Babysitting Co-ops Give Moms Precious Time

Here's the dilemma: You need to run several crucial errands, but you dread taking your preschooler and toddler along. Here's another one: You're working at home on a deadline, but your preschooler wants to play and your toddler will not take a nap. What about this: The sitter just called in sick, and you have a doctor's appointment in an hour. Or even this: You and your spouse have not gone out alone...

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Baby Shower Prizes And Favors

Stephen Kreutzer

The focus of every baby shower is helping provide the mother to be with the tools she will need to fully care for her new little one. Your baby shower will be no different! But offering your guests baby shower prizes and favors that they can take home with them to thank them for their gifts and commemorate the special day is a gesture that is well worth the time spent in preparation.

What Baby Shower Prizes Will You Choose?

Your baby shower guest list will likely include everyone from an 80 year old grandmother to a childless career minded adult to a few kids of all ages - and men. What prizes will make all of these people happy? That's the challenge. Here are a few ideas for your baby shower game prizes:

* Purchase a variety of prize types and mark them so that you know who to hand to whom when a winner of a certain age or gender is ready to claim their prize.

* Everyone has to eat! Gift certificates for a pound of candy or dinner at a local restaurant will be appreciated by all.

* For girls only parties, gifts like picture frames, picture albums, candles, and bath and beauty products like bubble bath and hand lotion will suit anyone.

What Baby Shower Favors Will You Choose?

Baby shower favors are somewhat more challenging than prizes for the games. You may create bags for the men, bags for the women, and bags for kids if you like, but it's easier if you have something that you can give to everyone. Remember, the focus of the baby shower is the baby and the new mom, so the favors can focus on that rather than the guest in particular. Here are some ideas:

* Small puzzles

* Inexpensive handheld games

* Chocolate

* A small picture frame for the new baby's picture

* A small candle and holder

Make Your Own Baby Shower Favors

A fun game for your baby shower could involve your guests making their own baby shower favors as one of the games. Perhaps you could provide doll parts so that everyone can create their own baby, craftier friends may be interested in using fabric paints on quilt squares to create hankies - even a do it yourself cookie decorating party with some take home boxes make a great baby shower favor and take the pressure off you of coming up with another baby shower game!

About the author: Stephen Kreutzer is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides baby shower tips on www.eazybabyshower.com


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Baby Shower Games

Tray Game For this baby shower game , you will need a tray and about 20 to 25 small items that would be associated with a baby. For instance, you might choose socks, rattle, teething ring, baby book, thermometer, baby food jar, washcloth, diaper pins, piggy bank, spoon, and so on. With everyone sitting around a circle, pass the tray with all the items on it around the room. Once the last person has had time to view all the items, put the tray out of sight. Then, go back to the person that first viewed the tray and see how many items he or she can name. Keep in mind that someone will need...

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