20 Creative Elf On The Shelf Ideas Your Kids Will Love
If you’re looking for some fun, creative Elf on the Shelf ideas this year, you’ve come to the right place! Whether your Elf is mischievous or nice, there are plenty of ways to keep them busy. Just because Christmas is coming up fast doesn’t mean you have to be stuck for ideas. We’ve got plenty of them for you right here. So get your elf and get started!
1. Give Your Elf a Makeover.
Giving your elf a makeover is a fun way to mix things up and give your elf a fresh new look. Change up their hair, clothing, and accessories to create an entirely different character. You can use paints, fabrics, and other craft materials to customize them in any way you’d like. If you want to go the extra mile , you could even create your elf a new friend by making a doll version of them!
2. Have your elf go on an adventure.
One fun way to make sure that your elf is always up to something this Christmas season is to let them go on an adventure. You can have their adventures take place in the house, like having them hide in the Christmas tree for a bit, or you can take things outside and have them explore the neighborhood.
3. Have your elf fight crime.
While some people think that having their elf go on an adventure is silly, there are others who think that it isn’t quite dark enough to be considered “interesting.” If you’re in the latter group, why not try having your elf fight crime? This can be done by having them go and hide stuff from other family member’s rooms so that they have something to find when their families wake up.
4. Decorate with the help of your elf.
If you want to add a little more cheer to your house this holiday season, then why not have your elf help you decorate? They can do everything from hanging ornaments on the tree to putting up lights around the windows. There are so many different ways that you and your elf can decorate, that you’ll never run out of ideas!
5. Have your elf take a selfie with Santa
One fun way to see how your elf is doing this Christmas season is to have them take a selfie with Santa. All you need for this is a camera app (for either your phone or tablet), as well as an Elf on the Shelf that can stand still long enough to snap a picture. Just be sure not to let Santa know that you’re spying on him!
6. Create a music video with your elf’s help.
If you’ve got musical skills, why not create a music video with the help of your elf? They can be in all sorts of different locations, and they can move around in all sorts of different ways. Have them do a dance routine, or just film them as they goof off to some music that you’re listening to. The possibilities are endless!
7. Help your elf create an “elf on the shelf” calendar for next year.
If you have an Elf on the Shelf that you love a lot, why not help them create a calendar for next year? There are plenty of ways to do this. First, all you’ll need is some photo paper and an app (like PhotoShop) in which you can get your elf’s picture printed out on the front of each month’s page.
8. Make your elf help you make Christmas cookies.
Christmas is a time where people bake all sorts of different things, and one thing that many people love to make are Christmas cookies! You can give your elf a cooking lesson by having them mix the ingredients themselves or just by baking with you as you make them. They’ll love being part of the baking process!
9. Have your elf be a “secret Santa” for your family or friends.
One way to keep things fun and interesting this Christmas season is by having your elf give everyone in your household a little surprise once in awhile. You could have them leave an ornament on the tree, or you could have them leave a small holiday-themed toy in your kids’ stockings.
10. Send your elf on a vacation.
If you have the time and resources, why not have your elf go on a vacation? There are so many different places that they could go! You could send them to visit Santa in the north pole, or even just to see some of their elf friends somewhere. This is perfect if you have holiday plans that the Elf just can’t fit into or if you need a break. Just be sure to make a note for wherever you’re sending them off to so that they can find their way back home.
11. Have your elf help you with some DIY Christmas projects.
If you’re the type of person who loves to create DIY holiday decorations, then why not have your elf help you with a few? Not only will it make things more fun when creating them, but it will also be a great opportunity for you to spend time with your elf. Plus, it can help teach you and your kids some new creative skills as well!
12. Have your elf help make a gingerbread house.
Another great project that you could try out with your elf this Christmas season is making a gingerbread house. All you need is some gingerbread dough, an oven, and a whole lot of candy to decorate it with! Of course, don’t forget your elf! You can have them help you roll out the dough while they wait for the gingerbread house to bake.
13. Make your elf do something mischievous each morning before school.
There are so many different ways that your elf can get into trouble, and one fun way to have them cause mischief is by leaving a present for you or your kids on the kitchen table when everyone wakes up in the morning. Some popular choices include exploding jelly beans, plastic spiders, candy corn, and tiny toy mice.
14. Make your elf hide in a new spot each morning before school.
If you love playing “Where’s Waldo” then you’ll have fun searching for your elf in different spots around the house each morning! Just be sure to try not to make it easy on yourself when looking for them, so you can have fun searching for them.
15. Have your elf do a science experiment.
If you love to learn about different things and play with science, then why not have your elf be part of some experiments? There are all sorts of ways that you can do this. You could use them as the scientist performing the experiment and then have your children re-create the experiment to see if they get the same results as the Elf. Or, your elf on the shelf could be the “victim” of a science experiment. Whatever you think your children would enjoy the most!
16. Have your elf wrap presents for the family.
If you’re like most people, then you probably have a lot of presents to wrap by the time Christmas rolls around. If that’s the case, then why not have your elf help? It probably won’t be a perfect job but it’s a great lesson for your children to see the Elf trying to do something new and not quite getting it right. Plus, it could be good for a few laughs.
17. Have your elf leave funny notes or pictures around the house for the family to find.
For some extra fun, why not have your elf on the shelf leave some funny notes or pictures for the family to find? This can be a great way for you and your kids to laugh together. It could be as simple as writing down some knock-knock jocks. There are plenty to be found online.
18. Have your elf dress up like Santa and come down the chimney.
If you’re a family that enjoys having the whole house decorated, then why not have your elf dress up like Santa and slide down the chimney? It will be so much fun to see them in their red suit with white gloves. They’ll also have a great time pretending to be Santa as well! Don’t have a chimney? Then place the elf wherever your family typically puts their stockings. Maybe climb down the Christmas tree?
19. Have your elf lead a holiday parade.
Let your Elf take on a leadership role by having him front and center of a toy parade. Your children will get a kick out of seeing their toys lining up in silent march down the hall.
20. Have your elf read a story at bedtime to one of the kids in the family.
If you want your elf to be more than just a fun toy, then perhaps having them read a story with one of the kids in the family would be nice idea. This can also be helpful for teaching your kids some new words and learning how to read as well. This will obviously require some imagination as mom or dad will have to be the Elf’s interpreter but definitely can be lots of fun.
No matter what your Elf on the Shelf does during the Christmas season, it will undoubtedly be a lot of fun for you and your family. We hope that this list has given you some good ideas on how to keep your elf busy and make some memories with your loved ones.
Feel like you need a little help planning? Snag my free December Calendar on my How to Plan an Epic Family Christmas post.
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