual gardening! Decorate terra cotta pots and plant seeds in them to take home or give to the parents.

Bébé-Q Baby Shower

If you want to keep your shower casual while enjoying the great outdoors and good food, a barbecue baby shower is the way to go!

Decorations for this theme are easy-breezy. Lay out checkered tablecloths, string up some outdoor lights, and set out some mason jars filled with wildflowers. And voila! You’re all set.

When it comes to the menu, offer classic BBQ fare with a twist. Serve up grilled skewers of veggies and fruit, sliders with various toppings, and a selection of barbecue meats like pulled pork or chicken wings. Side dishes can include coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread muffins. For drinks, set up a DIY lemonade or iced tea station with assorted. assorted flavorings and garnishes. And don't forget dessert—think themed cupcakes decorated with baby-themed toppers or a colorful fruit salad.

Keep everyone entertained with outdoor games like corn hole or horseshoes. You can even put a spin on the classic “guess the baby food” challenge by pureeing grilled foods and leaving it up to guests to guess the flavor. Betcha can’t wait to stick your fork into that one! 

Sad Beige Baby Shower

In case you missed it, there is a sad beige baby movement going on right now. So why not a sad beige baby shower? 

To host a sad beige summer baby shower, start by removing all things bright and colorful from your outdoor space. Keep the decor minimalistic and opt for natural materials, like white cotton tablecloths and linen ribbons. There’s no need to go all out on the decorations — sad beige embraces minimalism. 

The menu should be simple as well. Display sad beige bread next to sad beige meats and crackers. For dessert, serve beige desserts such as vanilla cupcakes with white frosting and caramel-flavored macaroons. Iced coffee, water, and herbal tea will do it for drinks, which should be served in neutral cups and mugs. 

Only one game really makes sense for a sad beige baby shower, as it doesn’t involve any waste —  Don’t Say Baby: Clothespin Edition. Get a packet of clothespins (which the parents will later use to line dry their sad beige cloth diapers) and clip a clothespin to each guest as they arrive. Throughout the shower, anyone who hears someone say “baby” takes their clothespin. The person with the most clothespin wins. You could have a prize for them, but why bother? Prizes aren’t very sad beige, anyway. 

Don’t forget to set up a sad beige photo station so everyone can talk about the sad beige baby shower on social media.

You Are My Sunshine Baby Shower

What better way to celebrate your little ray of sunshine than a sunshine theme? If you’re having a boy, you might call this a “Here Comes the Son” baby shower! A sunshine-themed bash is equally fitting for girls, or if the gender is going to be a surprise. 

As you can imagine, a sunshine-themes shower is the opposite of sad beige, with bright yellow and orange and maybe splashes of blue and green. Yellow balloons, sunflower centerpieces, and brightly colored tablecloths are all great ways to incorporate these colors. 

Think light and bright when it comes to the menu, too. Offer a colorful platter of seasonal fruit. Serve up mini sandwiches or wraps filled with grilled chicken or veggies, accompanied by a variety of salads such as a citrus-infused quinoa salad or a classic summer pasta salad. Keep everyone hydrated with fruity mocktails and lemonade, and serve lemon bars or a sunshine-inspired cake for dessert.

For games, play summer baby bingo with summer-themed prizes like beach balls, sunglasses, and sun hats. Create a meaningful keepsake by asking guests to write their best parenting advice on paper sun cutouts and collect them in a jar for the parents-to-be.

Beach Vacation Baby Shower

Summer is for vacations! So why not transport your friends and family (and the expecting mom) to a tropical paradise with a beach vacation theme?

Create laid-back beach vibes with colorful beach towels, lounge chairs, and a tropical island playlist. Don’t forget the coconut-shaped cups and little drink umbrellas! Miniature buckets are also a fun drinking vessel option.

Speaking of drinks, did somebody say piña coladas? With non-alcoholic mocktails for the expecting moms, of course! When it comes to the food menu, you’ve got options, from grilled seafood to kebabs to fish tacos or Hawaiian-style BBQ chicken. You really can’t go wrong. Round things off with a tropical fruit salad or a beach themed Jell-O cake.

Keep the good vibes flowing with beach inspired games, like a floatie raffle. You’ll need a small kids pool, one doll-sized swim ring for each guest, a roll of raffle tickets, and a few prizes. Write raffle ticket numbers on the bottom of each ring and hand out the raffle tickets to guests, then randomly select prize winners. If you’re able to host the event on a beach, host a sandcastle building contest with a prize for the best castle. 

Don’t Forget the Registry! 

Don’t get so swept away in planning your baby shower that you forget to create a registry and share it with the guests! Amazon makes baby shower registries easy. Be sure to include summer baby must-haves like a sun hat, onesies, baby oil, and, of course, non-toxic diaper care products. 

No matter which theme you choose, your summer baby shower is sure to be an event you and your guests will remember for years to come.