Looking for a fun and casual Baby Shower activity with lasting memories? Make an ABC Book for baby! It’s a low-pressure activity that guests can take their time on throughout the baby shower, or a perfect ice breaker activity as guests arrive.

A good friend of mine is blessed to be having a baby boy in about a month. This baby will join his two big sisters and a plethora of cousins & family that are all very excited about his arrival. My friend’s sisters hosted a wonderful baby shower last month and I was thrilled to share my Baby’s First ABC Book for the guests to color.

Though I do have a Blank ABC Book Template that allows you the flexibility of guests drawing any theme/design for the shower, some guests might not be thrilled about creating their own drawings from scratch. The custom illustrated ABC Book makes it easy for guests to choose a page to color while keeping the style consistent throughout the book. (UPDATE: I have many other Baby's First Book options including: Baby's First Colors and Shapes, Baby's First 123 Book, Baby's First Things that Go (Transportation) plus I now also have a School Themed Illustrated ABC Book that is perfect for any teacher that’s expecting a baby!)

Guests loved coloring the pages of this book throughout their time at the baby shower and it was a great activity that included ALL ages! Grandparents and cousins, friends and co-workers joined together to create this book for baby. Then they could sign their name at the bottom of the page. Many guests continued to color while Mom and Dad opened presents which allowed for a fun and casual atmosphere.

The best part about these ABC Books is the personalization! The PDFs are set up so you can type in Baby’s name on the front cover and the tent sign before you print. Also available are adorable personalized pages that can replace certain letters in the book. At my friend’s baby shower, I included 2 personalized pages for this baby’s two big sisters. (Example: “E is for Emily” would replace the “E is for Elephant” page). When you purchase a personalized page, you can choose from several different illustration options whether it’s a Boy, Girl, or Swaddled Baby!

Seeing the complete book at the end of the baby shower was wonderful. In a matter of a couple hours, a lovingly-made ABC Book was complete and ready to cherish for years. It’s also a great reminder of the guests that attended the baby shower--A guest book of sorts. Prefer to purchase a printed ABC Book ready to go? See the printed ABC Book here.

Here’s the Easy how-to of making an ABC Book Station at a Baby Shower:

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• ABC Book Template available here (PDF Download or Printed, 3 different sizes available: 4x6”, 5x7”, or 8.5x11”)
• White Cardstock (I prefer 110lb. White Index Card Stock, 8.5x11” Letter Paper)
• Colored Pencils (recommended over crayons)
• Pencil Sharpener

OPTIONAL MATERIALS:

• Plastic Photo Album (Something like this from Amazon, or you could have the book laminated and bound at a print shop)
• Adobe Reader (To open the PDF and type Baby’s name in)
• Cutting Mat, Xacto Knife and Ruler (If trimming pages yourself, or this can be done by the print shop for a minimal cost--much easier and faster!)
• Container for the Colored Pencils (Glass Jars, for example)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Download the ABC Book Template after your purchase.
2. Make sure you have Adobe Reader installed if you’d like to personalize the ABC Book cover or the tent sign before printing. When you open the file, type directly over the “Baby’s” text in the file. (Instructions are included with your downloaded files.)
3. Print on white cardstock, preferably on a Laser Printer.
4. For 4x6” or 5x7” size pages, trim the pages to the crop marks with either a cutting board/Xacto knife/Ruler or, better yet, ask a print shop to trim at the crop marks.
5. Color the Tent Sign before the shower to add some color and inspire guests.

OPTIONAL! Consider hanging the cards from a clothesline so that guests can easily choose their page to color, plus it’s a great way to display everyone’s artwork after they are done.

P.P.S. Check out even more "Baby's First Books” and options in my Etsy shop — There’s tons of great options both PDF downloads or printed with an album!