Love him or hate him (and many fall in the latter category), the Elf on the Shelf has become holiday tradition (as is the task of finding yet another creative spot to hide Santa’s beloved spy). For many parents, this has turned the holiday fun into a holiday chore.
The solution? Pre-plan a list of Elf on the Shelf shenanigans to have on the ready (including super easy ones for those days when you don’t have the time or you remember that you have yet to move him or her minutes before YOUR bedtime).
Google is your friend in this instance. A quick Google search for “Elf on the Shelf ideas” yields page after page of creative ideas for your Elf on the Shelf (toggle your results to images for a fast way to review the results so you can quickly eliminate any of the ideas you have already done or are less age-appropriate).
Elf on the Shelf Ideas (In Order from Easy to Extraordinary)
Matching Game (1-2 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 1
Requirements: Matching game and stuffies
Description: Set up a matching game for Elfie and her friends!
Syrup Surprise (1 minute)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 1
Requirements: Chocolate syrup and a blendy straw
Description: Pose Elfie taking a sip of chocolate syrup
Shopping List (2-3 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 1
Requirements: Paper and colored markers
Description: Make an Elfie style grocery list (i.e. candy)
Twister (1 minute)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 1
Requirements: Twister and stuffies
Description: Set up a game of Twister for Elfie and her friends!
Candy for Breakfast (1 minute)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 1
Requirements: Halloween candy, cereal bowl and a note
Description: Have Elfie make breakfast for the kids!
Toy Rebellion (1-2 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 2 (sometimes Elfie comes unstuck)
Requirements: Duct tape and a note from the toys
Description: Have the toys issue Elfie an ultimatum: behave or ELSE!
Tower of Presents (2-3 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 2 (balancing odd shaped gifts can be challenging)
Requirements: Matching game and stuffies
Description: Set up a matching game for Elfie and her friends!
Stuffie Sack Race (2-3 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 2 (getting the stuffies to stand up can be frustrating)
Requirements: Brown paper bag, stuffies, something to weight the bottom
Description: Set up a sack race for Elfie and her friends (note: fold the paper bags over for additional stiffness and weight the bottom to keep from tipping over)
Playing the Game of Life (1 minute)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 1
Requirements: Board game and stuffies
Description: Set up a board game for Elfie and her friends!
Climbing Mount Chandelier (1-2 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 2 (depending on how easy it is to attach Elfie and not hang upside down)
Requirements: Chandelier and string
Description: Help Elfie climb Mount Chandelier!
Cotton Ball Bath (1-2 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 2 (getting a washcloth wrapped around Elfie’s head can be fussy)
Requirements: Cotton balls, baby washcloth and bathroom sink (preferably one the kids use in the morning)
Description: Draw a nice, fluffy bath for Elfie to relax in.
Toilet Paper Hammock (1-2 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 2 (balancing Elfie on the toilet paper without it ripping can be difficult)
Requirements: Toilet paper and somewhere to string it between
Description: Let Elfie relax in her very own hammock!
Marshmallow Snowmen (1-3 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 2 (keeping the marshmallow snowmen from tipping over can be finicky)
Requirements: Marshmallows, and toothpicks
Description: Build Elfie some snowmen out of marshmallows!
Giftbag Gondola (2-3 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Parent Patience Level: 1
Requirements: Giftbag and string
Description: Let Elfie soar above the living room!
Treasure Hunt (5-10 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 3 (writing interesting clues can be challenging)
Requirements: Pen and paper
Description: Send the kids on a treasure hunt to find Elfie! All they have to do is solve the clues!
Plastic Cup Tree Tower (3-5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 3 (preventing the tower from tipping over when placing Elfie on top can be challenging)
Requirements: Plastic cups
Description: Build a tall tower out of plastic cups for Elfie to sit on!
Toilet Paper Snowman (5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 1
Requirements: Toilet paper rolls, marker, pipe cleaner, construction paper, tape
Description: Build Elfie a big snowman out of toilet paper!
Elfie Creative Creature Craft (2-5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 2 (getting the eyeballs to stick can be frustrating)
Requirements: Pipe cleaner, eyeballs, and pompoms
Description: Make Elfie some creative creatures!
Googly Eyeball Treasure Hunt (5-10 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 2 (making a trail of eyeballs is time consuming)
Requirements: Pipe cleaner, eyeballs, markers, and construction paper
Description: Send the kids on a treasure hunt to find the surprise! Following the googly eyeballs will lead them to the set-up Christmas tree.
Let It Snow (5-10 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 3 (punching out the paper snowflakes takes time and makes a bit of a mess)
Requirements: Snowflake punch, paper and marker
Description: Have Elfie make it snow inside!
Mustache Fruit (3-5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 2 (getting the eyeballs and mustaches to stick to fruit can by fussy)
Requirements: Eyeballs, mustaches, and fruit
Description: Have Elfie add eyeballs and mustaches to the fruit bowl!
Chocolate Kissing Booth (5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 2
Requirements: Small box, paper, markers, kisses, sticks, and tape
Description: Set Elfie up in a (Chocolate) Kissing Booth.
Lego Snowball Fight (5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 2 (building the forts can be a little fussy)
Requirements: Lego, pompoms, and Lego figures
Description: Set up a snowball fight between Elfie and Legoland!
Bow Climbing Wall (2-3 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 3 (getting Elfie to hang onto the bows without pulling them off can be tricky)
Requirements: Bows and duct tape (for the bow Elfie hangs onto)
Description: Have Elfie climb the wall using bows!
Super Elfie (3-5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 3 (making sure Elfie flies straight can be difficult)
Requirements: Felt (for E and cape), nail and thread
Description: Let Elfie fly over the skies of the living room (or wherever you can find a spot to string the thread.
Elfie is Awesome Story (5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 2
Requirements: Pipe cleaner, markers, and paper
Description: Have Elfie write a story (about her awesomeness). It goes something like this: Page 1: Elfie is awesome, a story by Elfie (an elf who is awesome), 2: Elfie is awesome, 3: Awesome, awesome, awesome, 4: So AWESOME…etc. END: And so are KIDS NAMES.
Popcorn Movie Night (5 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Parent Patience Level: 3 (making a giant bowl of popcorn takes longer than you’d think)
Requirements: Giant bowl, popcorn, stuffies, and 3D movie glasses (if available)
Description: Set Elfie and her friends up for a popcorn movie night!
Mission Elfpossible (5-10 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Parent Patience Level: 3 (stringing the Elf wire from room to room can be challenging)
Requirements: String and tape (if needed)
Description: Send Elfie on a Mission Impossible adventure!
Elfie-Sized Pancakes (5-10 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Parent Patience Level: 4 (making itty bitty pancakes without burning them can be tricky)
Requirements: Pancake batter, paper towel (for chef hat), and egg pan
Description: Have Elfie make breakfast! Leave a note with instructions for parents to check the fridge for the pre-made batter.
Stuffie Staircase Slide (5-10 minutes)
Difficulty Level: Advanced
Parent Patience Level: 5 (navigating the stairs once the wrapping paper slide is in place is VERY CHALLENGING)
Requirements: Wrapping paper and stuffies (LOTS AND LOTS OF STUFFIES)
Description: Set up a staircase slide for Elfie and her friends.
