16 Foolproof Baby Shower Gift Ideas

We’ve all found ourselves in this less-than-ideal situation at least once: there’s a baby shower tomorrow (or today) and you still haven’t picked out a gift. Even worse— there’s no cell service in the store you’re shopping in, so you can’t even look them up on RegistryFinder.com.

Luckily, there’s no need to panic. Whether you’re totally stumped on what to bring to your next baby shower or you’d like to have a few go-to items in your back pocket in case of an emergency, we’ve got you covered. Below, you’ll find foolproof gifts that won’t disappoint and will make you look like a seasoned pro!

Never-Fail Baby Gifts

There are some baby shower gifts that will always garner jealous gasps upon their opening. In fact, they’re so ubiquitous with the occasion you’ve probably already heard of a few! Consider yourself a home-run gifter if you choose any of these items.

When parents have their hands full, it’s always good to have a safe, fun place for baby to play. This activity center is fully loaded for plenty of configurations!

Activity Center

You’re probably familiar with one of these colorful contraptions. They make it easy for mom or dad to do more hands-on tasks around the house, and they provide a bounty of playthings to keep the newest family member occupied. They’ll love getting this gift for their baby shower.

Babies love the fun, flapping movement of this animated elephant’s ears! It’s a perfect gift if you’re headed to a baby shower.

Flappy Elephant

This adorable stuffed animal doubles as an animated playtoy! The soft, plush elephant sings and flaps its ears—you’ll provide hours of fun for all when you bring this as your next baby shower gift.

Putting The “Fun” In Functional

If you’re overwhelmed just thinking about all the patterned onesies and endless blanket fabrics out there, you might want to change your focus. Function-based items are just as important as cozy covers!

Mom and Dad are going to go through a fair share of burp cloths after each feeding. Grab them some backups to have on hand as part of your baby shower gift!

Backup Burp Cloths

You don’t have to worry so much about matching patterns or color schemes when you’re picking out burp cloths—they’re likely going to end up covered in goop anyway!

Even if you think someone else may have purchased one, a baby grooming kit is always a great baby shower gift idea. Parents always like to have extras on hand just in case something gets lost!

Baby Grooming Kit

This 25-piece nursery care kit is a must for any expecting parent. It makes a great gift, even if it winds up being a duplicate gift—one can stay packed in the diaper bag!

For anyone who hasn’t had to baby-proof their entire house, this is a parental survival kit must-have. It keeps baby safe and every item where it’s supposed to be.

Home Safety Kit

When baby comes, everything in the house becomes a potential threat. This home safety kit includes everything the expecting parents need to keep accidents at bay.

Diaper Duty

If you haven’t heard, babies poop. A lot. This means parents of infants go through tons of diapers, wipes, trash bags, and baby powder—and that’s just during changing time! Give them the gift of refills in a bundle of these baby shower gifts.

You never know when a diaper change might be needed. Prepare the parents to be with a convenient, portable diaper changing station as your baby shower gift.

Portable Changing Mat

While you can’t give the gift of changing the baby’s diapers yourself (I guess you technically could), you can make it easier for whoever is doing the changing—especially on the go! This portable changing pad makes cleanups a breeze.

You’d never guess that inside this cute, practical pouch, there are diapers, wipes, and even a small wallet if needed!

Diaper Fanny Pack

For new parents, being prepared for a dirty diaper is rule number one, especially when leaving the house. This diaper fanny pack is a great alternative to a big diaper bag—and a perfect baby shower gift!

General-Use Goodies

Even if you don’t know the nursery color scheme or the gender of the baby, textile gifts like blankets, swaddles, and onesies can prove to be extremely useful. It’s always nice to have backups on hand for any emergency situation or if everything else is in the wash.

These adorable swaddles will keep baby snug with their arms tightly wrapped inside. Try going with a neutral color for a baby shower gift.

Swaddles

Every baby winds up being swaddled for a period of time. This set of five means your friends—the baby’s parents—can wait just a little longer to throw in another load of laundry. Believe me, they’ll thank you.

Make sure baby is wrapped up in a soft and cozy towel after bathtime when you grab an adorable animal-inspired set for a baby shower gift.

Towel & Washcloth Set

Bathtime is the time to gently clean baby’s skin. This matching set includes a super soft washcloth for even the most sensitive skin and a hooded animal towel to bundle up in before bedtime.

Everyday Extras

Whether they’re frequently-used items that inevitably get tossed in the trash, lost, or just ruined over time, there are some gifts that you can’t get enough of. Consider grabbing multiples! If you’re in a pinch, you can pair these basics together as a complete gift.

One teether is never enough! You can help baby and parents go through the dreaded teething phase by giving them a bounty of adorable teethers to throw in the freezer

Banana Teether

There are so many cute, silly, colorful teethers out there. I love to grab a bunch of them whenever I’m shopping for a baby shower gift—they’ll always be a must-have!

I think it’s pretty safe to say that if you’re human, you’ve seen a pacifier. They’re a true godsend for parents and babies alike, and you truly can’t have enough of them around if you’re bringing up baby.

WubbaNub Pacifier

A pacifier that doubles as a toy seems like a no-brainer choice when it comes to baby shower gifting. With so many cute animals to choose from, you won’t have any trouble finding the perfect one.

Plush Playthings

No one ever got in trouble for buying toys for a baby. Since infants can’t really “play” with much, it’s a good idea to stick to soft, plush items that won’t do any damage. Bonus points if it comes in adorable animal shapes!

Everyone remembers playing with blocks as a kid. Why not gift baby’s first set with these adorable rubber animals with safe, rounded corners?

Soft Baby Blocks

Small enough for baby to hold in one hand and soft enough that they’re safe to play with, these blocks make a great baby shower gift. Plus, they’re so fun and colorful!

These adorable little dinos are actually rattles! Safe for baby to shake, throw, or even chew on—AKA the greatest baby shower gift.

Dinosaur Baby Rattles

If you’re going to gift a rattle, you may as well have some fun with it! You never know; this set of three may just turn the baby into an aspiring archaeologist.

A Gift For Mom

If you’re really having trouble wrapping your head around the whole baby shower gift thing, you can take a different approach and get a gift that’s more focused on the expecting mom. These gifts are guaranteed to make her feel pampered before and after baby arrives.

Who doesn’t love a relaxing foot massage? This foot spa is a great baby shower gift that will keep on giving even after the baby is born!

Foot Spa

Pregnant women are carrying extra weight that their feet aren’t normally used to. Gift her with a self-heating foot spa and help it all melt away during and after her pregnancy. This particular model is also portable!

If you’re comfortable purchasing them, a box of cooling nursing gel pads are sure to garner thanks as a baby shower gift for just about any mother-to-be planning to nurse.

Cooling Nursing Gel Pads

Depending on your relationship with the expecting mother, you might feel comfortable making a more “intimate” baby shower gifting purchase. I can’t guarantee your personal feelings on it, but I can say that every nursing mom turns to some form of relief sooner than later.

Essential oils are proven to help alleviate stress, elevate mood, and make any room smell amazing. Basically, all expecting parents should have a diffuser.

Essential Oil Diffuser

To be honest, every household would benefit from the addition of an essential oil diffuser. Help the new parents can relax with this sleek plug-in that dispenses aromatherapy scents. It’s a baby shower gift they’ll be using for years to come.

Hands-Off Gifts

Sometimes, the best baby shower gift is the one that comes in the form of a favor. Whether you offer to hold or watch the baby so mom can relax or run errands, or you whip up a few reheatable meals, a little can go a long way. You can also take older kids out of the house for a few hours or pre-pay for a food delivery service! Believe me, new parents don’t forget the people who make their lives a little easier during this exciting new time.

There you have it, folks! You may not be versed in the world of baby gadgets, but if you stick to these surefire gifts, you’ll come out looking like a pro. I especially love the idea of grabbing a cute basket and filling it up with a selection of the above items for a bountiful, personalized baby shower gift that’s sure to impress – just don’t forget to wrap it up with a beautiful bow!

If you’re still feeling unsure about what to buy, have no fear! You can always easily look up the baby shower registry for the parents-to-be right here at RegistryFinder.com. No matter what you choose, I have no doubt it’ll be the perfect—and foolproof—pick!

By Brittney Winters-Gullo

Brittney spent the majority of her teenage and college years swearing she’d never get married. Then she met a man who changed all of that, and they’ve been happily sharing their lives since 2011. She and her husband Grant got married in 2018, which has given her a whole new perspective on this whole wedding business. If she’s not writing, you can find her shopping online (very guilty), baking cookies, or running in the Florida sunshine.

2 comments

  1. That banana teether was bought by my son. Not a good idea. My Grandson stuck it to far back in his mouth got a cut and the teether gagged him. Bad design for sure

  2. Hi Gina,
    Thanks for your comment and letting our readers know that your grandson had an issue. The version we highlighted from buybuy BABY is pretty small – only 3 1/2 inches in length. While the reviews at buybuy BABY all seemed positive, I did check Amazon and saw a few negative reviews similar to yours.

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