So you’re throwing a Super Mario Bros party? Smart move!
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, game night, or just because you love jumping on virtual turtles, Mario-themed parties never go out of style.
I’ve thrown my fair share of these shindigs, and let me tell you—when done right, they’re absolute game-changers (pun totally intended).
Here’s the thing: anyone can slap some red and blue balloons together and call it a day.
But we’re not doing “anyone” here. We’re going full Mushroom Kingdom mode, complete with power-ups, coin collecting, and maybe a Bowser piñata for good measure.
Ready to transform your space into a Nintendo wonderland? Let’s-a-go!
1. DIY Question Block Piñata
Image Prompt: A large cubic yellow piñata with a bold white question mark on each side, suspended from a tree branch, surrounded by excited kids with plastic hammers, colorful confetti pieces scattered on grass below, bright outdoor party setting with blue sky background.
Ever wonder why hitting a floating block for candy makes so much sense at a party? Because it’s genius, that’s why! A Question Block piñata is basically mandatory for any respectable Mario bash. I made one last year, and the kids went absolutely bonkers when coins (chocolate ones, obviously) spilled out.
You can stuff this bad boy with gold-wrapped candies, small toys, and if you’re feeling extra, some “1-UP” mushroom candies. The beauty of this DIY project is that it looks way more impressive than the effort you’ll actually put in.
How to Do It:
- Grab a cube-shaped cardboard box (about 12-14 inches works perfectly)
- Cover entirely with yellow construction paper or paint using spray paint for smooth coverage
- Cut out large white question marks from cardstock and glue one on each side
- Create a small opening on top to fill with candy and small toys
- Attach sturdy rope or ribbon for hanging, ensuring it can support the weight
- Fill with gold-wrapped chocolates, Mario stickers, and small game-themed toys
- Seal the opening and reinforce all corners with extra tape
Want more creative party activities? Check out these kids activities for additional inspiration.
2. Warp Pipe Entrance Tunnel
Image Prompt: Two large green cylindrical tubes made from poster board creating an entrance archway, white circular rim details on top, positioned at a doorway entrance, Mario-themed decorations visible through the tunnel, indoor party venue with hardwood floors.
Nothing says “you’ve entered the Mushroom Kingdom” quite like walking through an actual Warp Pipe. When guests arrive at my place and see these green tubes flanking the entrance, their faces light up—adults included, FYI.
I’ve used pool noodles, poster board, and even those concrete form tubes from hardware stores. The bigger, the better, IMO. Position them at your entrance, and boom—instant transport to Mario’s world.
How to Do It:
- Purchase large green poster board or foam sheets (2-3 sheets per pipe)
- Roll into cylinder shapes approximately 3-4 feet tall and secure with strong tape
- Cut white poster board into circular strips for the rim detail at top and bottom
- Stack 2-3 cylinders on top of each other to create height, securing with hot glue
- Position pipes on either side of your doorway or entrance
- Add weight to the bottom with sandbags or rocks to prevent tipping
- Optional: Place a small speaker inside playing the warp pipe sound effect
3. Coin Collecting Scavenger Hunt
Image Prompt: Scattered gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins hidden around a backyard, some placed in bushes, on lawn furniture, near flower pots, kids searching with small Mario-themed bags, golden afternoon sunlight creating a treasure hunt atmosphere.
Turn your party space into a legit Mario level with a coin hunt. I’m talking gold chocolate coins hidden everywhere—under chairs, taped to walls, buried in the couch cushions (okay, maybe don’t do that last one if you want your couch to survive).
The best part? You can make it competitive. Most coins collected wins a special prize, like a Mario plushie or extra dessert. Trust me, kids will tear through your house faster than Mario on a star power-up.
How to Do It:
- Purchase bulk gold chocolate coins (at least 100-150 for a good hunt)
- Create different colored coin values using stickers—gold worth 1, red worth 5, rainbow worth 10
- Hide coins throughout your party space before guests arrive, noting locations
- Provide each child with a coin collection bag decorated with question mark stickers
- Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and let the hunting begin
- Count coins together and award prizes for most collected, most valuable haul, and best teamwork
- Pro tip: Keep some “easy” coins visible for younger kids to find quickly
Looking for more engaging activities? These preschool activities work great for younger Mario fans!
4. Princess Peach’s Castle Backdrop
Image Prompt: A large hand-painted castle backdrop featuring pink and white towers with triangular red roofs, arched windows, a grand entrance door, mounted on a wall or large cardboard frame, party tables arranged in front, fairy lights adding magical ambiance.
Every kingdom needs its castle, right? Creating a Princess Peach castle backdrop gives you the perfect photo op spot. I painted mine on a massive piece of cardboard, and it became the star of the party—everyone wanted pictures in front of it.
You don’t need to be Picasso here. Simple towers, some pink paint, and a few turrets will do the trick. Add some fairy lights around the edges if you’re feeling fancy (which you should be, because it looks amazing).
How to Do It:
- Get a large cardboard sheet or trifold display board (at least 4×6 feet)
- Sketch your castle design lightly with pencil including towers, windows, and entrance
- Paint the base structure pink and white using acrylic or poster paints
- Add red triangular roofs on towers with yellow flag details
- Use a black marker to outline all features for definition and pop
- Attach small battery-operated fairy lights around the edges with clear tape
- Prop against a wall or create a stand using wooden supports on the back
- Add a red carpet leading to it for the ultimate photo opportunity
5. Power-Up Snack Bar
Image Prompt: A colorful dessert table featuring mushroom-shaped cupcakes with red and white frosting, star-shaped cookies with yellow icing, fire flower rice crispy treats, labeled with creative Mario-themed name cards, organized on a green grass-textured tablecloth.
Forget boring chips and dip. Your snack table needs to look like Mario just raided Toad’s pantry. I’m talking Super Mushroom cupcakes, Fire Flower cookies, and Star Power fruit skewers. When your food looks this good, kids actually get excited about eating healthy stuff (sort of).
The secret is in the presentation and naming. Regular fruit becomes “Yoshi Eggs,” pretzels turn into “Brick Blocks,” and suddenly everyone’s fighting over vegetables shaped like 1-UP mushrooms. Wild, right?
How to Do It:
- Bake or buy cupcakes and top with red frosting and white fondant circles for Super Mushrooms
- Create star-shaped sugar cookies with yellow icing and edible glitter
- Arrange pretzel sticks in squares to resemble brick blocks, serve with cheese dip
- Make fruit kabobs with grapes, strawberries, and melon labeled as “Yoshi Eggs”
- Serve juice boxes or sodas with custom Mario-themed labels printed on sticker paper
- Use green tablecloth with white cloud cutouts to mimic the game background
- Create cute name cards for each food item with Mario references
Need conversation starters while guests snack? Try these conversation starters for teens to keep the party lively!
6. DIY Mustache Photo Booth Props
Image Prompt: An array of photo booth props laid out on a table including oversized Mario and Luigi mustaches on sticks, Princess Peach crown, Bowser horns, Toad mushroom hat, white gloves, all handmade from cardstock and foam, vibrant colors against a white background.
Photo booths are essential, but Mario-themed props? Chef’s kiss. I cut out giant mustaches, Princess Peach crowns, Luigi’s hat—the whole nine yards. Watching adults pose with oversized foam mustaches is honestly worth the price of admission alone 🙂
The props are stupid-easy to make. Cardstock, some paint, hot glue, and wooden sticks. That’s it. But the entertainment value? Through the roof. Plus, you’ll have hilarious photos for years to come.
How to Do It:
- Print or draw Mario and Luigi mustache templates on black cardstock, cut out
- Create Princess Peach crown using yellow foam board and gem stickers
- Fashion oversized white gloves from white felt or poster board
- Make Toad’s mushroom hat using a red bowl and white circles as a template
- Construct Bowser horns headband with orange foam and a cheap headband
- Attach all props to wooden dowels or sturdy straws with hot glue
- Set up a photo area with your castle backdrop and props in a basket nearby
- Optional: Create a hashtag for guests to share photos on social media
7. Bob-omb Bowling Game
Image Prompt: Six large black balloons with white eyes drawn on them arranged in bowling pin formation on grass, a small red sphere as the bowling ball, outdoor party game setup, kids lined up ready to play, suburban backyard setting.
Here’s a party game that’s way more fun than it has any right to be. Blow up black balloons, draw Bob-omb faces on them, and set up a bowling alley in your backyard. It’s bowling meets Mario Kart mayhem.
I used a kickball as my “cannon ball,” and kids took turns trying to knock down the Bob-ombs. Simple? Yes. Entertaining? Absolutely. The best part is watching them explode (the balloons, not actual Bob-ombs—safety first, people).
How to Do It:
- Inflate 10 large black balloons to a uniform size for consistency
- Draw Bob-omb faces with white paint markers—two eyes and a fuse on top
- Arrange in traditional bowling pin formation on flat ground or grass
- Use a red or black kickball as your bowling ball
- Create a throwing line using tape or chalk about 10-15 feet away
- Keep score on a whiteboard and award prizes for strikes and spares
- Replace popped balloons between rounds (keep extras inflated nearby)
- Pro tip: Play the Bob-omb Battlefield music in the background for ambiance
8. Yoshi Egg Hunt
Image Prompt: Brightly colored plastic Easter eggs decorated with white spots to resemble Yoshi eggs, hidden in garden bushes and grass, each egg containing small toys or candies, spring outdoor setting with vibrant green foliage, children excitedly discovering eggs.
Similar to the coin hunt but arguably cuter (don’t @ me), Yoshi Eggs are basically colorful Easter eggs with spots. Hide them around your party space, and let the kids loose. Each egg can have different surprises inside—candy, small toys, or even little challenges written on slips of paper.
The spotted pattern makes them instantly recognizable as Yoshi eggs, and kids love collecting the different colors. Pro tip: Make some eggs harder to find with bigger prizes inside. Creates just enough competition to keep things interesting.
How to Do It:
- Purchase plastic Easter eggs in multiple colors (green, blue, pink, yellow)
- Add white adhesive dots or paint spots on each egg to create Yoshi egg pattern
- Fill eggs with candy, small toys, or mini challenges written on paper strips
- Hide eggs throughout your party area before guests arrive, varying difficulty levels
- Create a “golden Yoshi egg” with special paint or wrapping for the grand prize
- Give each child a basket or bag for collecting their finds
- Set boundaries for where eggs are hidden to avoid lost children
- Count findings together and celebrate everyone’s discoveries
Want to keep the conversation flowing during activities? Check out these dinner conversation starters perfect for party meals!
9. Piranha Plant Cupcake Toppers
Image Prompt: Cupcakes decorated with green frosting bases and red fondant Piranha Plant heads emerging from green pipe-shaped toppers, white fondant teeth, sitting on a tiered cupcake stand, professional bakery-quality appearance with Mario-themed background decorations.
Okay, these are ridiculously adorable and not as hard as they look, I promise. Green frosting for the base (aka the pipe), and red fondant or construction paper for the plant head with those chompy white teeth. Stick ’em in cupcakes, and suddenly you’ve got edible decorations.
The kids were honestly hesitant to eat them at first because they looked so cool. Mission accomplished? When your cupcakes double as centerpieces, you know you’ve nailed the theme.
How to Do It:
- Bake or purchase chocolate cupcakes as your base
- Frost with green buttercream to represent the warp pipes
- Create Piranha Plant heads from red fondant or stiff paper shaped like ovals
- Add white fondant or paper teeth with edible glue or regular glue (if paper)
- Insert green pipe cleaner or paper stems into cupcakes as the “stem”
- Attach Piranha Plant heads to the stems securely
- Add small white dot eyes with edible markers or white icing
- Arrange on green cupcake liners for extra thematic effect
10. Super Star Piñata Station
Image Prompt: A large golden star-shaped piñata with friendly facial features hanging from a sturdy tree branch, metallic yellow paper surface catching sunlight, streamers hanging nearby, kids with colorful bandanas waiting their turn, festive outdoor party atmosphere.
A star piñata is basically the VIP of Mario decorations. It’s colorful, it’s iconic, and when you whack it with a stick, candy comes out—which is the entire point of parties, FYI. I covered mine in gold foil paper and added googly eyes because adorable piñatas deserve love too.
Fill it with gold candies, star stickers, and maybe some Mario toys if you’re feeling generous. The sound of kids cheering when it finally breaks never gets old, trust me.
How to Do It:
- Purchase or create a star-shaped piñata base using cardboard and papier-mâché
- Cover completely with gold or yellow metallic paper overlapping pieces for full coverage
- Add black paper eyes and a friendly smile to match the Super Star design
- Fill with gold-wrapped candies, star-shaped confections, and small toys
- Reinforce the hanging loop with extra rope or wire for durability
- Hang from a sturdy tree branch or hook at appropriate height for participants
- Provide a plastic bat wrapped in colored paper for safety
- Blindfold players and spin them three times before their turn
11. Luigi’s Mansion Ghost Hunt
Image Prompt: White balloons with ghost faces drawn in black marker floating around a dimly lit room, glow sticks attached as “ghost energy,” kids holding toy flashlights searching for them, spooky but playful atmosphere with green lighting accents, indoor party setting.
Here’s where you get spooky-but-still-kid-friendly. Float white balloons (aka Boos) around a darkened room and give kids flashlights to “capture” them. You can even add glow sticks inside the balloons for extra effect—it looks insanely cool when the lights are off.
This worked surprisingly well as a calming activity when the sugar rush was hitting hard. Something about hunting ghosts in the dark is both exciting and slightly less chaotic than most party games.
How to Do It:
- Inflate white balloons and insert glow sticks before fully inflating (activate the glow stick first)
- Draw Boo ghost faces with black permanent marker—tongue sticking out is essential
- Scatter balloons throughout a darkened room or designated party area
- Give each child a toy flashlight to “hunt” the ghosts
- Play Luigi’s Mansion theme music quietly in the background
- Optional: Attach ghost balloons to strings for floating effect at different heights
- Award points for each Boo captured and crown a “Ghost Hunter Champion”
- Keep a few lights on so it’s spooky but not scary for younger kids
12. DIY Bullet Bill Relay Race
Image Prompt: Teams of kids wearing cardboard Bullet Bill headpieces painted black with white details, racing across a backyard in relay format, passing batons, outdoor party game with racing lanes marked by streamers, competitive but fun atmosphere.
Time to burn off that cake energy! Create Bullet Bill headpieces from cardboard boxes, divide kids into teams, and have them race relay-style. It’s goofy, it’s active, and watching kids sprint while wearing giant bullet costumes is peak entertainment.
You can add obstacles like “dodging Koopa shells” (balls on the ground) or “jumping over pipes” (pool noodles). Get creative! The more ridiculous, the better the photos.
How to Do It:
- Cut cardboard boxes into cylindrical shapes that fit over kids’ heads (ensure visibility!)
- Paint black with white arms, eyes, and shark-teeth mouth to resemble Bullet Bills
- Create eyeholes for safe vision during the race
- Set up a relay course with clear start and finish lines
- Divide kids into teams of equal numbers and ability levels
- Have players run while wearing the Bullet Bill headpiece and pass it to the next teammate
- Add obstacles like cones to weave through or pool noodles to jump over
- Award medals or prizes to the winning team (but participation prizes for everyone!)
Looking for more ways to bond with kids? Check out these mother and son activities for quality time ideas!
13. Toadstool Mushroom Seating
Image Prompt: Large inflatable or foam mushroom seats in red with white spots arranged in a circle on grass, kids sitting on them eating snacks, outdoor party lounge area, whimsical Mushroom Kingdom aesthetic, afternoon party setting with natural lighting.
Create a legit Mushroom Kingdom seating area with DIY toadstool seats. You can use upside-down buckets painted red with white spots, or go all out with inflatable mushrooms if your budget allows. Either way, it creates an Instagram-worthy corner that adults will secretly want to sit in.
I made mine from painted storage ottomans, and they were so popular that kids fought over who got to sit on them during snack time. Mission accomplished :/
How to Do It:
- Find small stools, ottomans, or sturdy upside-down buckets as your base
- Paint the tops bright red using acrylic or spray paint
- Add large white polka dots randomly across the red surface
- Paint the stems/legs white or cream to complete the mushroom look
- Seal with clear protective coating if using outdoors
- Arrange in clusters around your party space for seating areas
- Add cushions on top for extra comfort during snack time
- Optional: Create one giant mushroom as a focal point for photos
14. Mario Kart Racing Tournament
Image Prompt: TV setup showing Mario Kart gameplay, kids holding controllers sitting on floor cushions, tournament bracket visible on a whiteboard beside the screen, snacks on side tables, competitive but friendly gaming atmosphere, indoor party entertainment area.
If you have a gaming console, this is a no-brainer. Set up a Mario Kart tournament with brackets and prizes. Nothing brings out friendly competition like Rainbow Road (and yes, someone will rage-quit—it’s tradition).
I created a championship bracket on poster board, complete with player names and advancement rounds. The winner got a trophy (from the dollar store, but they didn’t need to know that), and honestly, kids talked about this for weeks afterward.
How to Do It:
- Set up your gaming console with Mario Kart in a comfortable viewing area
- Create a tournament bracket on poster board with player names
- Establish clear rules (which track, items on/off, number of races per round)
- Pair players randomly for first-round matchups
- Keep track of winners advancing through each round
- Provide controllers for 4 players at a time (or 2 for head-to-head battles)
- Offer practice rounds before the tournament officially starts
- Award prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place—plus a “Best Sport” award
- Stream the finals on a larger screen for spectators to watch
Want questions to ask while waiting for turns? Try these questions to ask your best friends during downtime!
15. Bowser’s Castle Obstacle Course
Image Prompt: Elaborate backyard obstacle course featuring red and black decorations, cardboard castle towers, pool noodles as fire bars to crawl under, suspended balloons as obstacles to avoid, finish line with Bowser cutout, kids navigating the challenging course.
Go big or go home, right? Turn your backyard into Bowser’s Castle with a full-blown obstacle course. Pool noodles become “fire bars” to crawl under, hula hoops are “lava rings” to jump through, and a kiddie pool filled with black balloons is the “lava pit” to wade through.
This was by far the most work but also the most rewarding activity. Kids were absolutely exhausted afterward (parent win!), and they felt like genuine Mario heroes defeating Bowser. The Instagram content alone made it worth the effort, IMO.
How to Do It:
- Map out your course layout with clear start and finish points
- Create “fire bars” using pool noodles mounted on PVC pipes or held by helpers
- Set up hula hoops as lava rings for jumping through
- Fill a kiddie pool with black balloons to simulate a lava pit
- Build cardboard castle walls painted gray and red as decorative obstacles
- Add a rope or string to crawl under representing the castle’s low passages
- Place a large Bowser cutout at the finish line for photo ops
- Time each participant and award prizes for fastest completion
- Ensure adult supervision at every station for safety
- Cool-down area with water available immediately after the course
Wrapping It All Up
There you have it—15 solid ideas to throw a Super Mario party that people will actually remember. From edible Piranha Plants to full-scale obstacle courses, you’ve got options for every budget and skill level. The key is commitment to the theme without stressing yourself out (easier said than done, I know).
Here’s my final piece of advice: pick 5-7 of these ideas that genuinely excite you. Don’t try to do everything or you’ll burn out before the party even starts. Focus on what matches your space, your budget, and your sanity level. The kids won’t care if you didn’t make hand-crafted Question Blocks from scratch—they’ll just be stoked they got to smash a piñata shaped like one.
And honestly? The best part of throwing a Mario party isn’t the decorations or games—it’s watching everyone’s faces light up when they walk into your Mushroom Kingdom. That never gets old, no matter how many parties you throw. Now go level up your party planning game, and remember: it’s-a me, the best party host ever!
Game on! 🎮