Discovering the gender of your child is just one of the many exciting stops along the road to becoming a parent. You finally get to start decorating the baby room, pick out their first clothes, and select their first crib. While it used to be traditional to not find out the gender of your baby until their birth, today, prospective parents can learn their baby’s gender as early as 18-20 weeks into pregnancy. And that means an excuse to throw your very own gender reveal party to celebrate!
So, if you’re wondering how to do a gender reveal, here’s how to plan the perfect party to celebrate finding out whether it’s a boy or girl! And if you’re a guest rather than a party planner, you certainly won’t want to turn up empty handed. Here’s a sneak peek at our wonderful collection of new baby cards filled with lots of lovely designs:
Our guide on what to write in a new baby card has got you covered when it comes to message ideas too.
What is a gender reveal party?
So, what is a gender reveal party? Well, they’re exactly what they sound like. A party to celebrate discovering your new child’s gender!
A gender reveal party is typically a small affair reserved for close friends and families, with party food, games, and cute decorations all building up to the big moment! It’s also important to note that a gender reveal party is not the same as a baby shower, although you can combine them if you want.
Planning your gender reveal party
To begin planning your gender reveal party, there’s one important step you need to take before you set a date. And that’s to actually find out the gender of your child (or not if you want to be surprised too).
The earliest you can usually find out is 18-20 weeks into pregnancy by going for a mid-pregnancy ultrasound. If at this point you don’t want to know the gender, you can have the staff write it down and seal it in an envelope.
If you’re choosing to be surprised at the party, then pass the sealed envelope to a trusted friend or family member – they’ll need to sort the reveal itself, whether they’re going to use a cake, balloon or just a good old-fashioned announcement (more on this soon!).
Once the gender of your baby has been determined, you can set the date and start planning gender reveal party ideas and themes. You can send the invites out electronically or embrace your creative side by making them yourself.
Gender reveal party ideas
And with all the basics out of the way, it’s time to dive into some gender reveal ideas!
1. Cake cutting
One of the sweetest ways to reveal your baby’s gender is with cake cutting! Whether you know beforehand or you’re trusting a family member, get in touch with a baker and ask them to fill your gender reveal cake with appropriately coloured icing. When you cut the cake, the gender will be revealed!
2. Treasure hunt
For something a little more adventurous, why not set up a gender reveal treasure hunt? Have guests follow clues and solve riddles that lead to the final prize: a basket filled with pink or blue items (we’re thinking balloons, confetti, and a cute cuddly toy). And if you’re yet to find out the gender, have a friend set up the treasure hunt for you!
3. Pop the balloon
A simple yet fun way to reveal your baby’s gender is through the classic balloon pop method! Just fill a large balloon with blue or pink confetti, then have the parents-to-be pop it in front of all the party guests. For an exciting twist, you could have multiple balloons with different hints or messages leading up to the final pop!
Choose a gender reveal party theme
It’s perfectly fine, even traditional, to hold a celebration where everyone simply comes round for the reveal, sends you their congratulations cards, and enjoys a few casual drinks.
But does that mean you can’t theme a gender reveal party? Absolutely not! There are countless gender reveal ideas out there that focus on using a specific theme to celebrate the day. This could be something as simple as incorporating blue and pink into your decorations, clothing, and snacks. Or you could really push the boat out with swanky outfits, seasonal decorations, or a fun historical theme.
An incredibly popular gender reveal theme is to have guests wear either pink or blue in a sort of wear-your-guess theme. You can then base any party games around these two teams and see who wins at the end when the gender is revealed.
Pick out your decorations
Another big part is your choice of gender reveal decorations! Naturally, any gender reveal decorations should go hand-in-hand with your chosen theme in terms of colour and style, as should your gender reveal party invitations.
You could also think about how these decorations could be melded in with the gender reveal itself! For instance, similar to the balloon pop method, a piñata could be broken open for the same effect.
As for gender reveal decoration colours, blue and pink are very common, but so is a neutral colour scheme of whites and grey.
Gender reveal food and drinks
As mentioned, a cake can be a huge part of your gender reveal party, but there are plenty more options when it comes to food too! You could whip up some pink and blue cupcakes, or how about a fancy charcuterie board to really impress your guests?
Drinks-wise, you could create themed mocktails or cocktails for either gender. How about a blueberry-flavoured mocktail and a glass of pink non-alcoholic fizz?
Gender reveal party games
And finally, a gender reveal party would not be complete without some fun games. Common games include having a prize for the best-themed guest or the ever-popular peek and guess! This involves showing a picture of your ultrasound to your guests and having them guess which gender it is. Those who guess correctly get a prize when the gender is revealed.
For a more unique guessing game, play games that revolve around using old wives tales to predict the gender of your child. There are numerous ones you can find online, and even if they’re not accurate, they’re sure to bring a laugh or two.
And there you have it, a bunch of gender reveal ideas you can use to plan your party! Want to know what to avoid? We’ve pulled together some insights on how not to do a gender reveal over on the thortful blog. Or if you’re yet to announce that you’re expecting, be sure to check out our pregnancy announcement ideas!
