Do you want to have the Elf on the Shelf tradition be part of your family’s holiday fun? Need ideas on how to use Elf on the Shelf? Have no fear! We’ve got some easy Elf on the Shelf ideas that you can get started with now!
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We’ve got to keep it simple but fun! If you need some help getting started with easy ideas, check out our favorite Elf on the Shelf accessories! They’re a HUGE help!
50+ Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas
One thing that always had me hesitating when it came to elf ideas is just figuring out where to start!
If you have a favorite Elf idea, please leave a comment on this post! We love to hear about everyone else’s elves!
Elf Letters & Rules
If you need some easy ideas for the arrival of your Elf on the Shelf, we’ve got you covered! Check out these two posts for our favorite ideas and some FREE printables:
- Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Arrival (and Return)
- Elf on the Shelf Letter (Arrival & Return)
- Elf on the Shelf Rules
Once you’ve got the first day planned, you’re going to be good to go. I promise! All of you have to do is snag some of the Elf ideas and you’ll be having as much fun as your kids!
Elf on the Shelf Arrival Ideas
One of the easiest ways for your elf to make their arrival is to have them find a shelf! If you’re looking for something special — your elf can always arrive with an elf friend/sibling/spouse in tow!
Everyone loves a good Christmas book!
You can always find affordable little reindeer ornaments at Target, Walmart, and craft stores around the holidays.
Here are some of my favorite Christmas books from my time teaching elementary school:
- I Spy Christmas (this is also a great book to keep kids busy during holiday break)
- How to Catch Santa Claus
- Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh
- Bear Stays Up for Christmas
14 Days of Elf on the Shelf Ideas
If you’re looking for a collection of ideas you can borrow, we’ve for two weeks of ideas along with all of the links to the items you’ll need to buy to prepare for them!
With help from our friend Ashley at Lillard Love on YouTube, we’ve got some of the best Elf on the Shelf ideas that work well for kids of all ages!
Day 1 – Arrival of the Elves
Keep the arrival of your Elf easy by starting the tradition of them arriving with advent calendars for the kids! It’s simple to plan! Print out an arrival letter (or write your own) and pick up your calendars! Day one is done!
Here are some of our favorite advent calendars that I get every year:
- ZURU Mini Brands
- Play-Doh Advent Calendar
- Funko Pop! Advent Calendar (we’ve had a number of different ones of these over the past few years)
- Keurig K-Cups (the adults in our house also get an advent calendar each year!)
- NeeDoh Advent Calendar (this is one I ordered this year)
- Squishmallows Holiday Advent Calendar (I ordered this one too, but it’s hard to find in stock so keep your eyes open!)
Do you have more than one child and are thinking of having more than one elf? Adding a new Elf on the Shelf doll to the tradition is easy to do! Ashley simply had their original Elf bring his brother and sister along once the younger kids were old enough for an elf. It wasn’t a big deal and it seems to have worked well!
Day 2 – Snowball Fight
You can use cotton balls as tiny snowballs for the elves. Then think about ordering Indoor Snowballs that your kids can play with for extra fun!
When it comes to cute Elf on the Shelf ideas, this is one of my favorites!
Click here to buy your own set of Indoor Snowballs!
Day 3 – Christmas Cookies
Warning! This can be one of the messiest elf ideas we’ve got. But it’s so cute and it’s so fun that you might want to consider it! Clean up is really easy too since you’re not actually baking or anything.
Ashley got some personalized Elf cookies this year, but I’ve found that the kids pretty much like waking up to any kind of cookies made by the elves (especially if you let them have one for breakfast)!
If you’re worried about leaving the elves like this all day, Ashley recommends you move them using tongs (you can’t touch the Elf on the Shelf) and then clean up the mess.
Day 4 – Name Straws
The key to easy Elf ideas is balance. Not every day has to be something involved. Having the elves bring a cute little goodie for your kids is a great way to handle things.
You can order personalized name straws on KrazyStraws.com and use them all year long!
You can also buy silly Christmas straws for this day too.
Day 5 – Elves in a Snowglobe
If you have a chalkboard door or wall in your house this is one of the most adorable ideas I’ve seen!
The trick to getting the elves to stick isn’t tape — Ashley actually used black string to hang them so they don’t just fall on the floor. We wouldn’t want them to end up on the floor, right?
You can use real chalk to do this chalkboard or you can try my favorite Liquid Chalk Markers (I cannot stand the way chalk feel so I have to use these!)
Day 6 – Elf Sleepover
Okay, how cute and EASY is this Elf on the Shelf idea?
Find a drawer in your home (or even shoe boxes) and have your elves hang out with some of your kids’ favorite dolls and action figures! They can have a sleepover and watch Christmas movies!
This is a great idea to use on a morning when you plan to have a family movie night to watch your favorite Christmas movie!
If you’re looking for supplies to make this happen in your space, here are some ideas:
Day 7 – Ice Cream Party
Plan an ice cream party with the elves! This could just be a cute setup or you could actually make ice cream sundaes with the kids or take them out to get ice cream!
For the elf-sized ice cream, you can buy miniatures or even small erasers. Here are a few ideas:
Day 8 – Dinosaur Dig
One of the best ways to use your Elf on the Shelf is to pull from things your kids love and their interests. Rock and dinosaur kits are fun gifts your elves can bring that are easy Elf on the Shelf ideas for boys (and girls too)!
I love elf ideas where they bring an activity for the kids to do because it keeps the kids busy and engaged during a time of year when that can feel challenging!
Day 9 – Elves Get Crafty (Paper Snowflakes)
I love what Ashley did with this idea. Having the kids make paper snowflakes is always a fun thing to do with them in December. It’s a great way to disconnect and spend time with the family during the holidays.
Having the elves hang the snowflakes and then bring another craft activity is the way to keep everyone busy all month long! You don’t have to spend a lot on getting supplies. Use the paint, glue, glitter, etc. that you have around the house. Pick up some wooden snowflakes or ornaments at your local craft store and make memories together!
Here are some supplies we’ve used at our house for similar crafty activities:
Day 10 – Everybody Farts!
If you need more Elf on the Shelf ideas for boys, here is one you HAVE to plan for your kids!
Seems like many kids are obsessed with everything having to do with bodily functions! You can get all of the “fart supplies” for this one on Amazon so it’s super easy to do:
Day 11 – Decorating the Tree
Let your elves get involved in your other holiday traditions!
It’s so easy to let them have “helped” by adding some extra ornaments to your Christmas tree!
You can also do a mini tree for the kids to decorate for the elves. Here are some of my favorite ideas for doing this:
- Dollhouse Christmas Tree Kit (this is a miniature tree so not suitable for younger kids)
- Tree Decorating Sticker Set
- Lego Christmas Tree (or there is an off-brand Pink Tree as well!)
Day 12 – Letters to Santa
Writing letters to Santa is one of our holiday traditions. Having your Elf on the Shelf write one too is a great way to introduce it! If you want to get fancy, have your elf bring cute stationery and a new pen for your child to write with!
Here are some letter writing supplies that are fun for Christmas:
- Letters to Santa – This is the Elf on the Shelf product that is super fun because you can shrink your letter to elf size!
- Letters to Santa Stationary and Coloring Letter
- Christmas Pens
Day 13 – Ugly Sweater Party
This is one of my favorite Elf on the Shelf ideas ever! You know you have dolls and action figures laying around the house. Well, there are some fun doll clothes out there this time of year! Plan your own Elf Ugly Sweater Party!
You could gift your kids their own ugly sweaters or just have fun setting the scene!
Amazon has some sweaters to get you started! Click here to shop for your own sweaters!
Ashley also used a Santa wine bottle cover for Iron Man’s costume. Many of the other sweaters were actually ornaments she found! They fit the dolls and figures wonderfully so watch for these when you’re shopping the after Christmas sales!
Day 14 – Nerf Fight
Do you have Nerf guns laying around the house? If you’re like my kids then the answer is yes. Why not set up a little battle between your elf and one of your child’s favorite stuffed animals?
If you’re the type who has your Elf bring little gifts for the kids, the small Nerf guns are usually pretty cheap. Nerf usually has a Holiday Blaster each year which is extra cute! Click here to buy your Jolly Dash Blasters!
There are 14 ideas to get you started on your elf antics. But if you need more ideas, have no fear! We’ve got plenty of our ideas to share with you! If you like your elf just a little naughty, scroll on! (Trust me, nothing too crazy here! We only do family friendly Elf on the Shelf ideas!)
Funny Elf on the Shelf Ideas
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- If you have some Mistletoe hung around your house, it’s the perfect place to find your elf getting a little smooch. My kids love the song, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” so they get a big kick out of our Elf getting a kiss too!
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- If your child wants to carry your Elf on the Shelf around with them, a jar (especially if you can find the plastic ones) is a perfect solution! Then your elf can go wherever you go this holiday season!
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- Having our elf swing in on some yarn or string is one of my favorite arrival ideas. You can have him hang down on the fireplace, by the front door, or just by a window in your house. Or if you just need some easy to plan antics, he can be rappelling down the window frame! This one is easy to set up and easy to clean up!
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- All you need is some yarn or string and a craft stick to make your own DIY Elf Swing! Then he can swing from any place you can hang him. You could even do an entire month of Elf on the Shelf ideas with him swinging from different places in your home!
The bathroom seems to be a favorite place for those naughty elves. I’ve seen some elaborate set ups from parents who are far more detailed than I am! But let me tell you a secret.
All you have to do is have your elf anywhere near the toilet seat and the kids will be hysterical. There’s just something about toilets, I guess.
If you’re looking to let your Christmas Elf make a bit of a mess but also want it to be easy to clean up, let him roll a spool of ribbon down the stairs!
Stock up on a cheap spool of ribbon after Christmas and you’ll be ready for next year! Plus you can use it to wrap gifts once your elf is done playing!
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- We’re lucky enough that Weston’s teacher at school was willing to share some her fun ideas with us too! How cute (and how easy) is this fun idea. If you have a shower and an umbrella, you’ve got one day of your elf antics covered!
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- What happens when your elf comes to visit and it’s Tuesday? TACO TUESDAY, of course! This is a fun idea for any Tuesday during December. We suggest that you have tacos for dinner on this night!
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- Here’s another take on the Elf on the Shelf in the bathroom. The kids love it every single time. Come on, it’s kind of cute, isn’t it?
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- Another easy bathroom related Elf on the Shelf idea is to have your elf take a shower while the kids sleep. All you need is a little washcloth or another piece of fabric to turn into a turban or a towel! It’s another very simple idea!
Here’s an idea that always brings some giggles out.
Tucked into bed?
I thought they said tucked into BREAD!
If you’ve got a loaf of bread, this elf idea is a great one to keep in mind!
If your kids are into science then this Elf Magic experiment is one they should enjoy!
All you need is a bag of Skittles. Arrange them in a circle to do this Skittles science experiment. Your elf can leave it set up for the kids. Then all you do is have your kids pour water in the middle of the plate until it reaches the candy. Then have them wait and see what happens!
It’s Elf Magic!
Here’s another idea for a little elf mischief that isn’t too naughty!
It’s actually kind of fun as the parent too! If you have an older child helping you with your Elf on the Shelf, this is a great way to get them involved in helping surprise their siblings!
It’s fashion show time! Elf on the Shelf ideas for girls are great if you’re trying to do things that you know they’ll love.
Gather up all of their favorite dolls, dress them all up, and set up a little show for your daughter to wake up to! It’s a super easy idea and you can even buy a new outfit for your Elf on the Shelf to wear in the show!
Check out this cute Party Dress you can order on Amazon!
Quick Elf on the Shelf Ideas
If you need some easy and quick Elf on the Shelf ideas, try some of these! These also work great when you forget to the move the elf! (Not that I would know from experience or anything!)
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- No matter how good-natured, sometimes that Christmas Elf gets himself into a little bit of trouble! Have your Elf show up disguised as Santa! Cotton balls are all you need!
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- Maybe your Elf missing the North Pole or maybe he’s bringing your kids a sweet treat (peppermint ice cream, anyone?). Either way, the kids are also entertained when the elf somehow gets himself trapped in the freezer! It’s one of the last places my kids think to look and it always has them laughing!
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- If you live in the South as we do, there are days where it doesn’t quite feel like winter. It’s the perfect excuse to take your Elf on the Shelf outside! Grab some chalk (we always have a bucket in the garage) and have him invite the kids to play a little hopscotch!
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- If you forget to move the elf, there are tons of things you can do. But I found that one of the easiest was to tell the kids that I think he was trying to trick them and had a surprise up his sleeve. When they got home from school, our elf had a treat for them! Milkshakes for all!
We don’t always move our elves around. Sometimes they just sit and keep watch. But during the years when we do move them around, I often find myself wanting to keep it simple. So moving them from place to place in our house works well. The kids have a great time hunting them down.
The Christmas tree is always a great place for them to hide!
Here are some of the other places I’ve hidden our elves in the past.
Here are a few more easy ideas from my first few years of doing Elf on the Shelf using toys we had from around the house! Kid toys work great for setting up cute scenes with your Elf on the Shelf!
Lost Your Elf?
If you ever pack your Elf on the Shelf away somewhere safe only to be unable to find it the next year, have no fear! This happened to me and our original elf didn’t show up for a few years. So I had to buy a new one (and an elf for sister because she was old enough to want an elf of her own).
We simply introduced them as cousins of our original elf who had wanted to come check out our house. Our kids totally went with it and had a blast naming the new elves!
Elf on the Shelf Names
If you need help naming your elf, we’ve got a guide to Elf on the Shelf names to help you!
Meet Mr. H and Nora Laura Cora. The boy is named after Houston and I’m not sure about Nora!
This was our simple Elf on the Shelf arrival idea for this year. We picked up cute little houses in the dollar spot at Target and added a bit of fake snow and some bottle brush trees! This set up was easy and the kids loved it!
I loved this idea. Next year I might have the kids make little craft Gingerbread houses to leave out to welcome the elves. It will work well with our annual tradition of decorating Gingerbread Houses too!
More Cute Elf on the Shelf Ideas
Some of my blogging friends have more amazing Elf on the Shelf Ideas to try this year!
Photo: whiskynsunshine.com
Elf Munch
If you’re looking for something fun to do with the kids on a weekend, trying making Elf Munch! It’s an easy recipe my friend Jana put together! Learn how to make Elf Munch and try it this weekend!
Photo: madamedeals.com
Elf Tutu
Need a new accessory for your Elf? Or maybe you need to change your boy elf into a girl elf!
Try this Elf Tutu tutorial from Madame Deals! It’s so easy to make and SO CUTE!
Photo: momontheside.com
Scavenger Hunt
Mom on the Side has another one of my favorite Elf ideas! It’s an easy scavenger hunt! I love it because it’s another activity to keep kids having fun this holiday season!
She has a free printable which makes it so simple to plan. Check out her Elf on the Shelf Scavenger hunt and plan yours today! You’ll love it! I promise!
Printable Elf on the Shelf Hats
Want to have your elf do something fun with those family photos you have hung around the house? My friend Jen at The Suburban Mom has printable Elf on the Shelf hats you can have your Elf use to turn your family into his or her family!
How cute are these?
Printable Elf on the Shelf Cheat Sheet
For those of you who really want to have an Elf but even easy ideas feel like a lot of work, I’ve made a printable cheat sheet for you! You can print it out and stash it away. Each day has a simple idea to do.
Sometimes the Elf is just hiding or your elf might hang out with some other toys. None of the ideas require a ton of supplies. It’s definitely the simple way to start your tradition!
Need Even More Elf Ideas?
If these ideas aren’t enough for your Christmas Elf, have no fear! We have a lot of other Elf on the Shelf ideas that I’ve used over the years! You can click here to see them all or check out the links below.
Oh, and if you need help naming a new Elf (or want to find out what your Elf name would be), check out our Ultimate Guide to Elf on the Shelf names!
Here are some of our ideas from the past. These are some of the easiest ideas you’ll find!
- A Week of Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas (many work great for toddlers and younger kids)
- Another Week of Elf on the Shelf
- Elf on the Shelf Bedtime Story
- Elf Hugs
- Elf Working Overtime
- Elf’s Got a Brand New Car
- Stuffed Animal Karaoke Party
- Elf Block Party
- Elf Princess Dreams (Book Idea)
- Mirror Messages
- Toilet Paper Roll
- The Elf Gets Crafty
- Gingerbread House
- Elf Gets Cooking
- Breakfast Cereal Messages
- Elf Manicure (this is one of our most popular Elf on the Shelf ideas!)
Which idea is your favorite?
We love hearing about what different families like to do with the elves.
Leave a comment and tell us about your favorite Elf on the Shelf tradition!
Is your elf a bit naughty or sweet as can be?
Where to Buy
It’s never too late to get in on the best Elf on the Shelf ideas! Most local stores have Elf on the Shelf Kits that you can pick up when you’re out shopping.
We prefer the convenience of Amazon! They have a variety of different Elf on the Shelf kits to choose from! So get yours today if you still need one or are looking for an addition to your Elf Crew!
The Elf on the Shelf
Elf on the Shelf: blue-eyed girlThe Elf on the Shelf: Girl Elf Bonus Party SKirtsElf On The Shelf: Boy with Customizable Christmas Sweater SetThe Elf on the Shelf: Girl Elf (Brown Eyed) with Snowflake Skirt & ScarfThe Elf on the Shelf: Boy Elf (Brown Eyed) with Totally Tubular Snow Set
Get yours and get started on the fun this year. Or get ready for next year! It’s never too late to start an Elf on the Shelf tradition!
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Leanne says
We’ve found that in addition to tongs, you can also use oven mitts to move your elf. ;)
Mariah says
That is a great idea! And WAY easier for me to find in my kitchen!
Jamie says
Hello, these are cute, just wondering how you get the arms and legs to stay crossed or in different positions? Thank you, Jamie
Mariah says
Hi Jamie! Our good friend Jana has a great post about how easy this is to do! https://www.whiskynsunshine.com/make-elf-shelf-posable/
Angela says
The one that always gets a laugh is when our elf gets stuck in a roll of toilet paper and rolls all the way down the side of the stairs!
harold says
Such fun ideas – so many awesome ones!
Donna says
These ideas are so fun and creative! I love the Christmas cookies one!