It’s that time again. Yup, your Elf on the Shelf is about to parachute in to make your life (slightly) more challenging for the next few weeks. Get ahead of the game and prep your bag of tricks with these brilliant ideas. From Elf on the Shelf clothes to setting last-minute Elf on the Shelf ideas that’ll make the whole family giggle, we’ve got enough easy Elf ideas to last you the entire holiday season.
I remember when my kids were little and they got their first elves. Not going to lie, remembering to move the thing every night was a struggle. But when I made the effort and managed to pull off even the easiest of Elf ideas, the look in their eyes was priceless.
Nowadays, my kids take turns moving the Elfs around the house, and they come back to this list year after year. Have we ever set up a zip line? No, that one is definitely tricky. But have we had the Elf caught in the cookie jar? More times than we can count. It’s the little things that make memories, and when I did make it happen, it was worth every moment. So, go through our list of easy Elf ideas and decide what you can and can’t handle this year. I promise, your kids will love every bit of trouble the elves get themselves into.
1. Elf held captive. If you have two Scout elves, this easy Elf idea is a lot of fun. Pull out a toy train and a string, and decide which elf is going to be extra naughty by tying up the other one.
2. Plan a hot cocoa party. This is fun on the first night or maybe on a weekend day. Get mugs, instant cocoa, and marshmallows set up in advance and settle the elves against the mugs. Snag printables for the party here.
3. Spell it out. Do you have Scrabble tiles or Bananagrams? Then it’s a cinch to let your elf leave a sweet message for your littles to discover the next day.
4. Caught in the act. With this easy elf idea, you’ll use a bag of M&Ms, chocolate chips, or even a box of sugar cereal, and position your elf with its backside out of the bag.
5. Exhausted elf. All those trips up to the North Pole make for one tired elf. Let your little one in red take a day off. Make them a little bed with a doll blanket and a cotton ball for a pillow.
6. Deeds worth doing. Since reporting good deeds to Santa is your elf’s duty, it’s the perfect opportunity to remind kids about the spirit of Christmas. We dig the free downloadable from Over the Big Moon.
7. Elf spaghetti. Whip up Buddy the Elf’s favorite dish for your little helper. Hint: this is a great idea for the night you make pasta. You’ll also need syrup (of course), marshmallows, candy, and chocolate syrup. Find out how to make a batch over at Instructables.
8. Riding the banister. Those naughty elves are always looking for an adrenaline rush! Use a Frisbee and sticky tape to get your little buddy set up at the top and ready to ride.
9. Sitting pretty. Have your elf take a seat inside your wreath or on the holiday table for a picture-perfect spot.
10. Play games. Set up your elf mid-move with this adorable mini-Twister printable.
11. Window view. If you’ve got a window and a curtain rod, you’ve got a sweet spot to hang your elf. Easy-peasy.
12. Rock climbing wall. All you need are several pre-made bows to make a route for your elf.
13. Coloring elf. Take 30 seconds to scribble in a coloring book or on a printable, scatter crayons, and set up your elf. Giggles are guaranteed!
14. Cookies, please. Elves love anything made with sugar. Set yours up with the stuff to make cookies; not only will you be able to cross one day off your calendar, but you’ll get to spend quality time with your kiddos. Bonus: If you don’t get around to making them, a repeat appearance by your elf with a more urgent request for cookies is appropriate.
15. Zipline. This Elf on the Shelf idea is popular, but it does take a little time to set up. All you need is string or yarn, a candy cane, and a way to secure your elf to the candy cane!
16. LEGO throne. Whether you use DUPLO or LEGO, making a seat for Santa’s little helper can be done in less than five minutes.
17. Elf in the kitchen. Got a play kitchen? Then let your elf whip up something yummy.
18. On the road. With a toy car, your elf can go just about anywhere they want to go. Headed to buy a Christmas tree? Done. Want to take Wonder Woman out on a date? Totally!
19. Play Picasso. A dry-erase marker, a family photo, and a sense of humor are all you need. Give your kids beards and cat ears: See how much they laugh!
20. Put the elf in the freezer. Your elf sure does miss the North Pole! Give him a little time to chill.
21. Toilet paper tricks. Add an elf to a roll of toilet paper and send them down the stairs. Don’t have a second level? Leave a trail of written messages down the hall instead.
22. Bath time. You don’t need a Barbie bath to let your Elf soak aching bones— a plastic bowl or storage container will do the trick. Add marshmallows for bubbles and you’re set.
23. Gone fishing. Your kids will love waking up to find the elf “fishing” for goldfish crackers in the bathroom sink.
24. Story time. Position the elf with a favorite holiday book and a captivated audience.
25. Hanging by a limb. Any elf will feel right at home when dangling from a branch of the Christmas tree.
26. Spa day. Wrap your elf in a paper towel, give them cucumber eye patches, and just like that, it’s a spa day.
27. Puzzle play. Settling your elf in for the night with a puzzle is easy and fun.
28. Paper bag race. Take those lunch bags that have been cluttering your drawer and collect a few stuffies. Then, stage a sack race-style scene across your dining room table or kitchen island.
29. Elfie selfie. Position your elf in front of the family laptop and snap a picture. Just be forewarned, if it’s a laptop you use, you’ll need to get it set back up before the kids get home from school.
30. Sweet snow angels. It’s not quite as cold down here as it is at the North Pole. When your elf gets antsy for chilly weather, make them a personal snow angel. You can use flour (it’s messy), sprinkles, or rice, which is my personal favorite because it’s the easiest to clean up!
31. All wrapped up. Give your elf the scissors, tape, and wrapping paper. Scatter shredded paper and tape around, and it’ll be like they were caught in the act of wrapping up Santa’s gifts!
32. Elf making popcorn. Someone’s ready for family movie night!
33. Don’t move the elf. Well, it looks like your kids were so well-behaved that no North Pole reporting was needed. It’s also the perfect excuse for one of those nights you forget to move them.
34. Cards, anyone? You didn’t know elves love to play games? They do, and they love to be caught mid-game.
35. A Stuck Elf. This is a super-easy elf idea, and you don’t even need the message board to pull it off. Just grab a mason jar or an empty water bottle and a prominent place to display your elf’s tight situation.
36. S’more to love. Some toothpicks, roasted marshmallows, chocolate squares, graham crackers, and tea lights are all you need to set up this cozy and easy elf idea.
37. Read all about it. Prop them up on a favorite Christmas story or beloved book.
38. Caught red-handed. Have your elf stage a scene of questionable actions and tape up the area with crepe paper.
39. Photo editor. They can’t help but make mischief, and marking up a festive photo is a silly way to say, “Elf wuz here.”
40. Riding dinos. If you’ve got a plastic dinosaur (T. rex preferred), then you’ve got what you need to give your elf a prehistoric ride.
41. Send the Elf back to the North Pole. Possibly one of our favorite easy elf ideas, on Christmas Morning, make sure they’re out of sight, and of course, leave a note.
