Gender reveal parties are a popular way to unveil the gender of a baby to friends and family, and sometimes even to the expecting parents themselves. Gifts are commonplace at gender reveal parties although not always required. If you have been invited to a gender reveal party, you may want to bring a gift as a small gesture of your excitement for the expecting couple.
When it comes to buying gifts for a gender reveal party, most people enjoy buying for the new baby. A hand-knitted baby blanket or cute outfit is always appreciated by new parents. Of course, the perfect gift doesn’t have to be for the baby. Consider gender reveal gift ideas for mom or dad. Pregnancy can be a taxing experience and a gender reveal gift may be the boost the expecting parents need.
Since you won’t know the gender of the baby until the gender announcement, you’ll want to stick with gender-neutral ideas. Check out our compilation of gender reveal gift ideas for parents and baby.
What Is a Gender Reveal Party?
Gender reveals are a type of celebration in which the soon-to-be parents reveal the sex of their new baby to friends and family. In many cases, this is when the expecting parents also find out the gender for themselves. Many families choose to host a gender party prior to the baby shower so that attendees can buy gifts with knowledge of the baby’s gender. A gender reveal party is typically more casual than a baby shower and is usually open to both sexes.
A decade ago, gender reveal parties were uncommon and parents would generally find out the gender at an ultrasound appointment or birth. Today, gender reveal parties are all the craze and almost a pregnancy rite of passage. This fun trend for new parents offers friends and family the opportunity to gather to celebrate as you reveal the sex of the new baby and to honor the dad and mom-to-be.
Need some inspiration for gift ideas? Here are some of the top gender-reveal gift ideas for the upcoming event.
1. Maternity Clothes
Finding comfortable clothes that fit can be difficult during pregnancy. Consider getting the new mom some maternity clothes that she can feel cozy and confident in wearing as her bump grows. Buying maternity gifts like clothes can sometimes be tricky, especially if you don’t know her size or style preferences. Ask a close family member if you’re not sure and include a gift receipt so that she can size up or down as needed.
Consider the pre-pregnancy style of the expectant parent when shopping for maternity clothes. If your friend or family member is not normally a person who wears floral print dresses, avoid this type of attire in favor of something that more closely matches her preferred style. For example, if she likes wearing jeans and a t-shirt, purchase some trendy maternity jeans and a soft maternity tee in her favorite color.
If the mom-to-be has a baby shower, maternity photoshoot, or other special occasion coming up, she may need a formal dress. Consider having her choose a designer dress at Mama Bump Rentals. Mama Bump offers a wide selection of gorgeous designer gowns available for rent or purchase. Dresses are available in a wide range of sizes, colors, and styles to suit all tastes.
2. Toys
Traditional and learning toys for babies have been found to engage a child’s senses, impact cognitive development, support language development, and encourage them to interact with others. While younger infants may interact with age-appropriate toys, such as a rattle, most babies do not start to play with toys until around six months of age. If the expecting parents already have a variety of infant toys, you may want to gift toys that are targeted toward slightly older babies.
Some great gift idea options for young infants include:
- Toys they can safely reach for, hold, squeeze, or shake, such as rattles, squeeze toys, textured balls, soft dolls, teething toys, and vinyl books.
- Toys that they can look at, such as unbreakable mirrors or infant books with large, colorful photos.
- Toys that they can listen to, such as simple songs, lullabies, nursery rhymes, or age-appropriate poems or stories.
3. Matching Gifts for Parents and Baby
One of the most popular gender reveal gift ideas is matching gifts for parents and baby. There is no better way to celebrate the incredible bond between a child and new parent than with a gift that emphasizes their attachment to one another. Finding matching gifts doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, you could gift each member of the family with a matching pair of pajamas.
Matching jewelry is also a sweet sentiment, such as matching mother and daughter necklaces. Clothing is a popular way to create personalized matching gifts for parents and baby. Some gift-givers may enjoy a humorous approach, such as shirts that say “Copy” and “Paste.” Others may opt for a trendier matching shirt option, such as “Mama Bear,” “Papa Bear,” and “Baby Bear” shirts.
4. Baby Books
Books offer a wealth of benefits to children, from infancy to toddlerhood and beyond. Educational books can help teach babies about communication, build memory and vocabulary skills, introduce concepts like shapes and colors, and help babies learn about the world around them. Consider gifting an age-appropriate book with a brief hand-written note in the front cover.
There are many options when it comes to baby books. Many babies enjoy looking at pictures of other babies. A book filled with close-up pictures of baby faces is a great option for babies around six months of age. While most infants cannot understand story plots at just a few months old, they often enjoy looking at pictures with brightly colored images.
5. Gifts for Mom
A gender reveal party is not just about celebrating the birth of a new baby but also about the expecting mom. When considering gift ideas for gender reveal party, think about what a pregnant woman might enjoy. Expecting moms deserve to be pampered and one way to do this is with a gift certificate to a local spa or a basket of spa essentials like bath bombs, soaps, essential oils and diffuser, and aromatherapy candle.
The mom-to-be might enjoy other gifts to help her relax, such as a pregnancy pillow, a pregnancy journal where she can jot down her thoughts, a bath pillow, a maternity support belt, a cozy oversized bathrobe, or a jar of hydrating belly butter. Take a peek at the expecting parents’ baby registry to get some ideas of what the new parent may still need.
6. Gifts for Dad
Contemplating some gender reveal gift ideas for dad? Expecting dads deserve some attention too and there are many types of gifts that will show your excitement for their new role. Consider a survival guidebook for first-time fathers, a coffee subscription box to help dad stay awake those first few weeks or a baby carrier that allows dad and baby to stay close.
Dads, of course, will want to remain cool even after baby arrives. Consider getting the new dad his own manly version of a diaper bag so that he can feel confident carrying it wherever he goes. There are many unisex baby bags on the market that look similar to a backpack, can hold loads of baby supplies, and can be easily attached to a stroller or carried by hand.
7. Gift Cards
Gift cards make an excellent gender reveal party gift as they are versatile and nearly everyone can benefit from using them. At the top of the list of best gift cards for new parents is Amazon gift cards. Amazon carries nearly every product imaginable, and shipping is fast, meaning new parents will receive their items quickly.
Another option is a gift card to the expecting parents’ favorite restaurant. Many new parents are too tired to go grocery shopping or prepare meals. On those nights when life is particularly hectic, a gift card for a takeout restaurant can be a real lifesaver. Other ideas for gift cards include streamlining channels like Netflix or Hulu.
8. Subscriptions
Subscriptions are available at all price points and can be personalized to fit the unique needs and preferences of the recipient. Some types of subscription boxes are designed to save new parents time, such as the Hello Bello box that delivers diapers and wipes directly to the recipient’s door.
Other types of subscription boxes, such as Yumi, help new parents provide the very best nutrition for their growing baby by delivering freshly made, all-organic meals and snacks. New parents can also maintain their health by having delicious meals delivered to their home with subscriptions to meal delivery services like HelloFresh or Blue Apron.
Gift Ideas for Gender Reveal
Coming up with gender reveal party gift ideas doesn’t have to be hard. From romantic gifts for the expecting parents to a gift box filled with baby essentials, there’s no right or wrong way to celebrate the gender reveal. Gender reveal party gifts can be practical, helpful, memorable, or simply make the expecting parents smile.
