December is here, and for many of us parents, that means the return of our Elf on the Shelf. And what started as a cute holiday tradition has become stressful and chaotic in a time of year that is known for already being stressful and chaotic. This is your reminder that this fun holiday tradition doesn’t have to and shouldn’t stress you out. That’s why we put together some elf ideas that you can put together quickly without a lot of time or thought, using materials you probably already have. No print outs, no elaborate set ups, no big messes to clean up, but still, something your kids will love. And if even this is more than you can handle, just remember the Elf of the Shelf started just by moving to a new place every day. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that if you can’t handle it.
Bad Eggs Elf
This idea is so simple, which is why I love it so much! All you have to do is draw some mean faces on your eggs, and stick the Elf in the fridge with a note saying he/she thinks the eggs have gone bad. It’s simple and easy and doesn’t require any extra materials, but is silly enough that your kids will love it. If you’re worried your kids (or you) will accidentally bump or touch the elf in the fridge, you can put him/her on top of the fridge with the note. This idea also works with the milk, fruit, etc.
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67 Elf
If you have kids, you’ve definitely heard “67” about eight gazillion times in the last month, and this idea will probably have them saying it even more, so be warned. This idea is really simple though and again, silly enough that your kids will love it. If you have a Christmas countdown block, you could use that and change it to 67, but you could do this in so many other ways. You could print or hand write a note that says 67, write it on the whiteboard, or if you’re feeling super crafty, make the numbers out of pipe cleaners, play-doh, candy or anything else you can think of and have on hand.
Campfire Elf
How cute and simple is this? If you have toothpicks or skewers of some sort, mini marshmallows, and a candle, you can do this! Have the Elf roasting their marshmallows over the candle (it doesn’t have to actually be lit). Looking to add a little something extra? While not at all necessary, you could pair this with some supplies to make s’mores of your very own for a special treat!
Snowman Elf
This idea is super easy and flexible, which is why I love it so much! Your elf can draw toilet paper to look like a snowman, bring home a “melted” swowman, or even make powdered doughnuts into a snowman. Just use whatever you have materials wise and what you have time to pull off.
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Sleepover Elf
Another super easy and fun idea! Your Elf can have a “sleepover” with whatever toy your child is into (think Barbies, Superheroes, etc.). You can use socks to create cute sleeping bags, or just set them up with tissues or washcloths to look like blankets. If you have very young kids, just make sure to put them somewhere more out of reach than the floor, like a top bunk, top level of a dollhouse, etc.
Shoe Shoe Train Elf
This idea is super simple but fun and silly too! Set up a “Shoe Shoe train” (just a line of shoes to make a train). Your Elf can be at the front, and if you like, you can put other small toys in the other shoes. We usually do this idea on the day we are riding on the North Pole Express, and if you wanted to make this a little more fun, you could make it more on that theme by setting up the book alongside the train.
Elf in a Jar
Our kids absolutely love this one! And it’s so easy! Just put your Elf in a jar for the day, so your child can hold them without them losing their magic. This is perfect for a special Christmas event like going to look at the lights, a Christmas trip, a Christmas train, etc. Your child will love it!
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Nativity Scene Elf
If your family is Christian, it can be nice to use the Elf to put the focus on the meaning of Christmas, and one fun way to do that is to incorporate the Elf into your Nativity Scene. We have done ours kneeling before Jesus, and another cute idea would be to have the Elf as a Shepherd with a candy cane as their crook. You could also have the Elf hide Baby Jesus and tell the kids to find it as if they are the three wise men, but you don’t have to overthink it.
Character Juice Elf
If you’re a mom to younger kids, chances are you have a ton of those character juices lying around, so why not use them? Set up 2-3 with their normal tops, but on the last one, just have the Elf’s head sticking out of the top instead. So fun!
Elf Reading the Bible
Another way to refocus the Elf towards the meaning of Christmas can be by incorporating the Bible. We have had our Elf reading Luke’s account of Jesus’s birth in our Bible before, but you could also do this with a kid’s Bible too.
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Don’t Feed the Dinosaurs Elf
Do you have a dino loving kid with lots of dinosaur figurines? Use them for a cute Elf setup that doesn’t take a lot of thought or preparation! The Elf can be feeding the dinosaurs below with whatever you might have on hand, just make sure to put the Elf high up enough that kids/pets won’t mess with him/her. The dinosaurs can be more accessible, since there’s no issue with touching them. If you don’t have dinosaurs, don’t worry, you could also do this with other animal figurines!
Eggs for Breakfast Elf
So this idea will probably require you to buy something from the store (unless you happen to have some old Easter candy lying around), but it doesn’t cost a lot of money and could easily be added to a grocery pickup order if you so desire. With this idea, your Elf makes the kids “eggs” for breakfast, but instead of regular eggs, it’s Kinder (or some other type of candy) eggs. You can set it up in a frying pan or just put it on a plate on the table. We usually opt for something on the table because I never like the Elf being “in the way” of an area we use regularly like the stove or near the stove.
My Little Soda Pop Elf
Got a kid who is obsessed with K-Pop Demon Hunters? They will go crazy over this! All you need is an empty soda can, a straw (optional), and a simple handwritten sign. The Elf is drinking the soda and has a sign off to the side that says “You’re My Soda Pop, My Little Soda Pop.” I’m telling you, your kids are going to love it!
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Donation Elf
Nearly every family I know has an overabundance of stuff, and it can be stressful to think about all of the extra stuff that will be coming in in the next few weeks. One thing you can do to help with that issue and refocus what this time of year is really about is to have your elf encourage your child to donate toys they’re not playing with anymore that are still in good condition. The Elf can “take them back to the North Pole,” and you can post them on Buy Nothing Tifton and have someone pick them up while the kids are at school. There are also variations of this like encouraging the family as a whole to go through the pantry and find a certain number of items to donate to a local food bank or showing up with money and telling the kids to pick out a toy for Toys for Tots.
Movie Night Elf
Quality time with the family is part of what Christmas is about, and a special movie night can be a great way to do that! You can have your Elf bring special movie snacks for the kids, set up with a bowl of popcorn and the remote, with a special Christmas DVD if you use a DVD player, or have a note where the Elf tells the kids to ask mom or dad for a movie night and that they’ll say yes because the Elf has used their magic on the parents.
Rock Paper Scissors Elf
This is cute and simple, and you definitely have all these things lying around the house somewhere! Just have the Elf set up with a rock, a piece of paper, scissors, and a note asking if the kids want to play rock, paper, scissors. So cute and simple, but it’s silly and will make the kids laugh.
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