Okay, Kinsley, I feel you on the chocolate coin drama! Been there, done that, got the sticky t-shirt. For my son Owen's (he's 9 now, but I remember his younger years!) 5th birthday, we did a "Space Mission" party, and one of the "alien eggs" (painted rocks) cracked open when a kid dropped it, and another kid thought it was candy. Total meltdown. So, yeah, edible prizes for that age group are a gamble! My homeschool co-op friend, Maria, also had a similar issue with "treasure map" cookies for her kid's pirate party. They crumbled into a million pieces before anyone could even find them.

I've been thinking about how to throw a mario party for kindergartner for my youngest, Kai (he's 3, obsessed with anything Nintendo). My main tip for that age is to keep the "game" elements super short and cooperative, not competitive. Like, instead of a scavenger hunt, maybe a "collect the coins" challenge where everyone gets a small bucket and just picks up yellow construction paper coins scattered everywhere. No pressure, just fun. We did something similar for Kai's second birthday, which was just simple playtime with some themed toys, kind of like keeping it easy for a Princess Party for a 2-Year-Old.

Also, for decor, don't underestimate printable props! My go-to is finding free printables online (or paying a few bucks for an Etsy pack) for character cutouts, banners, even little "question mark" blocks. You can print them at home, stick them on cardboard, and boom – instant Mario World without breaking the bank. I even used some leftover red and green construction paper from Owen's last school project to make little mushroom hats. Frugal and fun! My husband, Rafael, helped me cut out about 30 of them, and it only took us an evening.

Kinsley, that sounds like a classic kindergarten party! Honestly, the chocolate coin incident is gold – lessons learned, right? As an event coordinator (mostly community stuff, HOA picnics, block parties, that kind of thing here in Indianapolis), I see these things all the time. My biggest advice when planning how to throw a mario party for kindergartner is all about managing expectations and flow. The age group is key!

For the scavenger hunt, what Paisley suggested with scattered coins is brilliant. Another idea is to have "teams" if you must have a hunt, with each team having an adult guide. That way, one kid doesn't hog all the finds, and you can control the pace. For my Zoe's (she's 5!) birthday last year, we did a "fairy garden" theme, and I had tiny little buckets for each kid to collect "fairy dust" (glitter) and "gems" (plastic jewels) from different spots. It worked because everyone had their own collection vessel, and there wasn't a rush to grab. It's all about making sure the little ones are engaged, kind of like when we had to figure out How To Throw A Safari Party For 7 Year Old for a community event last summer – different age, but the same principles of keeping everyone happy apply!

I usually start planning my girls' parties (Zoe 5, Ellie 7, Maya 9, Stella 11) like, three months out. Gives me time to hit up Kroger sales for snacks and drinks, and scour Costco for bulk paper goods. Seriously, their big packs of plain colored plates and napkins are perfect bases for any theme. Then you just add a few themed pieces. And if you're doing character themes, investing in a few good quality party hats can really tie it all together, like these Kids Birthday Party Hats 11-Pack. We used them for Stella's "Wild West" party last year, and they're still in rotation for dress-up play. Durable!

Oh Kinsley, you are a hero. A chocolate coin brawl? Totally something I'd end up with. Trying to figure out how to throw a mario party for kindergartner without losing your mind is a full-time job. Seriously. I'm a single mom in Philly, and my nine-year-old Liam keeps me on my toes, but I also have Hazel who's two. Sometimes I just want to order pizza and call it a day.

My son, Liam, wanted a superhero party when he was five. I thought I was super clever. Made these individual "kryptonite" jello cups. Green. Looked cool. But I used too much food coloring. Stained all the kids' mouths green. For a day. Parents were NOT thrilled. My bad. We had twelve kids at that party, and twelve green mouths. That was a fun phone call.

And don't even get me started on the cake. Tried to do a fancy fondant shield. Ended up looking like a melted blob. I swear, fondant is the enemy. It's why I just get store-bought cakes now, maybe add a few toy toppers. Quick. Easy. No green mouths. Or weirdly shaped blobs. Amazon Prime for everything party related now. Saves my sanity. And my budget. My daughter Hazel (she's 2) is too young for themes, thank goodness. But when she gets older, I'm just going to copy whatever Aurora does. Her parties sound amazing. Mine are usually a hot mess, but fun. Mostly.