Baby showers
How to Run a Diaper Raffle at a Baby Shower
Tickets, the box, the prize and the wording on the invitation, step by step, with a table of how many diapers a raffle actually brings in.
A diaper raffle is the easiest game you can add to a baby shower. Guests bring a pack of diapers, write their name on a ticket, and drop it in a box. Near the end of the party someone draws a ticket and that guest takes home a prize. The parents-to-be go home with a pile of diapers they will use in the first weeks, and nobody had to stand up and play a game they did not want to play.
This guide walks through the whole thing in the order you will need it: what goes on the invitation, how many tickets to print or buy, how to set up the table, how to run the drawing, and what to do with the diapers afterwards. The Teling team makes diaper raffle sets with a card box in 70 themes, so we have seen most of the ways a raffle can go right and a few of the ways it goes wrong.
What a diaper raffle is, and why hosts use one
At its core a diaper raffle is a trade. The guest gives the family something they need in large numbers, and in return the guest gets a chance at a prize. It sits next to the gift table rather than replacing it. Most guests still bring a present, and the pack of diapers rides along with it.
Hosts like it for three reasons. First, it answers the question every new parent hears: what do you actually need? Diapers are the one thing that runs out every day. Second, it gives quieter guests something to do that does not involve a microphone. Third, it fills the gift table with something the parents will not have to return or regift.
It also has limits. A raffle does not entertain a room the way a game with rounds and laughs does. If your crowd loves games, pair the raffle with one or two others. If your crowd is mostly coworkers who will stay for an hour, the raffle alone is often enough.
What you need before the invitations go out
The list is short, and most of it fits in one box:
- Raffle tickets, one per pack of diapers you expect, plus spares
- A box with a slot, so names stay hidden until the drawing
- A prize, or two if you expect a big crowd
- A line on the invitation that explains the raffle
- Pens at the table, because half the guests will not bring one
A Teling raffle set covers the first two items. Each pack holds one raffle box and 50 tickets in a matching design. The tickets measure about 4.8 x 3.2 inches, large enough to write a full name and a short note to the baby. The box is printed hardboard that folds along its creases and measures about 7.48 inches on each side, with a slot on top for the cards.
If you already have a box you like, the tickets alone will do. Many hosts still buy the set because the box ties the table to the shower theme, and a plain shoebox wrapped in paper rarely looks as finished in photos.
How many tickets and how many diapers to expect
The honest answer is that it depends on your guests, and no one keeps national numbers on diaper raffles. The math is simple, though, so you can plug in your own guess. The worked example below assumes that somewhere between half of your guests and nine in ten of them bring a pack, and that each pack holds about 30 newborn or size 1 diapers.
| Guest list | Packs brought (half to nine in ten guests) | Days of changes, middle case | Teling raffle sets needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 guests | 5 to 9 | 26 days | One set of 50 |
| 20 guests | 10 to 18 | 49 days | One set of 50 |
| 30 guests | 15 to 27 | 75 days | One set of 50 |
| 40 guests | 20 to 36 | 98 days | One set of 50 |
| 50 guests | 25 to 45 | 124 days | Two sets |
The days column needs one more number: how many diapers a newborn goes through in a day. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists wet diapers as one of the signs that a breastfed newborn is eating well:
“Have 6 or more wet diapers per day, with nearly colorless or pale yellow urine, by 5 to 7 days old.”
Six wet diapers is the floor for that sign, not a full count. Add the stools most babies pass in the first weeks and a working estimate of eight changes a day is on the low side for many families. We used eight in the table, so treat the days as a lower bound. A shower of 30 guests where two in three bring a pack still lands around two months of changes.
That is the real gift of the raffle. A single pack of diapers looks small on a gift table. Twenty of them stacked in a corner cover a stretch of the first weeks, when the new parents have the least time to shop.
A three-week plan for the host
A raffle is easy to run but easy to rush. Spread the work over three weeks and the day of the shower holds no surprises.
- Three weeks outChoose the raffle theme and order the set together with the rest of the decor, so everything arrives in one box and matches.
- When invitations go outAdd the raffle line, the size note and the one-ticket-per-pack rule. Decide on the prize and buy it now, while you still have time to compare.
- One week outCount your RSVPs. If more than 45 people might bring packs, order a second set of tickets. Send a reminder that mentions the raffle again.
- The day beforeFold the raffle box, put pens in a cup, and pack the tickets in the bag you will carry to the venue. Wrap the prize.
- On the daySet the box by the entrance, name your helper, and add the drawing to your run-of-show list right after the gifts.
The reminder message matters more than most hosts think. People read an invitation once, weeks ahead, and forget the details. A short note three or four days before the shower, with the address, the time and the raffle line, brings in more packs than any sign at the door.
Diaper sizes in brief
Guests who are not parents often stand in the diaper aisle unsure what to buy. A sentence on the invitation helps them, and a basic sense of sizes helps you write it.
Diapers are sold by the baby’s weight, and each brand prints its own weight range on the pack. Newborn packs suit the smallest babies for the first weeks. Size 1 covers the next stretch, and size 2 the months after that. The exact cut-off changes from brand to brand, so there is no point quoting pounds on an invitation. Asking for size 1 or larger keeps the pile useful for longer, because a baby who is born large may never wear a newborn diaper at all.
If the parents have a favorite brand, say so. Some families have tried a few and know which one suits their baby, or which one gives a rash. A brand note saves them from a closet full of packs they will end up giving away.
Guests who forget the diapers
Someone will arrive without a pack. It happens at every shower, and the way you handle it sets the tone for the whole afternoon. The kind answer is simple: give them a ticket anyway. The raffle is a game, not a toll booth, and nobody should feel left out of the drawing because a reminder message got buried in their inbox.
Some hosts keep a small stack of spare packs under the table for exactly this moment. A guest can grab one, drop it on the pile, and send money to the host later if they want to. Others offer a different way in, like writing a note to the baby on the back of the ticket. Both keep the mood light.
Raffles for virtual and mixed showers
Not every guest can travel. When part of the shower happens on a video call, the raffle still works with a small change. Ask remote guests to send a pack of diapers to the parents ahead of time, then tell you their name. You fill out a ticket for each of them and drop it in the box with the rest.
During the call, hold the box up to the camera, shake it, and draw as usual. If a remote guest wins, mail the prize. Make the rules match for everyone: one ticket per pack, whether it came through the door or through the post. A shipped pack is the same gift as one carried in, so it should earn the same chance.
Wording for the invitation
The raffle only works if guests know about it before the party. A line on the invitation or the shower website does the job. Keep it short, say what to bring, and say what they get. Here are three versions you can copy or change:
- Bring a pack of diapers in any size and get a ticket for our diaper raffle. One lucky guest goes home with a prize.
- For every pack of diapers you bring, you get one entry in the diaper raffle. The drawing happens before cake.
- Help us stock the nursery: bring a pack of diapers, size 1 or larger, and enter our raffle for a chance to win.
Two details save trouble later. Say whether more packs mean more tickets, because someone always asks. And mention sizes, because a raffle that brings in 25 packs of newborn diapers leaves the parents with a supply problem of a different kind.
If you send a digital invitation, put the raffle line near the date and address, where people look twice. A photo of the raffle box next to the text shows guests the theme and reminds them what the tickets are for.
Setting up the raffle table
Put the raffle box near the entrance or next to the gift table, where guests set down what they carried in. If the box sits across the room, people forget it until the end, and the line at the drawing turns into a scramble for tickets.
- Fold the box firstAssemble it the day before, along the creases, so you are not doing it while the first guests arrive.
- Lay out tickets and pensFan out a stack of tickets and put two or three pens in a cup. A small sign helps: one ticket for each pack.
- Make room for the diapersSet a basket or a clear corner beside the table for the packs, so they do not pile up on the gifts.
- Name a helperAsk one friend to point guests to the box. It turns a missed raffle into a full one.
- Take a photoSnap the table before guests arrive. Once the packs stack up, the photo of the pile is the one the parents will want.
If you use matching decor, the table looks planned without much work. Our baby shower water bottle labels wrap around most bottles with a label about 8.5 x 2 inches, and honeycomb centerpieces stand up on the same table without taking much room.
Running the drawing
The drawing takes two minutes, but timing matters. Draw too early and guests who arrive late miss their chance. Draw too late and half the room has left. The safest moment is after the gifts are open and before dessert is cut, while everyone is still seated.
Let the parent-to-be draw the ticket. It makes a nice photo and keeps the host free to hand over the prize. Shake the box first, reach in without looking, and read the name out loud. If the winner has already left, draw again and set the first prize aside to mail later, or keep a smaller second prize for exactly this case.
Some hosts draw two or three winners at a big shower. That works if the prizes are small and equal. It feels odd if one guest wins a gift card and another wins a candle, so keep the prizes in the same range.
Counting the packs
Ask your helper to count the packs while the gifts are being opened. A quick tally by size works best: how many newborn, how many size 1, how many size 2 and up. It takes five minutes and it gives the parents a clear picture of their supply. It also gives you a number to announce, and a number lands better than a vague thank-you.
If the count runs low in one size, mention it to a close relative. A grandparent who wanted to help with something practical now has a job.
What to say before you draw
A short thank-you lands well: thank the guests for the diapers, say roughly how many packs came in, and then draw. People like hearing that their pack was part of a pile. If you counted 22 packs, say 22. It turns a raffle into a group effort.
Prizes that suit a diaper raffle
The prize should feel worth the trip to the store, but it does not need to be large. A good rule is a prize worth about the price of two packs of diapers. Gift cards for coffee, a bottle of wine for an adult crowd, a candle, a small plant, or a basket of snacks all work. Pick something any guest would enjoy, since you do not know who will win.
Avoid baby-specific prizes. The winner might be a coworker without children, and a baby bib is a strange thing to carry home. Avoid prizes that need sizing, like clothing, for the same reason.
If you want to wrap the prize in the shower colors, our tissue paper and gift tags and small gift bags with handles come in packs large enough to cover the prize and the favors at once.
Choosing a theme
The raffle set is usually the first thing a host buys, so it often sets the look for the rest of the table. Teling raffle sets come in a wide spread of themes, from soft florals to jungle animals to fall pumpkins. The table below groups them on our last update.
| Theme family | Sets | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Florals and boho | 6 | Boho Dried Flower, Green Leaf Style, Floral Style, Sunflower |
| Animals and safari | 6 | Jungle Animal, Blue Elephant, Bee, Woodland Animal |
| Seasonal and holiday | 10 | Halloween Little Boo, Pumpkin, Little Pumpkin, Blue Snowflake |
| Sky, stars and rainbows | 6 | Rainbow, Sunflower, Little Star, A Little Sun |
| Butterflies and sea | 4 | Butterfly Style, Mermaid, Under the Sea, Ocean Animals |
| Classic and neutral | 41 | Fresh Style, Wooden, Kraft Paper Style, Blue |
A few things to weigh when you pick one. Gender-neutral designs suit showers where the parents are keeping the baby’s sex a surprise. Seasonal designs, like the pumpkin and winter sets, look great in their month and odd in any other, so check the shower date before you fall for one. And if the shower has a color scheme already, match the box to the tablecloth rather than to the invitation, because the box sits on the table all afternoon.
If the shower doubles as a gender reveal, our little pumpkin gender reveal set comes with a ballot box about 8 inches on each side and 60 voting cards, 30 pink and 30 blue. It pairs with a fall raffle set without the two boxes looking like twins.
Other supplies that go with a raffle
A raffle rarely stands alone. These are the supplies hosts most often add to the same order, all from our baby shower range:
- Favors for guests: our baby shower favor sets pair 50 angel key chains with thank you cards, organza bags and label stickers
- Bottle labels: 80 waterproof water bottle labels in three designs
- Table decor: honeycomb centerpieces with a bear theme for a boy shower
- Napkins: printed paper napkins and guest towels in packs of 100 or more
For the decor, our centerpieces and table decor and party napkins cover the table, and treat and favor bags hold the take-home gifts. If the shower is also a holiday party, the Christmas and Thanksgiving and fall pages group the seasonal sets in one place.
Mistakes we see, and how to avoid them
Most raffle problems come from one of four places.
The first is a missing invitation line. If guests only learn about the raffle at the door, few of them can join, and the ones who came prepared feel odd. Put it on the invitation, then mention it in a reminder message a few days before.
The second is the size pile-up. Without a note about sizes, newborn packs dominate. Many babies outgrow newborn diapers within weeks, and some are born too big for them. A size note on the invitation fixes it.
The third is running out of tickets. Fifty tickets cover most showers, but a big family gathering can pass that. Count your RSVPs, and if you expect more than 45 people who might bring packs, buy a second set or print extra tickets on matching paper.
The fourth is the forgotten drawing. In the rush of gifts and cake, the raffle slips. Put it on your run-of-show list and name a person to remind you.
When a diaper raffle is not the right fit
A raffle is not for every shower. If the parents plan to use cloth diapers, a pile of disposables will not help them. Ask first, and swap the raffle for a book exchange or a wipes drive if so. If the shower is small, say eight close friends, a raffle can feel like asking guests for a second gift. In that case a simple game or a card for the baby fits better.
A raffle also asks something of the guests, and some people on a tight budget will feel the extra cost. Make it clearly optional on the invitation: bring a pack if you would like to join the raffle. Nobody should feel they cannot come without one.
Finally, a raffle box with no lock is a party prop, not a cash box. If you plan a raffle with paid tickets at a fundraiser, use a locking box like our enter to win raffle box, and check the rules in your state for raffles that take money. A shower raffle where the entry is a pack of diapers is a different thing from a paid raffle.
Photos the parents will want
A raffle gives you three easy photos, and most hosts only think of one. The first is the empty table before guests arrive, with the box, the tickets and the pens in place. The second is the pile of diapers late in the party, when the packs have stacked up beside the gifts. The third is the drawing itself, with the parent-to-be reaching into the box.
The pile photo is the one people share. Stand back far enough to fit the whole stack and ask a guest to hold the box beside it. A year later, when the parents count how many packs they did not have to buy, that photo tells the story better than any list.
If you want a keepsake, keep one blank ticket from the set and write the date, the number of packs and the winner’s name on it. It fits in a baby book and costs nothing extra.
After the party
Help the parents sort the diapers by size before you leave. Stack them by size in the nursery or a closet, smallest on top, so the right size is always at hand. Keep the tickets: Teling raffle tickets double as advice cards, with room for a short note to the baby, and some parents tuck them into a memory box.
The raffle box folds back along its creases. If a sibling or friend is expecting soon, it can serve a second shower, since the hardboard holds up better than plain card. Then the leftover tickets are already in the box.
Questions about baby showers
How many tickets does a diaper raffle need?
Plan one ticket for every guest who might bring a pack, plus a few spares. A Teling diaper raffle set holds 50 tickets and a card box, which covers most showers of up to 45 guests.
When should the diaper raffle drawing happen?
Draw near the end of the party, after the gifts are open and before cake. The drawing itself takes about 2 minutes.
Can guests bring more than one pack for more tickets?
Most hosts allow 1 ticket per pack. Say so on the invitation and keep spare tickets by the box.
Sources
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