The Ultimate Diaper Party Guide (Including Free Printables)

Are you a dad-to-be expecting a new bundle of joy? If so, you could be the lucky guest of honor at a diaper party! Diaper parties are becoming increasingly popular, helping dads celebrate the arrival of their newborn in a fun or meaningful way. Unlike traditional baby showers, which are usually held for expecting moms or for both parents, diaper parties are all about celebrating new dads. In this article, we’ll discuss what a diaper party is and offer some diaper party ideas, including themes, games, and food. You can also find some free diaper party invitation templates to download and print out. So, read on for some diaper party inspiration!

What Is a Diaper Party?

A diaper party is basically a baby shower but for the dad and his friends. Just like a baby shower, it’s a party to celebrate the upcoming birth of a new baby and their parents—in this case, the father!

What is a male baby shower called? Some other names for a male baby shower or a diaper party for guys include:

• dadchelor party

• man shower

• baby shower for men

• daddy diaper party

• beer and diaper party

• diaper keg party

• daddy shower.

There aren’t many hard and fast rules when it comes to throwing a diaper party— generally, these are pretty casual affairs—but you can still observe traditional baby shower etiquette if you wish.

Instead of bringing gifts for the dad from a baby shower gift registry, the dad’s friends usually bring diapers—hence the name “diaper party.” Or a more modern option is to contribute to a Diaper Stash, which we’ll discuss in more detail in our section on Diaper Party Gifts. While there’s usually a lot less planning that goes into a daddy diaper party compared to a baby shower, that doesn’t mean you can’t go that extra mile with your ideas if you want to. The choice is up to you!

Perhaps you want a casual get-together with no frills, or maybe you'd prefer having a diaper party theme with decorations or some fun games. Either way, we’ve got plenty of diaper party ideas to help inspire you throughout this article.

Who Throws a Diaper Party?

Like a baby shower, a close friend or family member of the dad-to-be may wish to host the diaper party. The host will be the person who invites the friends and family members of the dad-to-be (which is generally just men, but women can come too if you decide on a mixed party), decides on a venue, and plans the games and food.

If it’s not a surprise diaper party, the host can consult with the dad-to-be on a suitable date for the party and the guest list. Now that you know who throws a diaper party, keep reading for more information on how to throw a diaper party.

For some extra inspiration when hosting a diaper party, you could check out our Baby Shower Planning Checklist below. This checklist may be for a traditional baby shower, but that doesn’t mean you can’t follow a similar plan or take some ideas and adapt them for your diaper party.

Diaper Party Themes and Decorations

Typically, a diaper party has a minimal theme and little to no decorations. So, if you think that’s what the dad-to-be would be happy with, keep it simple. Or you could base your theme on something the dad-to-be is interested in or opt for the common theme of beer and diapers. Here are a few diaper party ideas:

• Beer and diapers. This popular diaper party theme idea can be customized in any way you like; for example, the guests could drink beer from baby bottles, play drinking games, or just simply hang out and have a few beverages. This party could be hosted in someone’s house or even at the dad’s favorite bar or brewery. And don’t forget the diaper cake (a cake made from diapers) as a decoration—and why not add beer cans to match your theme?

• Sports. If the dad-to-be is a sports fan, your theme could be based on his favorite sport or team. You could decorate or wear the team colors, serve typical stadium-style foods, or watch a game on TV, perhaps even at a local sports bar.

• Baby-Q. Keep your diaper party simple by having a good old-fashioned BBQ—burgers, beer, and baby talk! No one will even think of decorations once they see what’s grilling!

As mentioned above, you might like to make a diaper cake as part of your party decorations. Here’s a helpful video to show you how to easily make a diaper cake for your diaper party.

Diaper Party Games

Aside from drinking games or simply just hanging out with the guys, the diaper party could also include other activities or games. Here are some to consider organizing:

• Diaper change challenge. This fun game involves racing to change a baby’s diaper. You’ll need newborn diapers, baby wipes, and dolls or stuffed toys. You could even try it blindfolded for an extra challenge.

• Diaper raffle. Guests receive a raffle ticket for each contribution they make to the Diaper Stash or each pack of diapers they bring to the party for the dad. During the diaper party raffle draw, ticket holders will have the chance to win small prizes. And, of course, the parents will receive plenty of diapers for their new arrival!

• Sports. If you’re going for a sports theme, your guests might enjoy playing some sports at the party. Depending on your location and the number of guests, you could play basketball, football, bowling, golf, table tennis, etc.

• Board games. You could turn the diaper party into a game night with some fun board games or poker, which is especially good for smaller groups of guys. And why not play for prizes?

Of course, any of the standard baby shower games could also be adapted for your men’s diaper party. And take a look at these printable baby shower games for some additional diaper party ideas.

Diaper Party Food Ideas

In keeping with the party theme and activities, the food at a diaper party is also usually simple, tasty, and fuss-free. Here are some diaper party food ideas for you to consider:

• BBQ. Who doesn't love a good cookout? It’s hard to go wrong with some burgers, hot dogs, and ribs for the grill, along with veggie options for any vegetarian guests. Add some grilled vegetables, corn, coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, or other sides, and you're all set.

• Pizza. You could order-in some pizza for the guests or even incorporate pizza-making into your party.

• Finger foods. An easy option is to provide some quick and easy snacks, such as chips, pretzels, dips, meat, cheese, veggie platters, etc.

• Themed desserts. You might like to make (or buy) cookies, cupcakes, or a cake decorated to match your theme. Examples could be cookies in the shape of a pint of beer or diaper-themed cupcakes.

You may also choose to hire a caterer or go to the dad-to-be’s favorite restaurant or bar to eat. If you want to go a bit further and prepare some food yourself, here are some quick and easy baby shower food ideas that could also work well for a diaper party.

Diaper Party Gifts

It’s common for guests to wonder what to bring to a diaper party. Unlike a baby shower, which often has a gift registry for guests to consult, a diaper party simply means bringing diapers as gifts for dad. This practical gift is a must for every new parent, and it’s an easy thing for guests to pick up.

But what size diapers you bring for a diaper party is pretty important, as the parents don’t want to end up with a bunch of diapers that are too small for their baby. If you’re hosting the diaper party, it’s a good idea to ask the parents what diaper size they want guests to bring. You can even add the preferred size to the diaper party invitations. Perhaps the parents would even like a variety of different sizes ranging from newborn to bigger options.

Diaper Party Invitations

A diaper party invitation can be a quick and informative text message, or you may prefer to follow baby shower etiquette and send out a more formal or fun invitation in advance using our free printable versions below.

The wording on a diaper party invite can include the following:

• The type of party—in this case, a “diaper party” to celebrate the dad-to-be

• The guest(s) of honor and the party host

• The date and time of the party

• The location and address

• Diaper party gift ideas for guys (in this case, diapers and the preferred size, or a link to Pampers Diaper Stash)

• RSVP contact details.

Check out our diaper party invites for guys that you can print out and customize:

The Bottom Line

Diaper parties are a great way to celebrate the upcoming arrival of a new little one. With these fun themes, games, and food ideas, as well as some cool diaper party invitation templates, you can host the perfect diaper party for you and the guys. Whether you’re going for a casual vibe or you’d prefer a fun theme, grab some friends and get ready for a memorable “dadchelor” party!