Mario & Sonic Birthday Party

You need not spend a small fortune to make your child's next celebration awesome. Understandably so, there are milestone ages throughout life that some would agree deserve bigger celebrations. However no matter what age a child is turning, I think most parents will agree that they want to make their child's birthday a little extra special than most other days. Some parents go all out, and others stick to more simplistic ways. But all parents go out of their way to some extent to make their child happy on their birthday. To what extent is the question?

What I have found is that if you really want to plan a memorable party for your child, let your child pick the theme, and focus in on the details of that theme. The child will appreciate the details that he/she and their friends notice throughout the party. This sometimes requires you to get creative and do a little research on the theme. Well worth it though. Look for details from the theme or character and try to find ways to implement those into the party. I personally choose to spend more of my time on my child's birthday as opposed to more of my money. He loves it, and his friends love coming to the Party because the theme is unique, and also because the details are noticeably carried throughout the party, in the games, pinata, invites, loot bags, etc. Take a look at this party I just threw for my son's 9th birthday. He chose a theme of Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, and I knew I had to get creative to pull this off.

This 20 foot banner I made from butcher paper and colored with marker. I stretched it across two poles at the park, where the party was.

These are the invitations that I made for his birthday party. I wanted to look  for a clever way to make my sons party invitations fun and exciting. I came up with this paper version of a Nintendo DS light. I printed it on gloss photo paper to complete the look. Both top and bottom screens held important party information, of where, when, time and rsvp. I included a map with directions that also was printed on gloss paper. The gloss of the paper helped the map to slide out nicely.

The Sonic pinata pictured above was handmade from paper mache and decorated with tissue paper. This pinata was a huge "hit" at the Mario Sonic party. We played two games at the party, both which I had to get creative and develop myself. The first game was “Pin the Nose on Mario”. We played just like the traditional game with a blind fold and a couple spins, but the kids really seemed to enjoy placing Mario’s nose and mustache onto the face.

The second game I came up with was one I like to call “Yoshi Egg Smash”. Made from real eggs (I emptied out the yolks from the eggs, then washed and air dried the emptied egg shells). Once dry, they were stuffed with confetti and sealed. A few lucky eggs held a golden star. Each child was allowed to chose one egg. The object of the game was to throw their eggs at the Yoshi picture, if their egg smashed to reveal a golden star, then they won a prize.

I like to have a side activity or craft at my parties. I traced sonic in different poses onto brown bags, and let the children color them in. These were the bags that each child used to collect the goodies from the piñata . I also made small paper mache balloons, drew circles on them and called them Yoshi eggs. The idea was that each child was able to decorate their own Yoshi egg. These eggs doubled as the party craft and as the Loot bags. I pre-stuffed each egg with goodies, confetti and a personalized thank you note from the birthday boy. Other then the Wii remote Candy Dispensers that I stuffed inside, and some Nintendo Gummies I wasn't able to find too many other licensed goodies that would fit. So I resorted to also adding in Fruit roll-ups, candy, gum & stickers. 

The party took place at a park, so I wanted to avoid the messiness of cutting and serving a cake. I decided to go with cupcakes. To make the cupcakes consistent with the Mario Sonic theme, I created my own Sonic cupcake toppers, made from Shrinky Dink plastic. I was able to run the plastic through the printer and print off a bunch of Sonic Cupcake toppers. At the bottom of the piece that you stick into the cupcake, I punched a hole there, to double as a zipper pull. Once they were baked they  all shrank and became much thicker. The hole  punch stayed open and now durable enough to attach to a key ring or zipper pull.

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Comments

[AmyMcC]

Wow! I'm impressed. I was just looking for Mario and Sonic at the Olympics ideas for my 7 year old and found your site. How do you find the time?!! Great job.

[Lynn]

Fantastic suggestions! I like theme parties..I think they make planning easier. Having a party at a local park also makes the cleanup a lot easier! Great kids birthday ideas!

[Stefani]

Hello there! All I can say is WOW! Your kid(s) are so lucky to have someone who can draw like you! My son is having a Mario/Sonic themed party as well and I am trying to find some ideas for games that I can make myself to save money. Could you tell me how to make paper mache? My husband and I tried making a Thomas the train pinata once but we couldn't get the paper mache right. I was also wondering what you made Mario's mastache out of? Thanks and have a nice day!

[Laurie Gattis]

Would you be willing to share a template or instructions to make these invitations? Great ideas!

[Carie - Cool Party Blogger]

Yes, in fact I am currently working on a bunch of templates and step-by-step (photo) instruction for many of the items seen here on my site... Check back soon. :o)

[Carmen]

Can u put up how to make that sonic pinata my son wants a sonic theme part and i would love to make a sonic pinata for him.

[Carie~Cool Party Blogger]

Sure, I will definitely take your suggestion and try to work it into a visual step-by-step instructional post in the near future. Thanks for the suggestion. :o)

[Elizabeth Villanueva]

I really loved the idea of pin the mustache on Mario can you send me a template or something you used. I am throwing my son a Mario Birthday party and I love all your ideas!

[Carie~Cool Party Blogger]

The "Pin the Nose on Mario" game I created by using my overhead projector. Unfortunately I don't have a template for this game... Instead I traced the face of Mario (from a game guide) onto a clear transparency sheet. Then without moving the projector I traced several noses/mustaches onto a pasteboard. This makes the size of the noses/mustaches consistent with the face so they fit right. Hope this helps. Good Luck with your son's party :o)

[Jenger]

Yes!! Please do share the nintendo DS invitation template!! Could you possibly email me the template?
These are all wonderful ideas you have!!
My son will be 5 in August and is having a "Mario Kart" Party! Thanks for the amazing ideas!

Jen

[Carie~Cool Party Blogger]

Thanks for the nice comment...Working on making some new templates and coordinating how-to videos. So many party ideas and so little time. Can we push for 36 hour days. I think I could get more accomplished. LOL:o)

[Madelein Lindeque]

absolutely awesome! Would you be able to email me a template of your ds invite? Never seen anything like that ever, so cool!!!

[Lowbudget]

Hi,
I am just now locating a site that shows the nintendo ds as a party invite. Just what I am looking for. Do you have directions on how to make this? I would be so excited as my son would be to see and use these cool invites. You are so talented. I have looked at your site and have enjoyed all of your party ideas!
Thanks again :)

[Carie ~ Cool Party Blogger]

Glad to hear that you enjoy my blog. Unfortunately I do not have these Custom DS templates available for sharing.
Thanks for your nice comment. :o)

[Kim Stalcup]

I would love to have a template for the DS invitations too. What an amazing idea...I just THOUGHT that I was creative! I think that we're going toward a Mario Carnival kind of theme and I think that I'm going to either do the invitations that you shared or do a ticket/backstage pass necklace w/ some great graphics. Thank God you're sharing your God given talent with us!!

[Ruth]

wow what a cool mom, your kids are very lucky to have you, I'm sure your parties are a blast, thanks sooo much for all the inspiration and ideas.

[katlyn]

i gave my dad a handmade yoshi egg for fathers day last year and he LOVED it he told me he felt like a kid again so on his birthday i made him another one and now he says he wants one every year for every holiday!!!!(idk if i can keep up lol)
thanks so much for the design!!!

[Jerianne Langston]

My son is dead set on having a Mario and Sonic at the Olympic games birthday party next month. I LOVE these invites and would love to borrow your idea but haven't a clue as to where to begin with this invite! Is there any way possible I could get directions, template, digital file...any info on how to create this fabulous invite. I can not tell how it is pieced together from the photo's. I am more than willing to pay if need be and will give all the props and glory to you and your creative juices and your site!! Pretty please with a cherry on top!?! (can you tell I am a bit desperate...oh the things we do for our children) lol!

[Tamara]

Have you decided to post/sale directions for your DS invites? LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!!