How to Host a Diaper Raffle (Plus the Best Prize Ideas)

10/28/2025

Throwing a baby shower and looking for a great game that’ll get everyone involved? Try a diaper raffle! It’s a fun way to create a little competition among guests while also helping parents-to-be stock up on something they’ll need lots (and lots) of.  Seriously. Did you know that new parents go through 2,500+ diapers in the first year? That’s a lot of changes! And at an average cost of $70-80 per month, those diaper expenses add up quickly. A diaper raffle helps lighten the load—literally.

What Is a Diaper Raffle?

As you probably know, a raffle is when you buy tickets for the chance to win a prize. A diaper raffle works much the same way, except guests bring a pack of diapers as their entry ticket to win a prize. 

The great thing about this shower game is that it’s completely optional for guests, takes minimal effort to organize, and results in a diaper stockpile.

How Does a Diaper Raffle Work?

Let guests know: Include a note about the diaper raffle with your baby shower invitations so that everyone knows they can bring a pack of diapers for a chance to win a prize.

Get your tickets: You’ll need diaper raffle tickets for the drawing. Choose from colorful roll tickets (available in pink, blue, white, or yellow) or adorable baby-themed custom raffle tickets that match your shower décor.

At the shower: When guests arrive with diapers, give them a raffle ticket. The standard approach is one pack of diapers = one raffle ticket, regardless of the pack size. This keeps things simple and fair for everyone. If you’re using double roll tickets, they keep one half and you drop the other in a bowl or basket. 

Want to reward bigger contributions? Some hosts give bonus tickets for jumbo packs or multiple packs—just make sure to mention this rule in your invitation wording so guests know upfront.

During the party: At a designated time (usually mid-shower or toward the end), draw one or more winning tickets and award prizes.

The result: The parents-to-be go home with enough diapers to survive those first few sleep-deprived months, and your guests feel great about helping out!

The key is making it optional and casual—no pressure, just a fun opportunity for guests who want to participate.

Baby Shower Diaper Raffle Wording: What to Say on Invitations

Getting the wording right on your baby is important, since you want to clearly explain the raffle without making guests feel obligated. Here are several ways to phrase it:

• Casual and fun: “Bring a pack of diapers, any size, for a chance to win a fabulous prize! (Totally optional, but baby’s bottom will thank you!)”
• Sweet and simple: “Diapers for raffle tickets! Bring a pack to enter our drawing for a special prize.”
• Straightforward approach: “Help us shower Baby with diapers! Bring any size pack to receive a raffle ticket for your chance to win a prize.”

You can include this wording on a separate insert card with your shower invitation, add it to the bottom of the invite, or mention it in your event page.

Diaper Raffle Prize Ideas

You’ll want something that’ll really cleans up but it doesn’t need to break the bank. Here are raffle prizes that consistently win rave reviews:

Top-Tier Diaper Raffle Prizes ($30-50)

These are ideal if you’re expecting a larger group or want to create more buzz:

• Spa gift basket: Bath bombs, luxurious lotion, candles, face masks, and a plush robe
• Wine or cocktail gift set: Nice bottle of wine, specialty cocktail ingredients, beautiful glasses
• Coffee lover’s bundle: Gourmet coffee beans, a French press or pour-over set, artisan mugs, biscotti
• Restaurant gift card: $40-50 to a nice local restaurant (date night is gold for busy parents’ friends!)
• Specialty kitchen gadget: Air fryer, stand mixer attachment, or that trendy kitchen tool everyone wants

Mid-Range Prize Ideas ($15-30)

Perfect for multiple winners or more intimate showers:

• Cozy home essentials: Throw blanket, scented candles, picture frame
• Beauty and self-care: High-quality nail polish set, makeup bag with sample-size favorites, hair styling tool
• Entertainment: Streaming service gift card, bookstore gift card, puzzle or board game
• Gourmet treats: Fancy chocolate box, artisan tea collection, olive oil and balsamic sampler
• Plant starter kit: Trendy planter with easy-care succulent or herb growing kit

Budget-Friendly Winners ($10-15)

Don’t underestimate these—presentation matters more than price:

• Hand lotion and lip balm set: Package designer brands in a pretty box
• Travel mug with hot cocoa bombs: Add festive packaging
• Kitchen gadget bundle: Fun spatulas, measuring spoons, dish towels tied with ribbon
• Bath and body mini set: Sample sizes of luxury brands go a long way
• Specialty foods: Local honey, artisan jam, flavored popcorn in a decorative tin

Good Prizes for Diaper Raffle: Universal Crowd-Pleasers

Not sure about your crowd? These work for virtually anyone:

• Coffee shop gift cards (everyone needs caffeine)
• Candles from popular brands
• Cozy socks or slippers
• Reusable water bottles or tumblers
• Succulent plants in cute pots
• Movie theater gift cards
• Local bakery gift cards

Pro tip: Consider your guest list. Shower full of wine lovers? Go with the wine basket. Lots of coffee addicts? The coffee bundle will be a hit. Match the prize to your people.

Basket Raffle Style: A Fun Twist for Larger Showers

Here’s another option that works beautifully for bigger parties: instead of one grand prize, create multiple themed baskets with smaller prizes in each. Think “Spa Night,” “Movie Marathon,” “Coffee Lover’s,” or “Wine & Cheese.”

Set up separate containers for each basket, and when guests arrive with diapers, they choose which basket(s) they want to enter. This approach works especially well when:

• You have 30+ guests (more winners = more excitement!)
• You’re working with a tighter budget and want to spread it across multiple smaller prizes
• Your guest list has diverse interests (the wine lovers go for one basket, the spa enthusiasts for another)
• You want to keep energy up throughout the shower by drawing multiple winners

The basket raffle style means fewer entries per container, so everyone feels like they have a solid shot at winning something. 

Practical Tips for Running Your Diaper Raffle

Here’s how to avoid messy situations:

• Mention diaper sizes: Remind guests that newborn sizes are used for a very short time. Suggest sizes 1, 2, and 3, or let guests know “the bigger, the better!”
• Use proper tickets: You could write names on slips of paper, but actual raffle tickets make it feel official and also make it ten times easier to connect winners with prizes. That’s because they’re meant for prize draws and come with perforation for easy tearing and sequential numbering so matching the winner is easy. 
• Create a display: Arrange the diaper packs in a tower, castle, or “diaper cake” for photos. It becomes part of your décor.
• Time it right: Draw the winner when energy might be dipping (after games, before cake) to re-energize the room.
• Show off your prize: Display your prize (or prizes) on a table near the entrance where it will help builds excitement and reminds guests why they brought those diapers!

Where to Get Your Diaper Raffle Tickets

The easiest option is ready-to-go roll tickets. They come in various colors—pink and blue raffle tickets for traditional baby showers, yellow raffle tickets for gender-neutral celebrations, or white if you want to keep things classic. Roll tickets are affordable, arrive quickly, and work right out of the box.

If you want something more customized to match your shower theme, look for baby-themed raffle ticket templates that coordinate with your invitations and décor. Some feature teddy bears or other sweet designs that add an extra special touch.

Making Your Diaper Raffle Special

A diaper raffle doesn’t have to be complicated to be memorable. The magic is in the details:

• Create anticipation: Mention the prize a few times during the shower. “Don’t forget, we’ll be drawing for that spa basket soon!”
• Make the drawing ceremonial: Have the mom-to-be or guest of honor draw the ticket. Take photos of the winner holding their prize.
• Thank participants: Even if they don’t win, acknowledge everyone who brought diapers with a group thank-you from the parents-to-be.
• Share the count: At the drawing, announce how many packs of diapers were collected. “Emma and Jake are going home with 47 packs of diapers!” It creates a feel-good moment.

The Bottom Line on Diaper Raffles

A diaper raffle hits that sweet spot of being helpful, fun, and easy to execute. New parents genuinely need diapers guests enjoy the chance to win something, and you look like an organizing genius.

Keep the wording friendly and pressure-free, choose a prize your guests will genuinely want, and use quality tickets that make the drawing smooth and professional. That’s really all there is to it.

Ready to start planning your diaper raffle? Start shopping our raffle tickets!