What Is a Gender Reveal Party?

what is a gender reveal party?

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What Is a Gender Reveal Party?

Gender reveal parties are all the rage nowadays, and there is little wonder why. While it doesn’t seem that long ago that couples had to wait until the day of the birth to find out the sex of their baby, that is no longer the case. These days, not only do couples find out the baby’s gender way before the due date, but they have discovered a lot of unique ways to reveal that gender to friends and family members. These parties are getting more and more creative all the time, and there are numerous ways to plan them.

Gender reveal Lady pink Cloud

A gender reveal is merely a party that lets guests know whether you’re having a boy or a girl, only you won’t just be telling them this – you’ll be demonstrating it in some very unique way. You can do these parties one of two ways. The first and most popular way is to have the parents reveal the gender with a food product or toys that are either pink or blue. The second way applies to parents who don’t want to know themselves what their baby’s gender is until the party. The latter takes a little extra planning – and some help from a trusted friend!

If you are a parent-to-be and you want to be as surprised as your guests are, let the sonogram technician tell someone you trust, then let that person arrange the “reveal” part of the party so that you find out right along with your guests. You can do whatever you like for the party itself, but at some point, you’ll be hitting a pinata, handing out scratch-off cards or sonogram pictures, or using either pink or blue light sabers to let everyone know if your child is a boy or a girl.

Whether you want to get extra-creative or you just want something basic, your Gender Reveal Party is guaranteed to be a success if you plan it just right and choose a method that gets you excited right from the start. For your party to keep the guests guessing right up to the crucial moment, make sure all of your decorations are pink and blue so that they don’t figure it out before you want them to. If everything is decorated in both colors, guests won’t be able to determine if it’s a boy or a girl until you are ready to show them!

What Makes a Great Reveal Party?

What Makes a Great Reveal Party?

If you aren’t sure how to plan the perfect gender reveal party, not to worry because it’s a lot easier than you think. Just like any other type of party, you have to plan ahead of time if you want it to come out just right. Reveal parties are a little different than other parties but not that difficult to get right. Just keep in mind the following tips and your party should turn out perfect:

  • Pick a theme. If you’re having the party close to the Super Bowl, have a Super Bowl-themed party. If it’s almost Easter time, try to do something with dyed eggs. If it’s not near a holiday or special occasion, think about what you and your partner like to do and base the party on that. If you love to snorkel, scuba dive, or go surfing, have a beach theme. If you think bumblebees are adorable, have a black-and-gold party with signs that say, “What Will It Bee?” If you use your imagination and base it off of your hobbies and interests, it will be a much better party!
  • Think up a cute way to thank your guests for coming to the party. If you’ve ever been to a child’s birthday party and the parents gave out small gift bags to all of the kids who attended the party, you’ll understand what this means. Gift bags are just as much fun for adults as they are for kids, so make up enough bags for all of your guests, with a few extras just in case, and hand them out to everyone as they leave. You can put any items in there that you wish, including party favors or even items such as bath bombs and candles.
  • Think of alternative ways to say “boy” or “girl.” How about Buck or Doe, Prince or Princess, Superman or Wonder Woman, Pirate or Mermaid, Bowties or Bows, or anything else you can think up yourself? Again, use your hobbies and interests to guide you to the right decision. Personalization is always best when it comes to gender reveals!
  • Consider making your invitations yourself. You don’t have to be super creative to do this. Just make sure you incorporate both pink and blue into the invites because again, you don’t want your friends and family members guessing the gender before the actual reveal. By going online, you can get lots of ideas, and as long as the invitations are colorful and have lots of eye-catching features, people will love them.

15 Unique Gender Reveal Ideas

These parties are always loads of fun for everyone in attendance, not just the parents-to-be! Below are some of the many unique ways to manage one of them.

  1. Balloons, Balloons

balloon gender reveal

One of the simplest and least expensive ways to handle your reveal is to use balloons that you’ve hidden somewhere until the moment you wish to share the news with everyone. You can do this in several ways. First, you can take a huge gift bag and fill it with the balloons, then staple the bag together at the top so that no one will take a peek. Then when you’re ready, you merely rip open the bag and let the balloons fly out. It’s super easy to find soft-pink or light-blue balloons in large quantities, and the best part is, they are never expensive.

You can also place the balloons in a dark sheet and open it up when the time comes or blow up a picture of the two of you holding either pink or blue balloons, keeping it covered until the actual reveal. In fact, there are numerous ways you can use balloons at a reveal party, and it’s more exciting if the balloons are filled with helium and actually do fly away once they’re released.

  1. Wearing Either Pink or Blue

Wearing Pink or blue at a gender reveal

This is a cute idea that allows your guests to basically do all the work for you. Tell every guest to come to the party wearing either pink or blue. Then, make two large signs – one saying “Team Pink” and the other saying “Team Blue.” You can also make just one sign with the correct gender and keep it hidden away until the time is right. Have all of the “blues” stand together and all of the “pinks” stand on the other side of them. When you’re ready, take the correct sign and hand it to the team that “won.”

If you choose this method, make sure you take a few pictures of the winners for your photo album and baby book. You can either make your own sign or purchase a personalized sign online, but as long as you make it big enough and unique enough, it will suffice. After all, this is about the blue team or the pink team, not about the sign!

  1. Use Scratch-Off Cards

Gender Reveal Scratch Cards

Found in places such as Etsy and other online stores, these cards are perfect for reveal parties because let’s face it, everyone wants to scratch off the markings to see what’s underneath! They come in a huge variety of designs, from basic to fancy and large to small, so you have a lot of options when you choose this method for your reveal party. All you have to do is hand everyone a scratch-off card when the time comes and tell everyone when it’s time to start scratching. Then, just sit back and look at the surprise on all of the faces in the room!

These cards are usually inexpensive to boot, so this is not a gender reveal party you’ll have to spend a lot of money on in the end. They’re simple, decorative, and lots of fun – just like you want your reveal party to be!

  1. Get a Pinata

Pinata Gender reveal

Pinatas are a lot of fun for both kids and adults, and they are perfect for these parties because you can put anything inside of them that you prefer. This includes pink or blue candy, gum, peppermint sticks, streamers, or even small toys that you can get at the dollar store. Use any shape of pinata you like – many reveal parties have pinatas in the shape of a large question mark – and make sure it is stuffed full. Then, ask for a volunteer to punch it until it pops open and spills pink or blue all over the place.

Pinatas also don’t have to be expensive, and most party stores will have them available in many shapes and sizes. It’s usually up to you to find items to stuff it with, but this is actually a lot of fun and won’t take long, either. Plus, it’s super fun to see it burst open and watch everyone’s faces!

  1. Buy Some Confetti Poppers

Gender Confetti poppers

Everyone is familiar with those poppers that release confetti when you pull on the string. When they first came on the scene, they were brightly colored and meant for special occasions such as the Fourth of July or New Year’s Eve, but now they are available in either pink or blue just for reveal parties. They are lightweight and super easy to operate because there is a string on one end and a flat surface on the other end. When you pull the string, the other end pops off and confetti is blown everywhere.

These confetti poppers are easy to find and not usually that expensive, although it is recommended that you shop around to find the best deal. Just pass out the poppers when you’re ready and tell everyone to wait until all of the guests have their popper in their hand. Then, do a countdown so that everyone is pulling on the string at the same time. Not only is it a lot of fun to see the look on everyone’s face, but all of the attendees will love seeing either pink or blue confetti being spewed out everywhere.

  1. Candy Cake

Gender Candy Cakes

When you choose this method of revealing the gender of your child, make sure you decorate the outside of the cake in both blue and pink to keep them guessing. You can make the inside of the cake pink, blue, or any other color that you like, but put either pink or blue M&Ms or some other type of small candies in the very center of the cake. Once the cake is cut open (make sure you cut it all the way to the center), the candies will spill out and everyone will know what you’re having!

The great thing about this option is that the candies are not expensive, especially since you won’t need a ton of them. Second, what’s a party without cake? Since you’re likely planning to have cake anyway at your gender reveal party, you might as well make that cake the center of your reveal party.

  1. Spray Your Hair with Temporary Dye

Dye your hair Gender Reveal

Using the spray-on temporary hair dye, the parents-to-be both dye their hair either pink or blue in this reveal. You keep your hair covered with a hat or scarf until you’re ready, then gather everyone around and remove the hat or scarf. Lots of companies make this temporary hair dye, and it is available in all colors. There are even combs that come in different colors that put colored streaks in your hair as you comb it. Most of these dyes will wash out the next time you shampoo your hair, and what’s even better is that the dyes are very inexpensive.

As a variation on this theme, you can also ask your guests to put temporary dye in their hair as well – either pink or blue – to show off what gender they think your baby will be. The dye doesn’t require a big commitment since it’s temporary, and it’s loads of fun as well.

  1. Silly String Reveal

Silly String Gender Reveal

Silly String is fun for everybody to play with, and if your gender reveal needs something unique, this is a great suggestion. Buy either blue or pink silly string and cover each can with brown craft paper. You can also tie white string around each can if you like. At the proper time, you and your partner should stand in front of the guests, who should be in a group close together. Then, after a short countdown, have the guests spray their silly string in your direction. Everyone will be surprised by the color they see!

While this product can be a little on the expensive side if you have a lot of guests coming to the party, it is perfect for smaller reveals with only a small number of guests expected. Unless, of course, you don’t mind splurging and spending a lot of money on this very special event, which will always be worth it!

  1. Play Dough Reveal

Play Dough Gender Reveal

Making your own play dough is inexpensive and simple, and this reveal is perfect for a second child. Simply buy some white play dough or make your own, add a few drops of pink or blue food coloring in it, then give it to your oldest child to play with. As the dough is played with, the pink or blue coloring will become obvious, and your child will know if they are going to have a sister or a brother. You should definitely take pictures because this is just as special for your child as it is for you and your partner.

Most of the time, play dough is made with flour, salt, and cream of tartar, along with a few other basic ingredients, so you’ll likely have everything you need already in your kitchen. You can find several recipes for play dough online, and all of them work very well. Plus, you can keep the play dough after the party is over and either play with it yourself or give it away to a child in your life.

  1. Onesie Cookies

Onesie Cookies Gender Reveal

You can easily find these cookie recipes online, and they look just like adorable onesies. Make sure the icing on the cookies is a neutral color, but place tiny M&Ms or other candies in either pink or blue on the inside of the cookies. At the appropriate time, hand out the cookies to everyone and let them take a bite. Once they see the candies on the inside of the cookies, they can celebrate right along with you. You can use other recipes as well – they don’t have to be shaped like onesies. Just make sure they are designed to hold some type of candy on the inside.

For these cookies, you’ll want the miniature candies if at all possible, simply because they fit inside of cookies much better than larger candy. Make sure you bake enough of them because a lot of people won’t stop at just one! Everyone loves onesies and everyone loves a great-tasting cookie, and with this idea, you’re offering your guests the best of both.

  1. Fortune Cookies

Fortune Cookies Gender Reveal

Everyone loves fortune cookies, and if you buy a DIY kit and make them yourself, you can put anything inside of them that you like. For this option, buy small items in either pink or blue and stuff them on the inside of each cookie. You can put small pieces of paper with “It’s a Boy” or “It’s a Girl” written on them, use the small crepe paper shredding that is easy to stuff inside, or even use small pink or blue candies so that the entire thing is edible. In fact, you can put anything inside of your fortune cookies that will fit – it’s up to you.

While you’re decorating them, dip the tips in chocolate (either milk or white) and sprinkle some blue or pink candies on top of the chocolate. This will make your fortune cookies both yummy and a lot of fun!

  1. Black Balloon Pop

Black Balloon Gender Reveal

For this one, you’ll need a black balloon that is very large. You’ll fill it up with either pink or blue streamers, confetti, glitter, or anything else that is the right color, then when the right time comes, have someone pop it open so that everyone can see the items inside. You can also pop the balloon open yourself if you like. There are actually several different ways to do this particular theme, and if you want to decorate the balloon on the outside, just use a gold or silver glitter pen to write something like, “Boy or Girl?” on it.

Like many of the other suggestions on this list, this one is very inexpensive and simple. Even larger balloons, such as the 36-inch ones easily found online, are very reasonably priced, so this one allows you to have a great gender reveal party even if you’re on a budget. You only need one balloon, after all, so it will be both simple and inexpensive to reveal your baby’s gender.

  1. Yummy Cake Pops

Cake Pop Gender Reveal

For this one, you’ll need help from a bakery. Have them make your cake pops in either pink or blue and cover them with white icing. When you’re at the party and ready to reveal your child’s gender, you simply hand out the cake pops to everyone and have each of them take a bite. This is not only a fun way to do a reveal party, but a tasty one as well! You can also buy kits for making the cake pops, but to be honest, it’s usually a lot less trouble just to have a bakery do them for you.

Cake pops can be hard to make at first, but once again, if your budget is tight, you can easily buy one of the kits and try your hand at making them yourself. Either way, this is a fun and yummy way to reveal the gender of your baby!

  1. Black Light Reveal

Black Light Gender Reveal

This one is super easy and is sure to be appreciated by those who love black lights! You get a white poster board and some of those invisible ink-type black light markers, and write either “It’s a Boy” or “It’s a Girl” on the poster board. When the time is right, turn off the lights and shine the black light on the poster board so that everyone can see if you’re having a boy or a girl. If the markers are not as invisible as they should be and you can see the writing on the poster board, just cover it up until the proper time comes.

The poster board will cost you under a dollar and the markers are usually less than $10, so this is yet another inexpensive way to do your gender reveal party.

  1. Doughnut Reveal

Donut Gender Reveal

Similar to the reveal using the onesie cookies, you’ll have doughnuts made up with either pink or blue jelly or icing on the inside. Decorate the outside of the doughnuts with both pink and blue, then when the time comes, pass out the doughnuts and have everyone take a bite. Another fun and delicious way to reveal the gender of your child, and it’s a method that everyone will appreciate!

This one might be a bit tricky, which is why you’re likely better off having a bakery do them for you. Even if you’re a pro at making your own doughnuts, getting the jelly or icing on the inside and at the right spot can be a bit challenging. Depending on whether your guest list is large or small, letting the experts handle the doughnuts for you is usually your best option.

What Else can you do for a Gender Reveal?

You can also come up with ideas of your own if you’re not sure any of the ideas mentioned above is going to work for you. Especially when it comes to food, hiding pink or blue candies, confetti, or icing. If you feel like you don’t have enough creativity on your own, you can always go online for some additional suggestions because there are literally hundreds of ideas found on the Internet. These include pink or blue icing placed in the middle of cupcakes, a cake that has neutral-colored icing but is either pink or blue on the inside, and either pink or blue light sabers, to name a few.

A gender reveal party doesn’t have to be complicated or even time-consuming if you know what you’re doing. Whether you love sports, computer games, comic books, or old movies, take that and run with it, and allow yourself to use all of your creativity so that the reveal ends up being just perfect for both you and all of your guests.

After all, these parties are meant to be fun above everything else, so regardless of how many guests you’re inviting, the theme you’ve chosen, or even how big or small your budget is, you shouldn’t have any trouble coming up with the perfect party in the end.

Need more Ideas for your Gender reveal? Checkout these Gender Reveal Party Ideas

About Shelly

Shelly Courtney has a rich knowledge about babies and parenting that she has gathered from a decade of experience interacting with relatives, friends, and colleagues. Being a doting mother herself, Shelly loves sharing her experiences on the nitty-gritty of parenthood with other budding parents. Her parenting advice is sure to make parenthood more enjoyable for all the new moms and dads.