Want to give parents what they really need? Then consider hosting a diaper shower or a diaper fund at your next baby shower! If you are hosting a baby sprinkle, then a diaper shower could definitely be a great way to prepare the parents for another baby in the house.

What is a diaper raffle?

A diaper raffle is a fun way to get guests involved in helping new parents prepare for one of the biggest expenses that comes with a newborn: diapers!

A diaper raffle involves asking guests who are invited to attend a baby shower to bring a pack of diapers to the event in order to be entered into a diaper raffle drawing.

At the event, the packs of diapers are collected and the diaper raffle tickets go into a container. From the container a winner is drawn that gets the diaper raffle prize!

What is the difference between a diaper raffle and a diaper fund?

A diaper raffle and a diaper fund are a bit different. A diaper raffle is where guests to a baby shower bring a pack of diapers to be entered into a raffle drawing.

A diaper fund is where guests can buy a raffle ticket for a set amount of money, then their ticket gets put into a drawing for a prize. The money from the ticket sales will then go to a diaper fund for the parents to use.

If some guests missed the announcement about the diaper raffle and still want to join in on the activity, then you might sell diaper raffle tickets at the event and do a combination of a diaper raffle and diaper fund drawing.

How do you let guests know that you are having a diaper raffle?

A diaper raffle does involve a bit of planning ahead of the baby shower event so guests are aware of the activity and can plan to participate if they want.

If you are sending out invitations to the event, then you can include a diaper raffle ticket with the invite. By including a diaper raffle ticket, you are letting guests know of the activity and they can bring their pack of diapers and the raffle ticket to the event.

If you are having a diaper raffle, you should not specify a certain amount of diapers required to be entered into the raffle drawing, just as along as they bring a pack, they get their ticket entered.

On the diaper raffle ticket, you might include that any size is welcome – anything from newborn to size 4 should cover the range of sizes for a baby over its first year.

If you are sending out the diaper raffle tickets with the invite, then you might want to make sure that you have some extra tickets at the event in case people forgot to bring their ticket or if you have guests who want to purchase tickets.

What if the parents receive too many of one diaper size?

If the parents end up with way more of one diaper size than they need, then they can contact a local big box store (like Target or Walmart) and ask if they can exchange their unopened boxes of diapers for another size. Most big box stores are understanding when it comes to diaper exchanges.

What if the parents have a brand preference?

If the parents have a brand preference, then you can add that to the diaper raffle ticket. For example, “Bring a pack of Huggies/Luvs/Pampers of any size, for a chance to win a prize!”

If you are opting for pre-printed diaper raffle tickets, then you can handwrite on the back of the ticket, “Pamper preferred” or “Huggies preferred,” so that guests can purchase accordingly.

If the parents still end up with a brand that doesn’t work well with their baby, then they can contact a local big box store (like Target or Walmart) to see if they can exchange their unopened boxes of diapers for a different brand. Many big box stores have an understanding policy about exchanging diapers.

What should the diaper raffle prize be?

The diaper raffle prize can be anything you want, but it should be a prize that most everyone would like. For example, if you are hosting a coed baby shower, then a gift certificate to a local spa might not be the first choice of a prize for some men.

If you are having an all ages event and anticipate a lot of families attending then you might consider a gift that would work for families – like a gift certificate for a night of bowling or tickets to a local attraction. If you are going to have a lot of couples attending, then a movie night gift basket that includes movie tickets, popcorn, a bottle of wine, and lots of candy could make a fun prize.

When considering the prize, you should calculate spending at least $50 or more for the grand prize – as most diaper packs run $10-$40 bucks depending on the size and amount of diapers. You want to make sure that your guests feel like they are winning a prize that’s more than what they spent.

The presentation of the prize can also be a fun way to garner excitement about the activity. If you are hosting a hybrid diaper raffle and diaper fund raffle, then a beautiful looking grand prize can encourage people to buy more tickets.

Is it tacky to have a diaper raffle?

Some people may have very strong opinions about hosting a diaper raffle at your baby shower. Opinions can range from diaper raffles being the best idea on earth for new parents to diaper raffles being super tacky.

If you are struggling with whether or not you want to host one based on what others might think, then consider this: if you were invited to a baby shower and they had a diaper raffle – how would you feel? Would you wrinkle your nose in disgust or just grab a pack of diapers the next time you go shopping?

Aside from your own personal opinions about hosting a diaper raffle, you should also consult the expectant parents – how do they feel about the idea? Ultimately, the baby shower is for them, so they should be the ones deciding.

If you do host a diaper raffle, then you should make it clear that the activity is completely optional. So guests who think it’s tacky are in no way obligated to participate, but they might change their tune when they see the cool grand prize being offered or once they see how happy the mom- and dad-to-be are at receiving so many diapers.

For many parents a diaper raffle could be a super awesome addition to their baby shower because it is a fun and practical way to celebrate the arrival of their new little one. 

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