Is your best friend or close relative expecting a baby, and you’re stuck on what baby shower theme to choose? How about throwing a nautical theme baby shower to celebrate the mom-to-be?
She’ll fall in love with this gender-neutral style as it perfectly suits a boy’s or girl’s baby shower party.
We’ve gathered some ideas to help you throw the nautical baby shower of your dreams.
What Is a Nautical Theme Baby Shower?
A nautical baby shower is a popular theme associated with oceans, sailing, and ships.
This fresh and elegant party concept involves natural textures, colors like blue, white, and red, and elements that hint at faraway oceans, vacations, the sea, and yachts.
You can use the nautical theme for baby showers, gender reveal parties, birthdays, and bridal showers. Its color scheme pallet, which includes navy blues, whites, and shades of blue, evokes the feeling of being at sea and everything to do with sailing.
The nautical theme provides an array of decor options for a baby shower. Here are a few maritime-related elements you can incorporate into your party.
- Anchors
- Model yachts or sailboats
- Life preservers (buoys)
- Ropes
- Ship wheels
- Compass rose designs
- Signal flags
- Fishnets
Read on for a more detailed breakdown of how you can bring alive a nautical theme for your baby shower.
What Are Some Ways to Incorporate a Nautical Theme Into a Baby Shower?
You can use many marine-inspired items to spruce up your baby shower party in various ways. Check out these great options for incorporating this theme.
Nautical Baby Shower Invitations
Baby shower invitations provide a perfect chance to introduce your theme to the guests as you welcome them to be part of the upcoming celebration.
Your invitations should set a fun tone that makes the guests look forward to attending your baby shower party. To accomplish this for your nautical shower, include designs that accent the sailing theme on the cards.
For example, have a few images of an anchor, sailboat, or lifesavers.
As for the messaging, try something like, “Ahoy! It’s a Boy! Join us for a surprise baby shower in honor of {name of the mom-to-be}.”
You’ll find lots of inspiration and printable nautical baby shower invitations on Etsy, Amazon, and Shutterfly.
And be sure to include all the necessary details of the pre-baby party, such as:
- Date/time
- Venue
- RSVP details
- Names of the parent(s)-to-be
- Gift registry information.
Nautical Baby Shower Decorations
Setting up nautical baby shower decorations is so much fun. Since it’s a popular theme, you’re more likely to find a variety of nautical baby shower party supplies at your nearest store. If not, order online.
Plus, you can put your creative foot forward to craft DIY pieces that will match your theme.
Some of the nautical baby shower decorations you can set up include:
- An ocean with dolphins (or baby whales) backdrop – This picture-perfect element will set the tone at the party venue when used as the centerpiece.
- A glittering ‘Ahoy!’ banner – Hang this at the entrance to welcome guests at a girl’s baby shower.
- Nautical hanging paper lanterns – Perfect for lighting up the place, especially around the gift or dessert table.
- A nautical balloon garland – is ideal at the focal point of your baby shower party, whether at the entrance, gift table, or photo booth.
- Model sailboats and nautical anchors – will be a great addition to your gift or guests’ table. You can have them suspended from the ceiling or strategically placed on the table.
- A fishing net with stuffed starfish or baby whales – would be great as a backdrop or part of the table decor. You can also have it spread out on the gift table.
- Nautical centerpiece – Grab your guests’ attention by having this nautical cupcake holder or sailboat model as your centerpiece.
- Nautical wall decorations – lighthouse, anchor, and sailboat stickers will spice up your party.
- Table decor – Have a nautical tablecloth, anchor napkins, marine plates, and cutlery to tune up your baby shower theme on the main table. Alternatively, spread some shells or starfish on a fishing net along the middle of the table.
- Food decor – Let your baby shower menu spell the nautical theme by using food items as part of your decorations, like crab sandwiches, sailboat deviled eggs, seafood salad, and goldfish crackers. For drinks, go for cherry punch, lemonade, or aquarium jello shots (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). And the icing on the cake will be dessert, of course! So have nautical treats such as sailboat cupcakes, anchor cookies, Jell-O, fruit salad, cake pops, oyster pearl cookies, and saltwater taffy.
Nautical Baby Shower Cake Ideas
A beautiful nautical-themed cake will help bring together your baby shower party. You can have different shades of blue and white on the cake to bring out the ocean theme. Then, use fondant to make cute decorations, like anchors, ropes, ship wheels, and sailboats.
But you can also use paper sailboats or anchors to avoid going the fondant way. Then, spruce up your cake decor with nautical-themed cake toppers, such as “Ahoy, It’s a Boy!” “Little Sailor” or “Oh Baby!”
Nautical Baby Shower Party Favors
Party favors are an excellent way to appreciate your guests for showing up and making the day successful.
Some of the baby shower treats can be part of the party favors. But you can have extra special items to gift your guests, including:
- Bath bombs or salts in favor boxes
- Nautical cake pops
- Nautical scented candles
- DIY sailboats
- Anchor bottle openers
- Sailors’ hats
- Candy in nautical-themed wrappers
Nautical Baby Shower Games
A baby shower is complete with interactive activities. And party games are the perfect way to get the guests to interact and have fun.
Here are some fun nautical baby shower games:
- Nautical baby bingo – This classic spin game is the best way to open baby shower gifts. Print several bingo cards and let every guest have a unique card. Players cross out the gifts written on the card when the mum-to-be opens that gift. The first person to cross a diagonal, horizontal, or vertical line wins the game.
- Nautical knot tying – Set up a knot-tying area with several ropes on a table. Let your guests display their knot-tying skills by trying out different nautical knots. The person who ties the most correct knots wins the game.
- Nautical animal match – Print this game on several cards for every guest. Each player should match an animal with their young one. The player with the most correct answers is the winner.
- Donut eating contest – This is a perfect outdoor game to engage your guests. Suspend donuts using long pieces of ribbons. Then, tie the ribbons to a tree or on a rope across the yard. Have the players try eating the suspended donuts hands-free, and the first person to finish the donut becomes the winner.
- Diaper raffle – The parents-to-be will require a continuous supply of diapers. So, having your guests bring several diaper packets to get a raffle is a great idea. And the lucky guest walks home with a game prize.
Nautical Baby Shower Ideas for a Boy
The nautical theme is perfect for a boy’s baby shower party. And we’ve got some incredible ideas to help you throw a fun-filled party for your soon-to-arrive baby boy.
First things first! You’d want to have a marine-inspired, boyish color palette. You can go for navy blue or other shades of blue, some white and red.
You’ll also want to incorporate a few of the following elements in your party decor to bring out a vibrant naval feel.
- Sailboats
- Teddy bears in Navy uniforms
- Sailor hats
- Lifesavers
Next, have a catchy welcome message, like “Ahoy, It’s a Boy!” or “Welcome aboard. It’s a boy!”
You’ll also want to plug in the nautical theme in other aspects of your baby shower party, including:
- Food menu
- Gift table
- Party favors
- Baby shower games
Nautical Baby Shower Ideas for a Girl
A baby girl’s nautical baby shower party will stand out if you choose bright colors like pink or red to match the natural colors of the ocean and marine life.
For instance, go for a blue and red anchor garland at the venue entrance. You can also DIY a banner of a blue sea and a pink yacht. Include the words “Ahoy! It’s a Girl!”
Your table and food decor will look adorable if you use baby whale (or dolphin) toppers for your cake and other desserts. Even better, this Nautical Girl Dessert Party Pack comes with all the supplies you need for the dessert section.
Plus, have cute pink nautical stickers on your walls to highlight the maritime theme.
As table decor, you can also have glass jars with blue and pink nautical confetti. So, go for confetti comprising cute little anchors, sailboats, or ship wheels.
Finally, incorporate the nautical theme in party favors by having nautical favor tags, bags, or boxes.
Looking for other baby shower theme ideas? Check out this guide for a Harry Potter baby shower!