At christmas time, one of the most interesting thing is to see the elf on the shelf in homes. I never miss this chance to showcase my creativity with my children. I am delighted to see the pure happiness on my children’s cheeks as they learn what our elf (named pixer) has been up to each morning.
We keep it very simple by using the things already available in the home such as the shoes, toys, book, even toilet paper. This way we never get out of easy elf on the shelf ideas for every year. You will feel more exciting and joyful if you create your own ideas.
However, in this article, I’ll be sharing 30 creative but easy Elf on the Shelf ideas to help you to maximize this cherished Christmas custom. Every concept is meant to be simple yet interesting so that every mom and children may celebrate this unforgettable festival. Whether you are looking for funny, naughty, or even last minute elf on the shelf ideas, we’ve got all covered in this article.
1. Comfy reading nook Elf
Create a reading nook in your elf’s house to make it bookish. Imagine your elf lost in a merry narrative, curled amid little cushions and blankets. This concept not only gives your holiday decorations some character but also inspires a love of reading in your young children.
When we initially put up our elf in a reading nook, I recall how delightedly my kids gathered around, ready to see whatever book the elf was perusing. It evolved into a beautiful practice wherein we chose many Christmas tales for the elf to “read” year.
2. Elf in the Marshmallow Hot Tub
Arrange your elves in a little dish or container and create a wonderful hot tub scene using little marshmallows as the “bubbles.” This whimsical arrangement transforms a regular area into an interesting and surprising view. It’s a fantastic approach to give your Christmas décor some warmth and comedy.
Our attempt at this concept produced a priceless response. Seeing their elf having a marshmallow bath delighted my children and set off a lot of laughing and excitement. It’s a basic yet efficient approach to liven the Christmas season with some additional fun.
3. Elf’s Candy Cane Hunt
Put your elf in a spot implying a candy cane hunt and hide a few candy canes around the home. This interactive concept makes the coming of the elf into a joyful game for the entire family. It’s a fantastic approach to provide your holiday schedule some adventure and thrill.
This concept appealed to our family particularly the excitement of learning where the candy canes were kept. It evolved into a joyful scavenger expedition everyone looked forward every year. It’s a great approach to include the entire family in the festive season.
4. Elf’s Breakfast Party
Arrange a little breakfast scene with cereal, mini pancakes, or other snacks and set your elf on the table. This concept transforms breakfast into a celebration and gives your morning ritual some interesting variation. Starting the day with some holiday charm is a wonderful approach.
Our elf’s breakfast party turned out to be always a success when we planned. The thought of their elf having breakfast with us delighted my children, and it gave our daily rituals new significance. This is a basic approach to add some magic to daily events.
5. Christmas Tree Decorating by Elf
Arrange your elf amid your Christmas tree decorations as if it were assisting in tree decoration. This concept gives your tree whimsical accents and combines the elf into a beloved Christmas custom. This is a fantastic approach to make tree decoration even more enchanted.
6. Frozen’ Elf on the Shelf
If your kids are crazy about the Frozen movie than it would be quite easy to ensure that your Elf brings in Elsa into the mix. Congeal the boy in ice and then place Elsa, to make her look as if she had done it .
7. Easy Elf’s Snowball War
Arrange cotton balls in a little snowball battle scenario and center your elf in the heart of the activity. This concept gives your house some winter enjoyment and gives the travels of your elf some liveliness. It’s a fantastic approach to welcome the winter and share some festive enthusiasm.
8. An elf makes their mark
With just a dry erase marker, this all-in-good fun setup is what is required to bring the whole idea to life. Take a black dry erase marker and a family photograph from the table with families. Using some make-up, draw a mustache, beard or thick eyebrows and take a picture of your elf smiling with the marker in his/her hand.
9. Elf’s Balloon Adventure
With your elf fastened to a balloon or drifting among numerous balloons, design a little balloon adventure. This concept gives your Christmas decorations a quirky and vibrant touch as well as making the visit of the elf much more thrilling. This is a basic but powerful approach to inspire awe and joy.
10. Elf Baking Bonanza
Set your elf in the kitchen surrounded by festive cookies or baking ingredients. This concept makes your elf a cheerful baker and gives your Christmas décor a wonderful accent. This is a fantastic approach to include baking into your holiday customs and design an interesting scenario.
Our family adored this concept, particularly as our holiday festivities revolve on baking in such great frequency. It made our Christmas baking sessions much more fun to see our elf engaged in making cookies; it was also funny and motivating.
11. Receiving a Christmas card
Christmas cards are another special task that the Scout Elves give attention to, and just like in previous years, they will not miss it. Given the priority are your little ones, they will leave a homemade card on the table beside the pillow, with an autograph from Santa.
12. Make a Time Capsule
The memories of Christmas should last a lifetime, and if your Scout Elf is on the job – they will! Returning from the North Pole with individual teddy bears with a calendar is the best way to preserve all the children’s favourite moments related to Christmas. Let the kids collect some items from the house make small labels and take photographs using an instant camera. Put all of them in your time capsule and plan for the time when you can again open the capsule.
13. A little Yoga elf
Interested in some festive workouts? Well, the Scout Elves are preparing for a super busy festive season and they just have to warm up with the best yoga poses!
Well, they are not bad at making you feel relaxed so, feel free to drop the pose of the dog that has fallen on its back with legs straight and touch the ground.
14. Santa letter by Elf
Arrange your elf to read a Santa letter. This concept gives your Christmas decorations some thrill and makes you excited for the holiday. This will help your kids to experience awe and make the elf’s arrival even more wonderful.
15. Having a kickabout
The football is coming home… or in fact, it really is, with the Scout Elves in our homes around Christmas time. Tie a ping-pong ball with a black marker pen and create a football; then write a story of what these two got up to at night. If you wish to move things into extra time, then using straws to set a goal for them also becomes convenient for the elves.
16. Snack time
Place your elf with a little gift or nibble. This concept introduces a fun element. It’s a basic approach to depicting your elf savoring a Christmas delicacy and adding daily appeal to your holiday schedule.
17. The Movie Night of Elf
Set up a little movie theater setting with your elf seeing a Christmas film. Show the movie on a small screen or tablet; toss some miniature popcorn or nibbles to finish the arrangement. This concept gives your Christmas décor a warm and interesting touch as well as accentuates the cheerful nature of the elf.
18. Zip Line Adventure of Elf
Build a little zip line out of ribbon or twine and place your elf as if it were riding. This concept gives your Christmas decorations a new and daring element and accentuates the coming of the elf. This is a fantastic approach to highlight the adventurous nature of your elf.
19. Elf’s Snowman Building
Arrange your elf in the heart of the action and a little scenario involving little cotton ball snowmen as a mini snowman builder. This concept highlights your elf’s artistic side and gives your Christmas décor a cheerful and whimsical touch. This is a fantastic approach to welcome the winter and inject some more Christmas pleasure.
Creating the elf’s snowman construction scenario was really liked by our family. Seeing our elf constructing snowmen was entertaining, and it encouraged my kids to make their own little snowmen. It’s a great way to honour the season and bring joyful celebration into your house.
20. Elf in Candy Land
Arrange your elf in a little Candy Land setting surrounded by vibrant sweets or snacks. This concept highlights your elf’s passion of sweets and gives your Christmas decorations a nice and festive touch. It’s a great approach to give your holiday festivities some whimsical joy.
21. Elf’s toy shop
Arrange your elf among little toys or seasonal presents in a scenario from a little toy shop. This concept shows your elf’s passion of toys and gives your Christmas decorations a whimsical and joyful touch. This is an interesting approach to include gift-giving into your holiday customs.
22. Festive Photo Booth by Elf
Arrange your elf standing for a merry picture in a little photo booth with holiday-themed objects. This concept accentuates your elf’s lively character and gives your Christmas decorations some artistic and entertainment value. This is a fantastic approach to include Christmas happiness and photography into your festivities.
Our attempt at this concept was entertaining as well as fun. Seeing their elf in a little photo booth delighted my children and motivated them to snap their Christmas pictures. Celebrating the season and generating some unforgettable memories is entertaining and interesting.
23. The elf who made his hat
Use some colored papers and a scissor to depict a table laden with wrapping papers as shown below. Spend some time to create a small, playful cap in the form of a cone for your elf to make the scene more cheerful. For step up the mischief, it is recommended that one rips a lot of the wrapping paper into small pieces and then proceeding to litter the floor with them. While it invokes the mischievous nature of the company, it also becomes an exciting bonus for anyone who ends up here accidentally. However, do not forget that the cleanup could be your task, so think twice before have fun.
24. Elf caught red-handed
Children always appreciate an elf with a piece of equipment. So get some nail polish – a sparkling red one will be great since it’s been felt like a festive time of year – and paint someone’s toenails. Finally, to the last tweak, the kids can wake up their mum or dad to find out they have got their nails polished, and the elf did it while they slept! If you don’t mind going the extra mile a cryptic note takes the excitement factor notch higher
25. Elf made his own sleigh
Another fun Elf on the Shelf idea is to make a sleigh of your child’s toys in the bedroom at night. However, when creating it you can be as wild and silly as you can get. Therefore, why not to have your elf riding a digger with dinosaurs drawing it? But wait, how about taking a surfboard that is being dragged by farm animals? More crazy combinations – the crazier the combination, more appealing it is for the kids.
26. Magical Christmas gift from the Elf
If your students have an awesome day and get many positive comments from teachers in specials, I usually have a few little extras set aside for them. I keep it at their workplace with a note from Santa or the Elf saying something like ‘Great job’. They had elf-on-the-shelf erasers one year and that was gorgeous! You could also do a piece of candy or a fun reward coupon to make it free.
27. Repelling Elf
It is the Elf who repels down from the ceiling! I used strips of paper to make the chain but you can use ribbon, twine, string yarn or toilet paper. I do recommend tapping him on this board to avoid falling down in the middle of your lesson.
28. Scavenger hunt Elf on the Shelf
Elf has a candy cane search! Candy canes are hidden in different parts of the classroom and the students are expected to search for them. They then get to eat it or take it home when they look for one. You could also tape a letter or word to each candy cane and then the students can unscramble for a special message or something like that!
29. Paper snowflakes
The Elf would look incredibly comfortable and at home in this perfect little hideaway again. The giant paper snowflake should be made, and then he should be hidden behind it. There are also times that the Elf leaves decorations such as paper snowflakes in the classroom and if you have time, you can do it too!
30. New classroom books from the Elf on the Shelf
The Elf brought a “new” book to read! It doesn’t necessarily have to be a new book, or it could be a book you buy from some offer buy points. One thing I enjoy is the Elf encouraging my students to read new books.
Conclusion
Celebrated over the Christmas season, the Elf on the Shelf custom makes families all around happy and magical. These simple and imaginative ideas can help you keep the elf’s escapades interesting, new, and entertaining during the Christmas season. These ideas—from lighthearted messes to cozy settings to festive events—are meant to provide a little enchantment and help make every Christmas day unique.
Having experimented with some of these concepts with my own family, I can say they help to bring fun and smiles into our house. Every concept offers a different degree of enjoyment and inventiveness, which enhances the Elf on the Shelf custom even more. A good Elf on the Shelf encounter is just dependent on allowing your imagination to run wild and savor the process. Ultimately, the delight and surprise that define the Elf on the Shelf custom drive its great popularity.
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