Scrolling on Instagram, it’s not uncommon to see friends or strangers celebrating their unborn child with a splashy gender reveal party. After becoming popularised in 2008, gender reveal celebrations have epically transformed, with the pressure on parents-to-be to throw extravagant, unique, and unforgettable events.

But are gender reveals everything they’re cracked up to be, or are these celebrations problematic, divisive, risky and expensive? Additionally, is having one essential to having a baby or an unnecessary luxury you can go without?

This article will discuss everything you need to know about gender reveals, including what they are and the best and worst gender reveal party ideas on the internet. Alternatively, you can find more Fun Gender Reveal Ideas Here!

What Is a Gender Reveal Party?

While big gender reveal celebrations are relatively new, finding out the sex of an unborn baby isn’t. Since it became possible to see the foetus’s sex on ultrasounds, expecting child guardians eagerly anticipate the moment they learn whether they’re carrying a girl or boy on screen. It’s truly unforgettable and makes having a child feel real.

With the advent of gender reveal parties or events, learning the sex of a baby in front of an audience has become customary, with loved ones involved in this very special moment. How it works is that the parents-to-be will disclose the sex of their baby in a unique display of their choosing, using pink for a girl or blue for a boy, with gathered friends and family.

Depending on whether they want to be surprised, the parents-to-be will elect a friend or hand over a sealed envelope holding the child’s sex to a proficient baker or professional organising the big reveal.

When Should I Have a Gender Reveal?

Getting the timing right is important because you don’t want to hold your gender reveal too early before you’re confident of the baby’s sex. Doctors will generally find out the sex at the 20-week mark or just before, so the best time for a gender reveal party is afterwards. Some Parents also use this as an Opportunity to share the name of their Baby. Feel free to check out our article on Fun Baby Name Ideas.

Typically, gender reveals are celebrated earlier than baby showers for the mom-to-be or diaper parties for future dads and are attended by all family and friends.

Some Of The Best Gender Reveal Party Ideas

Depending on your taste, preferences and bank balance, there are various baby gender reveal party ideas from which to choose. However, looking at Pinterest, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed as you search for ideas that complement you and your growing brood.

From the traditional to unique to themed gender reveal bashes and brilliantly simple party concepts, we’ve rounded up our favourites.

• Throw A Sports-Themed Event

If you and your spouse, partner or future co-parent like sports, why not include a baseball or football game with a slight twist? Have your party invitees don blue and pink clothes and divide them into a blue and a pink team. The first team to hit the coloured powder-filled ball and spill its contents wins the game! As an alternative to coloured clothing, you can bulk-buy gendered wristbands Here. This is also a great way of giving your guests a souvenir.

• Use Confetti Cannons

A confetti cannon is very popular, and we can understand why – it’s simple, safe, interactive and festive! After handing out cans of confetti, have your guests tug at the ends, revealing the pink-or-blue confetti stashed inside. Ensure that there’s someone with a camera at the ready – with so much confetti in the air, it’s easy to snap a colourful, picture-perfect image you can look back on. Silly string also works! We recommend These Confetti Cannons as they do not contain any Pyrotechnics, so are much safer for Domestic use. The Confetti and powder inside is also completely Biodegradable, so no need to worry too much about the clean-up operation!

• Do it With Cake

Host of the first-ever gender reveal Party in 2008, Jenna Karvunidis, introduced her daughter to the world through a pink-filled cake. Since then, nothing beats cutting into a cake to reveal the pink or blue frosting inside. In addition, a party isn’t complete with a cake as the centrepiece. These disposable Gender Reveal Party Sets are a great option for serving your cake on!

• Pop the Belly

Pop the belly is a fun, interactive game you can enjoy with your guests. What you do is fill one black or dark-coloured balloon with pink or blue confetti, and leave the rest empty. Give your party-goers a go at popping the balloons; the first one that stabs the balloons with the pink or blue confetti wins! You can buy a Gender Reveal Balloon Set Here

This messy, unique gender reveal Party game will elicit many laughs – much like parenthood!

• Share Your Ultrasound

The joy of our digital world is that we can share our best moments with others virtually. If others can’t make it or you decide to have a Zoom party – reveal your news via your ultrasound with added blue or pink effects. A 4D Baby scan may be even more beneficial! Feel Free to read up on 4D Baby Scans Here and Here.

• Let the Sorting Hat Decide

Anyone who’s grown up obsessed with Harry Potter will love this gender reveal Party theme. Similar to how it decides on the house of a witch or wizard at Hogwarts, the sorting hat will ‘select’ the sex of your unborn muggle – with the pink or blue item placed underneath it.

Worst Gender Reveal Ideas We Don’t Recommend

Since the first-ever gender reveal, parents have gone to great lengths to commemorate their growing families with a wholly unique gender reveal Party.  Some of these ideas are creative, cool and easy to replicate at home – while others raise more than a few eyebrows and mixed reviews online.

Here are some of the most bizarre gender reveals you’ll find online.

• Using Real-life Wild Animals

While we don’t condemn including your dogs in a gender reveal (after all, they’re your first kids) – we draw the line at wild animals.

One couple from Texas revealed they were having a boy with the help of a 4000-pound hippo who certainly didn’t volunteer his participation. They gave the hungry hippo a watermelon to munch on, and when the enormous beast bit down on the watermelon, blue jelly squirted everywhere.

While everyone got out of the experience unscathed and happy (the infant’s parents were delighted at the news, and the hippo enjoyed his fruity treat), the event could have ended far worse.

• Using Fire or Explosives

Smoke bombs and fireworks are trendy gender-reveal ideas at the minute. And though we understand the allure of these colourful displays, things can go awry pretty quickly when explosives and highly flammable products are involved. If you’ve settled on this idea – elect the help of professionals to prevent the worst from happening.

One couple from Australia got more than they bargained for during a gender reveal party when their vehicle ignited after releasing blue smoke from it. Fortunately, the reckless stunt didn’t result in injury or worse, but it’s a key example of a reveal party gone too far.

Are Gender Reveals a Good Idea?

Some parents-to-be love the idea of a gender reveal party for various reasons. For one, it helps them feel closer to their unborn child. Having a child is exciting, albeit anxiety-provoking, so gender reveals can remind the expectant parents to celebrate.

However, gender reveals are also problematic. They can be physically dangerous and irresponsible. In a past event, an unchecked gender reveal fire in Arizona resulted in unprecedented land damage. At the same time, out-of-control parties have resulted in preventable accidents, bad behaviour, and tragedy.

Gender reveal parties also perpetuate gendered stereotypes about masculinity and femininity, which can harm trans people and trans youth.

Do I Need To Have a Gender Reveal Party?

Gender reveals can be fun but aren’t necessary for welcoming your baby into society. There’s nothing wrong with keeping your baby a secret until birth – before technology, that’s what our ancestors did. If you want to mark the occasion with something small and intimate – you can always have a low-key event, like a barbecue or fancy dinner.

People who’d like to host a big bash not centred around gender will find many cute ideas online – such as a name reveal, which, as the name suggests, is a fiesta where the little one’s name is disclosed. Another top suggestion is a kaleidoscope party featuring all colours of the rainbow.

Whether you choose to have a Gender Reveal Party or not, remember that it is your choice, and your choice alone. Don’t feel pressured by Social Media, or the expectation of your peers. If you do come up with a wacky idea that we haven’t covered off, feel free to get in touch with us! Who Knows? It may be the subject of our next article!