It's the latest trend among creative young couples who are expecting a child: a dramatically staged "gender reveal." Yes, we're talking about the moment when they learn if their baby is going to be a boy or a girl—and, in the age of social media, couples are no longer content to merely sit across from their doctor and learn the news the old-fashioned way. Today, they are using everything from exploding baseballs that disintegrate into blue or pink dust to installing crazy Rube Goldberg-type machines in their homes. So read on and be inspired. And for more great parenting tips, here are the 5 ways cool parents make family dinner the best part of the day.
1 | A Baseball
ShutterstockLos Angeles Angels prospect Torii Hunter Jr. is just the latest in a long line of baseball buffs who revealed the gender of his kid by whacking a ball that contained the news. His wife threw a pitch, and Hunter hit a line drive, causing the ball to explode into a cloud of blue pixie dust. Watch it here. And while you're at it, be sure to check out the coolest new old-school sports gear on the market.
2 | A Football
ShutterstockKirk Cousins, quarterback for the Washington Redskins, sent a spiral into a cardboard box. The result? Another cloud of blue pixie dust. (And a blue bandana–clad puppy joyously hopping into frame.) Watch it here. And for more lifestyle tips from the NFL, here are Tom Brady's Leadership Secrets.
3 | A Racecar
ShutterstockNASCAR driver Joey Logano approached his kid's gender reveal by doing what he does best: Driving. In an empty lot, he performed a bunch of donuts, causing blue dust the stir up from his tires. Watch it here. And to learn more about fast cars, read up on the 20 insane cars you'll find in A-lister's garages.
4 | A Rube Goldberg Machine
ShutterstockActor Taylor Calmus rigged his entire house to be a Rube Golberg machine, culminating in an explosion of pink confetti. The resulting video ended up being a viral sensation, garnering more than 70,000 shares on Facebook. Watch it here. And to get yourself sharp enough to build a contraption of your own, play the 8 video games that are scientifically proven to make you a better puzzle solver.
5 | A Golf Ball
ShutterstockActress Paulina Gretzky teed up a golf ball for her fiancée, pro golfer Dustin Johnson, on a pristine beach. He let loose, and hit the ball into the sea, leaving a cloud of blue dust behind. Watch it here. And to get as good as Johnson on the green, learn the 5 clever golf tricks that will make your bosses want to stop playing with you.
6 | A Cake
ShutterstockMusician Tyler Hubbard had Nashville-based baker Crumb de la Crumb bake a special pink-and-blue-frosted cake, keeping the cake color a secret. When Hubbard cut into the cake, blue batter was revealed. How sweet. Watch it here.
7 | A Jar Of Candy
ShutterstockDanielle Jonas, wife of Joe Jonas, posted a photo to Instagram of two jars of M&M's: one labeled "nuts," one labeled "no nuts." She gave followers two days to guess. ("No nuts" was the correct guess.)
8 | A Presidential Address
Evan El-Amin/ShutterstockLeave it to Beyonce and Jay-Z to have a former president reveal the the gender of their twins. During a video address posted to Twitter, Barack Obama said, "Jay and I are also fools for our daughters. Although, he's going to have me beat once those twins show up." Whether it was accidental or not has yet to be—and likely never will be—revealed. Watch it here. And for more coverage of the presidency, learn the 11 reasons we're convinced Mark Zuckerberg is running in 2020.
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