Looking for a fun, creative, and budget-friendly Halloween costume idea? This DIY Toad costume for little girls is the perfect mix of adorable and iconic! Inspired by the beloved Super Mario character, this outfit comes together easily with just a few simple pieces—no sewing required. Whether your little one is dressing up for trick-or-treating, a school party, or a themed family costume, this quick tutorial will show you how to make a super adorable Toad costume!
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After falling in love with the Super Mario Bros. movie—and endlessly singing along to Bowser’s catchy love ballad “Peaches, peaches, peaches”—we knew a Super Mario theme was perfect for our family Halloween costumes.
The movie quickly became a favorite in our house. The kids were constantly quoting lines, humming the soundtrack, and debating who their favorite character was. So when it was time to start planning our Halloween family costumes, it only made sense to trade in my original circus theme for a Super Mario one.
Check out our iconic Super Mario Family themed Costumes!
Why I Chose Super Mario’s Toad for My Baby Girl
“I’m too cute to die!”
As we prepared to assign characters for our Super Mario family costumes, I thought it would be adorable to dress my one-year-old daughter as Princess Peach. I mean, I have four boys and now one little girl. You better believe I’m going to make her as girly as possible when I get the chance!
But my boys were not having it. They quickly vetoed the idea and decided that I should be Peach instead—“because you’re big.” (Umm… thanks, boys? Should I be flattered or offended here?!)
That left me searching for another girl-friendly option among the main characters. My boys, ever practical, suggested that since their baby sister was the smallest in the family, she should play Toad. At first, I wasn’t sure. But then I remembered the year before when I gave R2-D2 a cute feminine twist for her Halloween costume. If I could put the same spin on Toad’s iconic look, I’d have the best of both worlds! My daughter would be a main character while still wearing a sweet, girly costume!
DIY Toad Costume is Perfect for Toddler Girls
“That is how you princess!”
There are plenty of Toad costumes out there… but almost all of them are designed for boys. I had seen a few adaptations for girls, but in every single one, the ginormous mushroom head—basically swallowing half the baby’s head—made them look more like tiny dudes than little ladies. Even a tutu couldn’t save it!
I like to stay true to the character’s look, but I’m not against making small customizations when needed—like adding a little girly spin to a costume. So for my toddler’s Toad costume, I decided to dramatically reduce the size of the mushroom head so it would be smaller, cuter, and more proportionate for a toddler. Instead of a traditional hat, I secured it with a headband, which kept it in place, made it way easier for my little girl to wear, and was another girly attribute. I also added a few extra feminine touches, like swapping out pants for a tutu.
With the design finalized, it was time to gather all the materials I’d need to bring this adorable toddler Toad costume to life.
Table of Contents
- Supplies Needed
- Easy DIY Toad Costume Tutorial
- Making the Mushroom Cap
- Creating Toad’s Vest
- The Tutu
- Outfit Essentials
- Toad Costume Ideas for Older Girls
- Pairing with Other Super Mario Characters
- Budget-Friendly Hacks
Supplies You’ll Need for a Toad Costume for Girls
Are you ready to turn your baby or toddler into the cutest Toad in the Mushroom Kingdom? Before you dive into the felt and tulle, gather these supplies — I’ve grouped them so it’s easy to prep.
🍄 For the Toad Hat (Mushroom Cap):
- Half foam ball
- Red felt (for those iconic spots!)
- White felt (for the base of Toad’s cap)
- Crochet headband ribbon
- Poly-fil stuffing
- Hot glue gun
👕 For the Vest:
- Blue shirt (Toad’s classic vest color)
- Yellow ribbon (for the trim)
- Blue thread (optional)
- Hot glue gun
👗 Toad’s Tutu:
- White tulle
- Crochet headband ribbon
- White thread
👖 Toad’s Outfit:
Don’t miss our EPIC Super Mario Trunk-or-Treat setup: Bowser’s Castle!
Easy DIY Toad Costume Tutorial for Little Girls
Now that you have all of your supplies, let’t get started! Don’t worry, this DIY is simple, budget-friendly, and totally doable, even if you’re not a master crafter. There is a little hand-stitching (if you want), but honestly — if I can do it, so can you. I’ll walk you through each step and remind you of the specific supplies you’ll need for each part.
We’ll start with the iconic mushroom hat, then move on to Toad’s vest, incorporate a girly tutu, and finish with the outfit essentials—so by the end, you’ll have a complete, adorable costume ready for your little one.
How to Make a Toad Hat (Mushroom Cap) for Toddlers
Making Toad’s mushroom cap was easier than I expected! I started with a half foam ball and covered it with white felt. Since it wasn’t quite tall enough, I added a bit of poly-fil stuffing to the top to give it more height, then secured the felt by hot gluing it neatly around the base of the foam ball.
To make the mushroom top wearable, I measured a piece of crocheted headband ribbon to fit my little girl’s head, stitched the ends together, and then attached the mushroom top with hot glue. For extra security, I added a few stitches from the felt to the ribbon. This step isn’t strictly necessary, but I wanted to be sure the cap stayed firmly in place. Finally, I cut out five circles from red felt—one for the top and four for the sides—to create Toad’s signature spots.
The end result was an adorable little mushroom hat that was petite and perfect for her.
Recreate the Mushroom Hat:
Creating a Super Mario Toad Vest
Making Toad’s little blue vest was just as simple! I started with a plain blue shirt and carefully cut it down to vest shape, trimming off the sleeves and lower half completely. Then folded back the cut edges of the sleeves and and did a few hand stitched (hot glue would work here too!) to clean up the rough scissor cuts.
I didn’t worry about the cuts I made down the middle since I knew the yellow-gold ribbon would cover them. Then I added the ribbon along the edges with a hot glue gun (you could stitch it instead, but hot glue worked just fine!). Rather than trying to wrap one continuous piece of ribbon all the way around, I cut it into strips, which made it easier to glue everything neatly in place. I was so excited when it all came together—anyone could instantly tell it was Toad’s vest!
Recreate Toad’s vest:
How to Make Toad’s Girly Tutu Skirt
Adding a tutu gave Toad a playful, girly twist—and it’s SO easy to make your own! I started with a piece of crocheted elastic band, cut it to fit my daughter’s waist, and tied the ends together with white thread. The elastic makes it super easy to slip over her onesie.
Next, I cut lots of strips of tulle and threaded each one through the elastic, tying a knot to secure it. I repeated this around the band until the skirt was full, soft, and fluffy. The tutu added an extra dose of cuteness to Toad’s costume!
Recreate Toad’s Girly Tutu:
Toad’s Outfit Essentials
To complete Toad’s look, I dressed my daughter in a simple white onesie and thick white tights. I finished the outfit with the cutest little baby booties you ever did see, perfectly matching Toad’s signature brown shoes.
Budget-Friendly Hacks for a DIY Toad Costume
You also don’t have to spend a lot to make this adorable Toad costume for girls! Most of the pieces can be pulled right out of your child’s closet—like a white onesie, tights, or even leggings you already have on hand. For the vest, I grabbed a plain blue shirt at the store for just a few dollars and trimmed it into a vest shape. The tutu can be made with inexpensive tulle from the craft store, or you can repurpose one your child already owns. And when it comes to the hat, felt squares are super cheap and a little hot glue goes a long way! With a few creative swaps, you’ll save money and end up with a one-of-a-kind costume that’s even cuter than what you’d find online or at the store.
Toad Costume Ideas for Older Girls
If your baby girl isn’t so little anymore, don’t worry—this girly Toad costume works for older kids and adults too! The concept is the same, you’ll just scale things up a bit. The only exception might be the hat. Personally, I don’t think you need to make it larger unless you want to. If it gets too big, it starts looking more like Toad’s original oversized cap, which isn’t exactly the most feminine look.
For older girls, you can easily swap the tutu for white pants or leggings, or keep the tutu if she still loves a little extra flair. When my daughter was a baby, I leaned into making her costumes especially “girly,” since she was in that stage where people sometimes couldn’t tell if she was a boy or girl. But once they’re a little older, it’s much easier to play with different styles and still keep the Toad look recognizable and cute.
Pairing Your Toad Costume with Other Super Mario Characters
One of the best parts about a Toad costume is how easily it pairs with the rest of the Super Mario crew. In our family of seven, we had to get a little creative to make sure everyone had a character. My daughter made the cutest little Toad, while my boys took on Mario, Luigi, Donkey-Kong, and the Koopa General. I ended up as Princess Peach (remember, I’m the “big” one—ha!) and my husband played the part of Bowser. It all came together so well, and is one of our favorite Halloween costume themes thus far.
If you’re not going all out with seven characters, you can still create fun pairings. Toad is often alongside Princess Peach, so if you’ve got siblings or cousins dressing up too, pairing with Peach makes an adorable duo. Add Mario to the mix, and you’ve got an instantly recognizable set. The fun part is that every character has their own unique look so you can mix and match depending on how many kids (or grown-ups!) are dressing up. It makes for great group photos and a costume theme that everyone—from toddlers to adults—will be excited about.
Not up for a DIY? No worries! Here are some ready-to-wear Toad costumes for girls that are pretty cute and perfect for a quick Halloween solution.
Premade Toad Costumes:
Hope you Enjoyed this DIY Toad Costume Tutorial!
I hope you have as much fun making this Toad costume for girls as I did! It’s an easy, budget-friendly way to turn your little one into the cutest Mushroom Kingdom character. I’d love to see your creations—share a photo in the comments or tag me on social media! And if you’re looking for more adorable DIY costume ideas, be sure to explore the rest of my blog.
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