24 easy Elf on the Shelf ideas for Christmas 2024
In need of inspiration for simple, funny and last-minute Elf on the Shelf scenarios? We've compiled a list of ideas for each day from Elf's arrival to when he leaves on Christmas Eve, plus even more options in case you've already done them before. They can all be created from everyday household items and are guaranteed to thrill your child this advent.
For some of us, the run-up to Christmas means 24 days of Elf on the Shelf mischief before the all-important visit from Santa. And while it's a lovely, magical tradition, it can come with its, er, creative challenges. If you're looking for some easy, last-minute Elf on the Shelf ideas to keep the elfish antics going until 24th December, you've come to the right place.
We've got some great, time-saving Elf on the Shelf ideas your child will love, created by parents just like you in our Made For Mums Top Testers Club. All of the ideas use household items including toys, food, utensils and, of course, more than a smidgen of festive imagination.
Easy, last-minute Elf on the Shelf ideas: one a day from 1 to 24 December
December 1st: Elf's arrival
Pic: aguidingmother
Is it a plane? Is it a bird? No, it’s Elf! If you want to make a real splash when Elf first arrives, what better way to do it than have Elf parachuting into the room? All you need is a regulation paper face mask (have a dig around in the back of the cupboard for leftover masks from lockdown) or a piece of fabric and some white thread to hang Elf and the parachute from.
Other brilliant ideas from our Top Testers Club mums for the 1st December include an elf arriving in a very stylish hot air balloon (this could easily be created with a leftover party balloon and any small basket or tub you have lying around). Or, keep it really simple like mum Amy and have elf arrive on the first day with an advent calendar to kick off the big countdown to Christmas.
December 2nd: The snow-Elf
Aww, how cute is this? Grab some toilet rolls and pop your Elf in them to make it look as though he's hiding out in a snowman costume. You can draw 'buttons' on with black felt pen and stick a bit of orange card on or use an orange felt tip for a nose. Snow good!
December 3rd: Elf's a bit tied up just now
Pic: Ed_koo
If you've got LEGO figures (or any other small toys), a building base board and some string or ribbon, you can quickly create a scenario where Elf's got all tied up Gulliver's Travels-style by other toys.
Seen these? Best Elf on the Shelf accessories.
Our Elf on the Shelf ideas can be put together with things you’ll probably have around the house. But, if you’re thinking of buying some extra props, we've picked some brilliant ones...December 4th: Sporty elf
If you have a little one who is obsessed with a certain sport, then they'll be delighted to see Elf on the Shelf playing their favourite game! This should be an easy one because the props will be readily available around the house from your child's hobby. Bonus points for setting up your child's teddies as spectators like this well-attended foot (snow)ball match above!
December 5th: Elf up the tree
Dead simple, this one, but winningly silly: just hide Elf among the Christmas decorations. Your kids might take a while to find him but, once they spot him on the tree, they'll be all smiles. This naughty little elf has even stolen some of the kids' pants and hung them up as decorations too.
December 6th: Elf finds the nail polish
Pic: funnyelfideas
So simple, but so good… Grab any nail polish you can find, paint dad's (or your) toenails and write a cheeky note from Elf confessing to the act.
December 7th: Elf gets into training
Pic: Adopt.an.elf
Well, obviously, if you're helping Santa with all those presents, you need to be fit. Get Elf workout-ready by popping a marshmallow on either end of a toothpick, lying Elf down on his back, bending his arms and wrapping his hands around the toothpick. If you're feeling extra-creative, you can mark the marshmallows with their 'weight' (eg: 5kg) to show how heavy Elf can bench-press.
December 8th: A grate idea for a naughty Elf
We've got a few 'grate' ideas above because most people have a grater at home and you can get up to some real fun using it. For the first idea you can use actual cash or toy money from a board game. Or, if you don't mind chocolate at breakfast, some chocolate coins would obviously go down a treat. Make it look as though Elf is turning the notes into coins by getting him to 'hold' the notes and placing the coins around the base of the grater.
The carrot grating idea will really tickle your child's imagination when they work out that the carrot is a rejected snowman nose!
Finally, if you have a cuddly snowman, or another white or pink cuddly toy, put it by the grater and place marshmallows the same colour as your chosen toy's fabric to make it look as though Elf has been grating him.
December 9th: Elf goes climbing
You'll need to grab some string and some drawing pins for this one (unless you already have hooks in the walls) to make it look as though Elf's doing a sneaky, high-level rope traverse across the room. If you have a reindeer you could include, too, so much the better. Just make sure they're wrapped around the string securely enough (a bit of sticky tape might help here) that there's no chance of them falling off before the kids see them!
December 10th: Elf does red nose day
This is a really fun one. Pop a red 'nose' on your Elf in the form of a small red craft pompom, and give him a sign that says 'clowning around' or similar. Then, when your children are fast asleep, dot their nose with (skin-friendly) red facepaint. They'll be so surprised when they see their face in the mirror in the morning...
December 11th: Elf makes snow angels
All you need for this one is a handful of flour. Sprinkle a patch of flour on a worktop or other hard surface, then place Elf on top of it and move his arms (and legs) to make the snow-angel pattern. Write your child's name in the flour for extra excitement.
December 12th: Elf's been snacking
Pic: Claire from our Top Testers Club
Elf does get the midnight munchies. Smear chocolate spread around Elf's mouth (peanut butter or jam would work just as well) and pose him holding the jar. Just remember to clean him up ready for tomorrow's activities...
December 13th: Elf's egg choir
Pic: Adopt.an.elf
Look at this music maestro! Find a pen, some sticky tape, a toothpick and a box of eggs. Draw singing faces onto the eggs with your pen – you can get all creative with the expressions – then tape the toothpick to Elf’s hand and position him in the egg-box lid, ready to conduct his eggy choir. If you don't have eggs in the house, you could use other small, round, smooth-surfaced props, such as mandarins or ping pong balls.
December 14th: Prehistoric Elf on the Shelf
Anyone with a dinosaur mad son or daughter will find this next Elf of the Shelf set-up a breeze. Simply grab some of your child's favourite dinosaurs and create a fun scene with them and the Elf. Depending on your child it could be gruesome, with your Elf being chomped on by a T-Rex or something a little less scary like the elf feeding the dinosaurs from a safe height.
December 15th: Elf saddles up
If you have a toy reindeer/ any animal that can be ridden, why not let Elf ride it one morning? Add a line of little helpers behind elf using your child's favourite toys like these Bluey characters and Duplo zoo animals above. Make it extra funny by adding a pile of "reindeer poo" behind the main Elf made from small chocolate buttons!
December 16th: Elf gets nice and toasty
It's cold outside in December and Elf is looking for ways to warm up. What better way to get "toasty" than by wrapping up in a piece of toast! Kids will find this play on words from their silly elf really funny, and it's super simple for parents to create as a last-minute, before-bed set-up.
December 17th: Elf gets stuck!
Pic: Adopt.an.elf
We can’t believe we haven’t tried this one before… Stick your Elf into the nozzle of your Hoover, write a little "Help!’ note to go with it – and job done.
December 18th: Elf's a bit chilly!
For extra excitement over breakfast hide Elf in the fridge and ask your children to get the milk for you! We love the idea on the left where the milk has turned into a monster who has tied poor Elf up! Or keep it simple and give elf a jumper to keep him warm while he waits for the kids to find him.
December 19th: Elf gets creative with the Christmas tree
This one's a doddle! Simply wrap toilet roll or wrapping paper loosely around your tree to show what that naughty Elf has been up to in the night. The Elf/Grinch on the right has even tried to make the tree look like the poo emoji that kids love with a naughty 'Happy Poopmas' sign!
December 20th: Elf goes bananas
Make it look as though your Elf has been getting carried away with a biro. Draw silly faces on bananas, line them up beside Elf and stick the biro in his hands. This idea can work with oranges or satsumas too. Or if you have one, dress up Elf in a mini banana outfit and hide him amongst the bunch for your kids to find.
December 21st: Elf has a snowball fight
Sweets lend themselves brilliantly to Elf on the Shelf props, and marshmallows (big and small) are some of the most versatile (as you can see from our weight-lifting and snow-grating ideas, earlier on). Here, they make a defence wall and snowballs in a festive battle with other toys.
December 22nd: Elf throws a pool party
Pic: _samanthabull_ on Instagram
Did someone say pool party?! Rustle up all the bath toys and create Elf's very own watery fiesta of fun. We think the more guests and inflatables, the better!
December 23rd: Elf climbs up the tinsel
Chances are as it's Christmas you'll have plenty of tinsel or festive swags lying around that can be used as simple props for a fun Elf on the Shelf idea. By December 23rd you'll be running thin on time and creative ideas, but kids will love seeing elf saving a pal with a tinsel rope or having fun rope climbing on the fireplace.
December 24th: Elf delivers the Christmas Eve boxes
Do you do Christmas Eve boxes for your children? If so, a simple idea for the last day of Elf on the Shelf could be to have him/ her deliver the boxes full of lovely goodies to kick off the festivities. They'll be so wowed by their boxes they won't even have time to be sad that Elf on the Shelf has finished for another year!
Already done some of those ideas above? Here are 14 more brilliant Elf on the Shelf ideas to try:
Elf family photo fun
Let Elf have some fun adding moustaches and hats with a wipeable pen to one of your family photos. Or print out some pics of everyone in the family, cut out their heads and make simple elf bodies using red and white card. Then stick them on shelf and pop your Elf next to them so he looks like part of the family.
Elf makes eggs for breakfast
Let Elf help out in the kitchen by making breakfast... a rather naughty breakfast of Haribo eggs! Kids will find this a very funny and tasty Elf on the Shelf idea and it's really easy to do for parents.
Elf gets Frozen
Pic: tiffgerling
If your child loves all things Frozen, why not bring some icy fun to Elf on the Shelf by making it look as though Elsa has frozen Elf? Pop Elf in a beaker or cup and add a small amount of water. Pop the beaker or cup in the freezer overnight and then get it out in the morning for all to see the icy situation Elf's in.
Elf visits a Kit-Kat ski lodge
Pic: Jennifer Basa and redcarpetstorunnynoses
This is a bit of a 'wow factor' idea but we love it. Grab some Kit-Kats and build a ski lodge for Elf. Use the KitKats whole, and sprinkle icing sugar on for a full 'snow' effect. And eat later, obviously...
I'm a rocket elf
An out of this world Elf on the Shelf idea for anyone who loves all things space and planets! Wrap Elf up in tin foil to make him look like an astronaut and then hang him from a light using string. Print out some planets and blu tack them to the ceiling to finish the look. Make it a learning opportunity by quizzing kids on which planet is which!
Elf's snowman has melted
Oh dear, poor Elf. He tried to bring a snowman from the North Pole inside but it melted! A fun and easy idea that will delight kids and also give them a little lesson in snow turning into water when it's too warm.
Elf's gone out
Pic: Gemma from our Top Testers Club
Your Elf might not always stay home; sometimes they like an outdoor adventure! For this one, pop Elf in the car once the kids are asleep, for them to discover later, and then use spray-on snow to create the silhouette of a disappeared Elf, like in our picture (above). You can make a little cut-out Elf from card or paper and spray the snow around it or, if you don't mind a little snow on your Elf, hold him down and spray around him. Then use your finger or a thin paintbrush to write, "Gone out for a drive" in the snow.
I'm A Celebrity Elf... Get Me Out Of Here!
Pic: Lyndsey from our Top Testers Club
If your family love watching I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! why not use any little creepy-crawly toys you have lying around – spiders, snakes, anything left over from Halloween – to make it look as though your Elf is making his escape from the jungle? Use straw or shredded-paper packing material, if you have it, to create a jungle-floor look underneath.
Elf gets arty
Elf fancies himself as a bit of a Vincent Van Elf! Unleash your creative side with this family portrait idea where Elf creates portraits of everyone in the family (funny or realistic, you choose) and then asks the kids to do their own.
Super Elf!
Everyone loves a superhero so when Super Elf flies into the house it'll go down a treat, especially if they arrive with candy canes like this one above. You could easily draw a mask on Elf using felt tips and any material could be used for a cape.
Smarty pants Elf
Most children under 10 find pants absolutely hilarious and they're a really easy prop to use when you're running out of Elf on the Shelf ideas. Let Elf play with words by sprinkling Smarties over some clean pants and having a sign saying "Smartie Pants" or simply stick some pants to the wall or fridge and have Elf sit in them for kids to find.
Elf gets tangled up
Pic: doityourelf
A super-easy idea that just needs fairy lights or tinsel. Hang them over a door handle with Elf tangled up in them. Classic Elf getting up to his old tricks!
Double trouble Elf
If you have a home office, let Elf loose on the scanner! Elf can create a funny copy using the scanner and then be trapped under the lid for children to find and rescue.
Elf decorates the joint on his last day
Pic: _samanthabull_ on Instagram
For a scenic send-off for your Elf, why not set up a pretty Winter Wonderland in his little area, with paper snowflakes and a few extra decorations? You can go to town on this one and make it look as arty, colourful and glitzy as you like. Use a range of hanging decorations, keep it cheap and cheerful with handmade snowflakes or buy pre-made snowflakes to make it a real 'Insta'-worthy farewell.
Illustration: Jordan Edmonds-Moore
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