How to Make a Bathtub Diaper Cake

Key Takeaways

• This DIY bathtub diaper cake makes a charming and practical baby shower centerpiece or gift.

• You’ll need diapers, a box, baby socks, small jars, ribbons, a wire hanger, and bath-themed accessories.

• Our step-by-step instructions walk you through building the “tub,” shaping a faucet, and decorating with toys and gift shred.

• Add finishing touches like rubber duckies and baby wash for a fun, spa-style display.

• Personalize it to match the shower theme or baby’s gender, or keep it neutral for surprise arrivals!

If you’ve been invited to a baby shower, now is the perfect chance to gift the mom-to-be some bath-time accessories that she can use time and time again. She’ll also need lots of diapers, so combine the two by creating a thoughtful, handmade bathtub diaper cake. If you’re hosting the baby shower, you could also make a diaper cake as a decorative centerpiece, and then gift the mom-to-be the goodies afterwards.

Diaper cakes are much easier to make than you might think. Simply follow this bathtub diaper cake tutorial, and soon you’ll have your gift ready to go.

1. Gather What You’ll Need for a Bathtub Diaper Cake

• 52 Pampers Diapers

• Rubber bands

• 0.5" wide elastic band

• 1 cardboard box that’s 12" x 9.5" x 3.5"

• Hot glue gun

• 2 pairs of baby socks

• 4 small jars of baby cream

• 1 wire hanger

• 1 pair of wire snips

• Heavy-duty tape

• Various lengths of ribbon (measurements provided below)

• 2 teething rings

• Gift shred

• Various bathroom accessories for children such as rubber ducks, bath products, washcloths, bath towels, etc.

2. Create the Base of the Tub

• Roll 29 diapers with the graphics side up. Roll in a tight roll from the flat banded edge in toward the thick folded edge. Secure the roll with a rubber band.

• Take 31.5" of 0.5" wide elastic band and wrap it loosely around a 12" x 9.5" x 3.5" box. Glue the ends of the elastic to each other using a hot glue gun.

• Start slipping your rolled diapers vertically under the elastic band, until you have surrounded the box in diaper rolls.

3. Prepare the Faucet

• Take a wire hanger, and cut off the twisted portion with wire snips.

• Straighten out the remaining wire, as straight as you can.

• Fold the wire in two, then tape the ends together to seal the sharp ends.

• Bend the wire into a “J” shape.

• Wrap some diapers around the wire, and secure each roll with a rubber band. Do this until the wire is covered with diapers, except for 4” of wire left at the bottom.

4. Assemble the Tub's Little Feet

• Take two pairs of baby socks (four socks in total), and stuff each one with a small jar of baby cream, leaving room for the top to stick out. These are the feet of the tub.

• Attach the feet to the tub by sticking the tops of the jars to the bottom corners of the box with a hot glue gun. Make sure the toes of the socks are pointing outward to make the tub's claw feet.

5. Combine the Elements of the Tub

• Secure the faucet by sticking the exposed bit of wire into the center of one of the diaper rolls.

• Wrap ribbon around the faucet, starting at the bottom and tucking the end of the ribbon under the clear, plastic band holding the roll together. Spiral the ribbon up the faucet and tuck the end into the spout.

• At the bottom of the faucet, place dots of hot glue on the ribbon, then affix it to the box.

6. Decorate With Ribbon and Fill With Diapers

• Cover the elastic band on the body of the tub with a length of ribbon 1.5" wide. As a finishing touch, layer a complementary colored ribbon that is 0.5” wide on top.

• Line the bottom of the tub with diapers to pad out the bottom.

• Add teething rings near the base of the faucet to create the tap handles.

7. Add ‘Water’ and Some Finishing Touches to the Baby Bath Diaper Cake

• Cover the flat diapers with gift shred.

• Insert a small amount of shred into the end of the spout so it looks like the water is running.

• Fill the tub (on top of the shred) with rubber ducks, bath products, washcloths, or any other bathroom accessories that you’d like to gift.

All done! Your bathtub diaper cake is ready to make a big splash at the baby shower.

If you’re helping to organize the baby shower, follow this baby shower checklist to make sure you have everything under control, and have a read through these baby shower game ideas to inspire you if you plan on having some games.

Plus, if your guests are contacting you asking: “What should I give the mom that she will use and love?” you can always suggest they consider making a jungle diaper cake or a princess diaper cake.