It’s that time of year again, every child's favourite Christmas elf is back. Already struggling for ideas for Elf on the Shelf this year? We’ve all been there. To make Elf on the Shelf that bit more magical, our list of the best Elf on the Shelf props and accessories is just what you need.

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We understand how challenging it can be to think up creative new ideas every day, especially if this isn't your first year taking part. Below are our top picks of accessories to complement Elf on the Shelf, designed to give you a helping hand when that initial enthusiasm starts to fade.

Elf on the Shelf can be fun, too. Adding elements of comedy can also provide a little light entertainment for yourself. If you're after some fresh scenes and set-ups check out our Elf on the Shelf ideas.

There is so much to think about in the festive period. Let's be honest, Elf on the Shelf is just the start! If you're looking for ideas for other festive buys, try our round-up of the best kids’ Christmas crackers and family Christmas pyjamas. Still searching for the perfect gift? Find out what’s popular this year in our best Christmas toys 2022 guide.

Best Elf on the Shelf props and accessories at a glance

  • Best accessory for Elf on the Shelf inspiration: The Elf on the Shelf Scout Elves at Play Kit & Set with 60-Page Elf Idea Book, £21.95
  • Best accessory for giving an elf message: Elves Behaving Badly Rewritable Board, £3.49
  • Best accessory for setting up a quick scene: Elf on the Shelf Insta-Moment Pop-Ups, £10.95
  • Best accessory for making it realistic: Elf Footprints Stencil, £2.89
  • Best accessory for the last day of Elf on the Shelf: Elf on the Shelf Glide and Go Prop Kit, £14.95
  • Best comedic accessory: Deluxe Naughty Elf Box of Jokes, £11.99
  • Best dressing up accessory: The Elf on the Shelf Claus Couture Collection Sweet Tees and Suitcase Set, £12.95
  • Best accessory for sending a letter to Santa: Elf on the Shelf Letters To Santa Pack, £21.95
  • Best bath time accessory: Elf on the Shelf Bubble Bath, £4
  • Best accessory for encouraging good behaviour: Albert Austin Dummy Camera with Fake CCTV Camera, £6.99
  • Best for bedtime stories: Elf on the Shelf Tonies Figure, £14.95
  • Best sustainable props: Elf on The Shelf Wooden Activity Props & Accessories Kit, £4.79

Here's our pick of the best Elf on the Shelf props and accessories...

1. The Elf on the Shelf Scout Elves at Play Kit & Set with 60-page elf idea book, £21.95

– Best for Elf on the shelf inspiration

Elf on the Shelf Scout Elves at Play Kit

This Elf on the Shelf accessories kit comes with an activity book packed full of fun and exciting tips and ideas for scenes to create for the Elf. This kit is perfect if you want to really have some fun with Elf on the Shelf this year, but lack inspiration. If you have been doing it for years, you've probably run out of ideas.

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Not only does the kit give you inspiration, but it also comes with lots of little props to make creating those scenes quick and easy for you.

Just a few examples are some string to hang the elf wherever you like to keep an eye on your children. Or, you can sit your little Elf on its seat, watching over your child, ensuring they are well behaved.

This kit comes with 15 elf tools to help you create over 100 fun scenes for your child to enjoy this Christmas.

Available from: John Lewis

2. Elves Behaving Badly Rewritable Board, £3.49

– Best for giving an elf message

Elves Behaving Badly Rewritable Board

If you want your child to wake up to a cheeky message from the elf then this message board is great. You can reuse the board over and over again to write a different message each morning,

You can also let them draw, write and doodle on it themselves. The board is write-on, wipe-off so is mess free and easy to use. The kit includes a dry erase marker to write on the board.

Available from: Amazon

3. Elf on the Shelf Insta-Moment Pop-Ups (Series 2), £10.95

– Best for setting up a quick scene

elf on the shelf backgrounds

This set is brilliant for instantly setting up scenes for the Elf. There are 4 wonderful backdrops the Elf can appear in. There is Donut Shop, Spa Day and Drum Set.

Your children will love seeing the Elf in all these fun scenes, plus, bonus for you, they are super quick and easy to set up. When you're stuck for ideas, you can simply just get out one of these scenes, put your Elf in it and you're sorted. With all the different scenes, there's something for everyone.

Available from: John Lewis

4. Elf Footprints Stencil, £2.89

– Best for making it more realistic

elf-on-the-shelf-stencil

I am sure you've all heard of Santa's footprint stencils. So, why not do the same for the Elf?

These are not Elf on the Shelf branded, but nonetheless they'll make the Elf on the Shelf seem even more realistic for your child. They'll wake up, spot the footprints and think the Elf has been up to mischief.

You could hide the Elf slightly and use the footprint stencils to help guide your children to find the naughty Elf.

Available from: Amazon

5. Elf on the Shelf Glide-and-Go Prop Kit, £14.95

– Best for the last day of Elf on the Shelf

elf on the shelf glider prop

When it comes to Christmas Eve, you have the tough task of finding a way to send your Elf back to the North Pole. Your children probably don't want the Elf on the Shelf fun to end, but it must.

This parachute prop can send the Elf off, back to the North Pole. You can suspend the glider overhead or place it anywhere you like. This is a great way to end Elf on the Shelf, making your kids excited to see their favourite Elf again next year.

Available from: Amazon

6. Deluxe Naughty Elf Box of Jokes, £11.99

– Best for comedy

Hoolaroo VIP Elf Deluxe Naughty Tricks Jokes Props Box

If you want to have a laugh with Elf on the Shelf this year, these assorted naughty Elf jokes are perfect.

These jokes and pranks will help create the best Elves Behavin' Badly scenes this Christmas. After all, Christmas is all about fun and laughter.

You can prank your kids with fly in an ice cube, a creepy finger, super vomit, dog poop, spilt ketchup and many more.

Elf on the Shelf isn't just for kids to have fun, you can enjoy it too, with these fun pranks.

Available from: Whittingtons

7. The Elf on the Shelf Claus Couture Collection Sweet Tees and Suitcase Set, £12.95

– Best for dressing up

elf on the shelf accessories

If you want to switch up your Elf's outfit throughout its time at your house, this adorable trio of sweet tees is ideal.

There is an ice blue tee with 'Candy Canes Rule' graphic, a purple tee with 'It's Always Hot Cocoa Time' graphic and an aqua tee with Scout Elf and Reindeer Hug graphic.

These cute tees come with a collectible tin suitcase to store them and has a luggage tag ready to be personalised. Dress the elf however you like to make it extra special.

Available from: Amazon

8. Elf on the Shelf Letters To Santa Pack, £21.95

– Best for sending a letter to Santa

Elf on the Shelf Letters to Santa

This Elf on the Shelf Letter to Santa pack will memorise your child. Have them write a note to Santa with what they wish to get for Christmas. Then, bake it in the oven for a few minutes and the letter will shrink to a size that can be either hung upon the tree, or given to the Elf to take to the North Pole.

This interesting way to write to Santa will entertain your kids, and could create sweet memories and tree ornaments for you to keep.

The set comes with ribbon (to hang the note to the tree), Father Christmas' Special shrinking paper, 2 pens and Mrs Claus' Magic press to shrink the letter in the oven.

Available from: Boots

9. Elf on the Shelf Bubble Bath, £4

– Best for bath time

Elf on the Shelf bubble bath

This isn't necessarily an accessory for the Elf, but it'll make bath time fun and festive for your children, and your elf could "deliver" it on the day you want to use it (or perhaps take a bath in it himself). Bring Elf on the Shelf to bath time with this fun blue berry fragranced Elf on the Shelf bubble bath. You could sit the Elf in the bathroom to watch over your children in the bath and make sure they're behaving.

Available from: Boots

10. Albert Austin Dummy Camera with Fake CCTV Camera, £6.99

– Best for encouraging good behaviour

Albert Austin Dummy Camera with Fake CCTV Camera

If you want your child to truly believe Santa is watching them to see whether they should be on the naughty or nice list, you could get this fake CCTV camera to go with the Elf on the Shelf to report back to Santa.

The fake camera looks so realistic that your children will really think Santa is watching them and will be on their best behaviour up until Christmas.

It's a fun idea to keep the magic of Santa alive in a slightly more modern way.

Available from: Amazon

11. Elf on the Shelf Tonie Figure, £14.99

- Best for bedtime stories

elf on the shelf tonies figure

If you have a Toniebox, you can pick up an adorable Elf on the Shelf Tonies figure complete with stories, songs and more. Not sure you if you should pick up a Toniebox or a Yoto Player?

Check out our Yoto vs Tonies comparison for a detailed breakdown of both audio players to help you decide which to buy this Christmas.

Available from: Olivers BabyCare, Tonies, Natural Baby Shower

12. Elf on The Shelf Wooden Activity Props & Accessories Kit, £4.79

- Best sustainable props

wooden elf on the shelf props

Looking for props that will last for plenty of Christmases to come? This wooden kit includes a range of fun and creative props including a footprint stencil, a noughts and crosses game and a bunch of signs for your elf to hold.

Perfect if you're looking to reduce your plastic waste this Christmas.

Available from: Amazon

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How did we choose our 10 of the Best?

When testing and selecting the best Elf on the Shelf props and accessories we considered value, creativity and of course, fun.

Our 10 of the Best lists are compiled by qualified and experienced parenting journalists. They rely on a number of sources, including our independent reviews, testing undertaken during the MadeForMums Awards, and feedback from our home testing panel and Top Testers Club. Each year thousands of products are put through their paces by hundreds of parents across the country on behalf of MadeForMums, to ensure we’re bringing you honest and true reviews and recommendations.

Our list is not an ordered ranking from 1-10, instead it is a carefully selected group of tried-and-tested products, each of which we believe is best for a different situation or requirement. We don't just tell you what is best, we help you discover what is best for your family.

About the author

Chloe is a Digital Reviews Writer and Coordinator for Immediate Media's Parenting team, specialising in household and trying to help parents save money. She researches and writes articles, recommending the best products, ranging from best cordless vacuums to best playpens. She has a First-Class Honours Psychology degree where she developed a strong interest in child development.

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Authors

Picture of Chloe Brightwell
Chloe BrightwellDigital Reviews Writer and Coordinator

Chloe is a Digital Reviews Writer and Coordinator for Immediate Media's Parenting team, specialising in household and trying to help parents save money. She researches and writes articles, recommending the best products, ranging from best cordless vacuums to best playpens. She has a First-Class Honours Psychology degree where she developed a strong interest in child development. During her teenage years she worked as a play worker and Brownie volunteer to support children's play.

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