Nowadays, Elf on the Shelf is as much a part of the holiday season as Santa Claus himself. We all love seeing the new and mischievous ways these elves get into trouble around the house. Of course, coming up with creative Elf on the Shelf ideas every day can be quite a challenge, particularly for those who may not be all too familiar with the custom. To help you out, we’ve compiled some fun and easy Elf on the Shelf ideas to keep the magic alive this holiday season.
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1. Let Your Elf Give Himself And The Kids A Holiday Makeover (While They Sleep, Of Course)
Some of the best Elf on the Shelf ideas involve them getting into a touch of mischief. One suggestion is to have the elf “find” some of mom’s hair and makeup tools and test them on himself and the children while they sleep. This way, they will wake up to a humorous surprise: a new, glammed-up look. Of course, these elves know nothing about makeup and hair styling, so the results are sure to be side-splittingly funny!
2. Have Your Elf Create Flour Snow Angels
Making lovely snow angels in the snow is part of what makes the holiday season so enjoyable. You can use the same idea with your Elf on the Shelf by having them create flour snow angels indoors. When you do this on a baking tray, there will be less mess to clean up afterwards, but your kids will still love discovering this fun and festive scene in the morning! But you can choose to make this concept as simple or elaborate as you like. You can even add some glitter or sprinkles to the flour mix for an added magical touch. Just be ready for a bit more cleanup afterwards if you choose to go big!
3. Use Leftover Plastic Bags To Create A Parachute For Your Elf On The Shelf
You don’t have to limit yourself to just the classic Elf on the Shelf antics; get inventive and have your elf perform some daring stunts-like parachuting. Connect your elf to a leftover plastic bag and hang them up with some string or tape to make it seem like they are floating down from the ceiling. You can even stage a fun scene below with some little objects to make the landing appear even more risky.
4. Have Your Elf Construct An Igloo Out Of Toilet Paper
This is a fun and creative way to bring a winter wonderland theme into your Elf on the Shelf adventures. All you have to do is arrange toilet paper rolls into an igloo shape, add some battery-operated Christmas lights, and let the little elf settle in. To finish the setting, you can add some tiny snowmen or fake snowballs for more impact.
5. Let Your Elf Have A Marshmallow Snowball Fight With Your Kid’s Favourite Toy
Seeing the Elf on the Shelf interact with their beloved toys is bound to bring a smile to your child’s face. One way to create a fun and memorable scene is to set up a marshmallow snowball fight between the elf and their favourite toy. You can use mini marshmallows as the snowballs and use bigger marshmallows to create a fort. Just be sure to position the toys in playful poses for added entertainment.
6. Let Your Elf On The Shelf “Redecorate” Family Photos
Since elves enjoy pulling practical jokes, there’s no better way to highlight their mischievous nature than to have them “redecorate” family pictures all over the house. To make family photos or photos of your children look as though the elf has given them a festive makeover, you can add googly eyes, red cotton ball noses, whiteboard marker beards, or even fun toy accessories to the pictures. The sillier and more creative, the better!
7. Show Your Elf Attempting to Enter the Snack Cabinet Using His Own Failed Contraptions
Youngsters will enjoy seeing the creative plans the elf devises in his efforts to make it to the forbidden snack cabinet. Whether it’s making a makeshift ladder out of candy canes or other household items or turning wrapping paper tubes into stilts for extra lift, the elf’s antics are sure to bring laughter to the holiday season. The more imaginative and humorous his attempts are, the more enjoyable it will be for the kids to discover each morning.
8. Let Your Elf Actually Break Into The Snack Cabinet
Once the little elf does find his way into your snack cabinet, make sure to leave all evidence of his feast out for the kids to find in the morning. Perhaps after enjoying some delicacies, he leaves a path of delicious crumbs or a cheeky stain on his face and hands. The buildup of anticipation from his failed attempts should be worth the payoff of them finally catching him in the act.
9. Show Your Elf on the Shelf Sofa Diving
The sofa is a classic place for misplaced objects to hide. You can take advantage of this by creating a scene in which the elf explores the sofa’s nooks and crannies to uncover all its buried treasures. His retrieved stockpile can include everything from loose coins and dropped sweets to more unusual objects like secret notes or small keys. What would make this even more exciting is if some of these items could link to a larger mystery or surprise that the elf has prepared for another day.
10. For A Treasure Hunt Like No Other, Have The Elf Hide Candy Canes Around The House
Every child enjoys a treasure hunt, especially when it includes finding delicious sweets like candy canes. Your child’s elf can leave the kids a small letter informing them that there are candy canes hidden throughout the house for them to find. To make the treasure hunt even more thrilling and interactive, consider using objects from the elf’s sofa diving escapades as clues to help them find the buried candy canes.
11. Use Your Kids Toys To Capture The Elf And Lock Him Up In An Elf Jail
Occasionally, the Elf on the Shelf can be a bit too mischievous. Who better to keep him in line than your child’s own toys? Set up a fun scenario in which the elf has been caught by the toys and imprisoned in “elf jail.” You can construct the jail with building blocks, tiny boxes, or even popsicle sticks. Having your children’s favourite toys join in the fun can make the elf’s antics that much more amusing for them.
12. Have The Elf Hide Himself in a Toilet Paper Snowman
Not all of the elf’s shenanigans need to be elaborate. You can have your children intrigued just by having the Elf on the Shelf hide inside a snowman made out of toilet paper rolls. All you have to do is stack three rolls of toilet paper on top of each other and use markers or construction paper to create a face. The elf peeking out from inside the snowman is probably one of the simplest and fastest setups you can put together and with the fewest materials too, yet your youngster will still be thrilled to find him there.
13. Give The Kids A Christmas-Themed Obstacle Course Made By The Elf
You can use garland, lights, and ornaments to create a fun and festive obstacle course for your children to navigate. Make sure they know the elf was responsible for setting up the course by having him strategically placed at the beginning or end of the course. Now, sit back and watch them have a blast as they manoeuvre through the course.
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14. Have The Elf Cover The Toilet In Festive Wrapping Paper
Do you have a heap of extra wrapping paper from gifts? Why not use it to wrap up the toilet as part of the elf’s merry pranks? Just ensure the elf is around with a pair of kid-safe scissors so that when the youngsters need to use the toilet, he can “assist” them in unwrapping it. We wouldn’t want any accidents.
15. Have Your Kids Toys Use Their Magic Or Powers On The Elf On The Shelf
If your kids have a toy based on a character with magical powers or special abilities, have the toy “use” those talents to keep the mischievous elf in check. Your Elf on the Shelf escapades will definitely take a humorous turn when the Hulk smashes him into shards of candy cane, Spiderman traps him in a web, or Elsa freezes him into a block of ice. It’s certainly a creative way to add more enchantment and excitement to the Elf on the Shelf tradition.
16. For A Festive Surprise, Let The Elf On The Shelf Decorate Your Kids’ Rooms With Christmas Lights And Handmade Ornaments
Imagine how wonderful it would be to wake up to a room adorned with vibrant ornaments and sparkling lights, all thanks to the crafty Elf on the Shelf. This idea is most effective for children who are heavy sleepers and won’t wake up while you try to decorate their room (or a portion of it). Just be sure to leave a note from the Elf explaining the magical surprise.
17. Have The Elf Create His Own Ski Resort
You can create a winter ski resort in your living room by using candy canes for ski gear, cardboard to make a slope, flour or powder for the snow, and even a small popsicle-stick ski lift to add to the theatrics. Your children will be amused to see the elf embarking on his own winter adventures using everyday materials.
18. Let The Elf Whip Up Some Tasty Treats For The Kids (And Leave The Kitchen In A Little Mess)
Who wouldn’t want to awaken to the wonderful aroma of freshly baked treats prepared by a little elf. In this case, you can have the elf “bake” their favourite cookies or cupcakes, leaving a trail of flour footprints or sprinkles on the counter for extra fun. Just be prepared for some cleanup in the kitchen afterwards!
19. Have The Elf On A Shelf Finally Make Peace With All The Toys And Throw Them A Fun Party
After all of the pranks and shenanigans, it’s finally time for the elf to make peace with the toys by hosting a fun party. Your children will enjoy seeing their toys gather for a celebration with sweets and a little elf DJ spinning tracks. You can build the DJ table out of a tiny cardboard box and decorate it with pictures to make it resemble an actual DJ booth.
20. Set Up An “Elfie” Station For The Kids
Set up a fun “Elfie” station where the children can snap photos with the mischievous little elf. Whether you make a cardboard cutout of the elf for them to pose with, use a festive backdrop to create a magical mood or paint an image on the bathroom mirror using washable paint or markers, the kids will enjoy the idea that the elf has set up the perfect setting for them to take a photo together.
21. Have The Elf Add His Own Touches To The Christmas Tree
We all love a beautifully adorned Christmas tree. It is all part of the magic of Christmas. However, seeing the elf try to improve the tree by adding his own unique touches can bring another layer of fun to the holiday season. From hanging the kids’ underpants or socks as ornaments to wrapping toilet paper across the branches, the elf’s unique decorations are guaranteed to delight everyone in the family.
22. Let Your Elf Take Over The TV
The kids will be amused as they watch the little elf take over the television screen with a unique message or humorous antics. You can have him plug in a USB drive with a pre-recorded video or just play a Youtube video from your Smart TV. Setting up for this prank may take a little more effort, but the children’s reactions will be well worth it.
23. Use Toilet Paper To Make A Reindeer For Your Elf
Your elf would love to ride this toilet paper reindeer, and you can even use it as a running joke all Christmas long. All you need to finish this fun project are toilet paper rolls, antler headbands, skewers or rods to hold the rolls together, and some markers for the eyes and mouth. Your children will enjoy seeing the elf and reindeer get into mischievous escapades all festive season long!
24. Allow Your Elf to Show the Children Some Cool Science Tricks
Children will enjoy learning entertaining and educational science tricks from the Elf on the Shelf. It might be as simple as a water and food colouring experiment or as complex as a lava lamp demonstration; the important thing is that it feels magical.
25. Let The Elf Take Pictures Of Himself With The Kids While They Sleep
If you have a Polaroid camera or a way to print off pictures from your phone, why not have the elf can snap pictures of himself with the children while they are sleeping? Having the Elf on the Shelf photobomb the children in goofy stances or scenarios will make this idea that much more entertaining. It adds an extra element of surprise and delight for the children to wake up to.
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