The holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to make your Elf on the Shelf experience magical, fun, and stress-free! If you’re looking for easy and creative ideas that will delight your kids without requiring a lot of prep time, you’ve come to the right place.
Elf on the Shelf is our favorite holiday tradition and our elf, Trixie, is always extra fun and a little bit naughty. Over the years I’ve shared over 100 ideas. I am putting them all together here in one place for you. From Elf on the Shelf ideas for toddlers to Elf on the Shelf ideas for teens, I’ve got you covered. The best part is that they are all super easy to recreate.
I made up a rule for myself that I call the RULE OF 5’s. Each setup shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes or cost more than $5 in supplies to create. There has been the rare occasion that I haven’t follow it, but 99% of these ideas are in fact that easy to put together and usually using items you already have at home.
Why Elf on the Shelf?
The Elf on the Shelf tradition brings joy, excitement, and a little bit of mischief into your home. For those who are new to the concept, the Elf is sent from the North Pole to observe children’s behavior. Each night, the elf reports back to Santa in the North Pole and when they return to your home they find a new spot to surprise your little ones with fun antics. It’s a great way to engage kids with the Christmas spirit and create lasting memories. My daughter wakes up so happy each morning to search for Trixie.
Here’s a couple of things you should know before you start. The timeline can vary, but commonly your elf arrives either the day after Thanksgiving or December 1st. Then on Christmas morning your elf is gone. The elf moves every night, but don’t feel overwhelmed if you don’t have a grand idea. Sometimes a little move or just a silly little note turns it into something super exciting. I have so many simple Elf on the Shelf ideas in this post that take less than a minute.
When our elf arrives and leaves she has a little door. You don’t need this, but it’s a nice touch. Some people leave it up the whole time the elf is around so it’s the entry point. I put it up only on the first day and last day. Here are a couple fairy door kits available on Amazon that you can click on: kit 1, kit 2 and kit 3.
In this post, I’m sharing over 100 Elf on the Shelf ideas that are simple to replicate, ensuring you can keep the Christmas magic alive without a hassle. Plus, each idea comes with a helpful picture and any information you need to know so you can spend less time planning and more time enjoying the holiday season with your family.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through my links, at no additional cost to you.
100+ Easy and Fun Elf on the Shelf Ideas
Let’s get started with 100+ simple Elf on the Shelf ideas that you can replicate without stress. Whether you’re new to the tradition or a seasoned pro, these ideas are perfect for every home. I apologize in advance for the watermark on each photo, but I have seen my Elf on the Shelf photos taken way too many times in the past.
#1 Switched Stockings for Underwear
Our elf removed each of our stockings and placed them on the floor. She then replaced each of our stockings with that persons underwear.
#2 Stuck in the TV
This is perfect for a travel day so you can put away your elf or pack it to go! It is a continuous YouTube video that plays so all you have to do it turn it on and let it play and the elf doesn’t need to be there.
#3 New Eye Pad (iPad)
All kids love their iPad and our elf is really funny, so she added a bunch of googly eyes to a notepad to make our daughter a new Eye Pad.
What you need: pack of googly eyes, any notepad and a message board or even a little note will do (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home)
#4 Ninja Turtles
Our elf turned green apples into Ninja turtles. She used latex balloons she cut up to fit around the apples, but construction paper would have worked just fine too, then added on some googly eyes.
What you need: pack of googly eyes, green apples, a pack of colorful balloons (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home)
#5 Photo Copies
Our elf had a friend for the night so they decided to create some memories on the photo copy part of our printer. Our printer was out of ink causing the discoloration, but we went with it. They created different poses and left the copies all over the floor next to the machine, while they sat next to it.
#6 Toilet Paper Roll on the Staircase
Our elf rolled down the stairs in a roll of toilet paper. The paper is going down the entire staircase and the elf is inside the tube at the bottom of the stairs.
#7 Butt Brush
Our elf confused my daughter’s toothbrush for a butt brush and left a funny note. I used a spare toothbrush so she could still use hers that day. Remember you can’t touch the elf. Also, I used clear hair ties to attach it. I use clear hair ties all the time. If you don’t own a pack, they’re worth having because you will use them a lot. The note reads “I borrowed your butt brush!”
What you need: a toothbrush, clear hair ties to attach it and a note (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home).
#8 Painted Dad’s Toenails
If dad is willing to participate this one gets big laughs and doesn’t cost anything to create! Our elf borrowed a bottle of nail polish, any color will do, but hot pink seemed best! She then included the message board we always use (but a note is fine as well) and the message board reads “I left your dad a funny treat! Go find him now and look at his feet! HAHAHA”
What you need: nail polish and a message board or even a little note will do (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home)
#9 Sack Race
This is a spin on our potato sack race, but since they’re small they’re using brown paper bags. Our elf recruited a few friends to race with.
What you need: a few plushy friends and brown paper bags (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon)
#10 S’mores
Our elf is making S’mores by sitting on a flipped over coffee mug and using a toothpick and mini marshmallows to roast them over a candle.
What you need: a coffee mug, toothpick, mini marshmallows and a candle (you should have all of this at home)
#11 Lock Screen Selfie
Our elf took a selfie with our daughter while she was sleeping and then saved it as the lock screen on a phone (you could also do this on an iPad or computer), then she sat on the shelf in the kitchen next to the phone displaying the photo on the screen. I used the clear hair ties I always use to put the elf’s hand up covering her mouth like she’s surprised.
What you need: a phone or iPad and clear hair ties that you should have because you will use all the time (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home)
#12 Fishing
Goldfish snacks are perfect for a fishing day. I used a fishing rod from the Lets Go Fishing game we have, but any stick like a chopstick with a rope tied to it would work too. Fill the sink with water and put some goldfish crackers in. Do not leave them overnight because they will get soggy. I found out the hard way. Add the crackers in the morning.
What you need: Goldfish crackers and a fishing rod (you can make it out of stick and rope or we got this one from our board game Lets Go Fishing), and some clear hair ties to connect the hands to the fishing rod (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home)
#13 Fairy Wings
Save this one for a lost tooth day! The day my daughter lost a tooth the tooth fairy visited us as well. Here I just used a sheet of white printer paper that I folded up then fanned out and my favorite clear hair ties yet again. I used the clear hair ties to attach both arms to the wings like a backpack, then added the note on the message board, but a note would work as well. The message board reads “I met the tooth fairy and she taught me how to make fairy wings.”
What you need: White printer paper, clear hair ties and a message board or just a note (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home)
#14 Caught an Intruder
We were traveling with family so there were 2 elves in the house that night. Well ours wasn’t expecting another elf so she caught the intruder and left a note. She used painters tape to tape the second elf to a window. This would work well with a new toy or doll as well.
What you need: painters tape and a message board or a note (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home)
#15 Book Tower
Our elf decided to do some reading. She made a tower out of hard books and as at the top reading another book. She stacked the books to create the tower right by our bookshelf.
What you need: a lot of hardcover books
#16 Crayons into Skittles
Our elf did some magic so we could Taste the Rainbow. She put crayons on a grater while sitting next to it and coming out from the grater were Skittles. The message board next to her says “Taste the Rainbow”.
What you need: Crayons, a bag of Skittles, a grater and a message board or a note (click on each item to purchase it from Amazon, but you likely have something that’ll work at home)
#17 I C U P
If you have a young child I am sure you have heard the joke where they ask you to spell I Cup. Well our elf took it a step further and put sticker letters on the toilet lid. She put I C U P and is sitting on top of the toilet.
What you need: Sticker letters or you can cut them out on a cricut or by hand and tape them to the toilet (I used letters I had leftover from an easter basket but I linked some sticker letters from Amazon, just click on the link)
#18 Happy Face Peppers
The elf cut bell peppers in half and added googly eyes to make them look like happy faces. I left them in the fridge so they would last through the night. I had to use little apples behind them to prop them up.
What you need: pack of googly eyes and bell peppers (googly eyes get used often, they are worth purchasing… click on it and it’ll take you directly to Amazon to buy them if you don’t have them yet)
#19 U Tube
This one is so easy and got a great reaction. Sit the elf in front of an empty toilet paper tube with a U drawn on it. Here it’s all about the message. My message board says “Why do you like U Tube so much?” which is a funny play on YouTube that our kids all love.
What you need: an empty toilet paper roll, a sharpie or marker to draw the U on it and a message board or note to leave beside it
#20 Elf Portrait
All you need is some paper and something to color with and you’re going to draw an elf. If you want to add a note it would be cute to write “I drew an Elf Portrait” kinda like a self portrait but for an elf.
#21 Mask Hammock
My most viral elf photo ever! If you’ve searched elf on the shelf ideas you have probably seen this photo that I took a couple years ago. It’s a favorite because it’s so easy to recreate. I’m sure we all have disposable masks hanging around from 2020 and here’s a perfect way to use one. I cut the straps and tied them around a chandelier to turn it into an elf hammock. It would also work hanging on your Christmas tree.
#22 Floating in the Pool
Here you can use any cup floaty. They’re the perfect size to sit an elf in and they have a bottom so the elf doesn’t get wet. We live in Florida so there’s always a pool available, but you can recreate this in a bathtub or even a sink, so long as there’s water you can put your elf on a floaty.
What you need: drink floaty – this pack has a flamingo instead of a unicorn but it also has a duck that I used in another idea (if you click on it it’ll take you directly to Amazon to purchase it)
#23 Banana Bread
Our elf loves a play on words with a message sign. Here you’re going to put a slice of bread with a banana on top and a sign saying you made banana bread.
What you need: sliced bread, a banana, and a message board or note to leave beside it
#24 (Piggy) Bank Robber
You’re going open your kids piggy bank and leave some coins thrown on the floor and then using black electrical tape you make a mask. I cut out 2 little holes for the eyes and put it on my elf. You caught your elf red handed being a (piggy) bank robber.
What you need: a piggy bank, some coins and electrical tape (you can purchase it from that link, but you probably have something at home that’ll work)
#25 Doing the Floss
If you’re familiar with the dance the floss, here is another play on words. Our elf is tangled up in dental floss with the message board reading ” I think I did the floss wrong”.
What you need: dental floss and a message board or a note
#26 Undie Ornaments
Sometimes our elf is slightly inappropriate, which gets some big laughs. Here she redecorated our Christmas tree my hanging my daughters underwear as ornaments.
#27 Googly Eye Fruit
Googly eyes are great for elf ideas. Here we just added googly eyes to all of the fruit in our fruit basket that day.
What you need: pack of googly eyes (they’re worth having a pack of for your elf)
#28 Rock Climbing
I turned my fridge into a rock climbing wall using gift wrap bows and just put the elf’s legs and arms into the bows for stability.
What you need: a pack of bows
#29 Don’t Swallow Bubblegum
This one is super funny. You need a pink balloon that you’ll blow up and attach to the elf’s bum and a pack of bubble gum. Then add a note that says don’t swallow bubblegum.
What you need: a pink balloon and a pack of pink bubble gum
#30 Apple Watch
This is another play on words. You’re going to get an apple and draw a clock on it with a sharpie. Then you’ll get a white sheet of paper and draw a watch band. The apple sits on top of the paper to make it look like a watch. You can cut the apple in half to sit flat on the paper, but since I set it up the night before I didn’t want it to turn brown so I left it whole. Then you’ll add the sign saying “I got you an apple watch”
What you need: a sheet of white paper, black marker, an apple
#31 Gymnastics with the Barbies
My daughter loves gymnastics and has the whole set of gymnast Barbies, so her elf decided to participate. I hung her upside down on the bars and used another clear elastic hair tie to tie her leg so she wouldn’t fall. It doesn’t have to be gymnastics, but if you have any activity for dolls you can let your elf participate.
What you need: balance beam Barbie and bars Barbie
#32 Popcorn Mess
On the day our elf arrived, she left an I’m back sign and made some popcorn. She stayed in the microwave with it open and the popcorn is in a bowl and spilling out all over the microwave door and even on the floor.
#33 Fruit Car Race
Our elf turned fruit into race cars and decided to race some Barbies. This would be great if you have multiple elves as well. Each car is made up of 4 cuties tangerines (for the wheels) and 1 banana (the body of the car). Then stagger them and sit dolls on them for the race.
What you need: 4 oranges and 1 banana per car and some dolls or Barbies to race your elf
#34 Let’s Paint
My daughter loves her bath paints, so her elf decided to do a little art. She left all the bath paints out in the shower and she sat in the rinse cup. The reason for this is that we were able to remove our elf at bath time without touching her so that my daughter could take a bath and play with her paints.
What you need: bath paints and rinse cup or any cup will do
#35 Sick Day
Sometimes we all have a sick day. I saved this for when my daughter was home sick and apparently her elf got sick too. I just put the elf in bed in her Barbie house and added some sick day essentials.
What you need: a doll bed, medicine, thermometer and tissues
#36 Hiding in the Fridge
This one will take longer to find in the morning, but it’s so easy and fun. Wrap you elf in a dish towel to keep warm and put her in the fridge door.
What you need: a hand or dish towel
#37 Ginger Bread House
This is an easy and fun play on words your kid will love this holiday season. It’s basic kitchen ingredients used to build a house of bread around the bottle of ginger. You can also use a real piece of ginger, but it might be harder to get the bread to stay upright without the support of the bottle.
What you need: bottle of powdered ginger, 3 slices of bread and a message board or a note
#38 Funny Words on the Easel
What kid doesn’t laugh at the word butt or something similar? Our elf painted the word BUTT over and over again on her easel. You can easily do this on a coloring book, sketch pad or anything laying around. Just pick a slightly inappropriate word that’ll make them laugh and write it over and over again.
What you need: an easel or any surface to write on and crayons or markers
#39 Climbing Trees
What house doesn’t have a tree as holiday decor? Pick any tree and have your elf climb it. Having the elf play on your holiday decor will definitely bring a chuckle.
What you need: Any holiday decor tree
#40 Spa Day
Elves love a spa day too! Our elf decided to make her own bubble bath in our kitchen using mini marshmallows and a pot.
What you need: any kitchen pot, some mini marshmallows and an elf robe
#41 Fresh OJ
Trixie was in the mood for a refreshing drink, but she doesn’t understand how it works. She stuck a straw right into an orange for some fresh orange juice. I put her in a bowl to keep her upright and everything close together.
What you need: an orange and a straw
#42 Snowy Day
This is a fun one, especially since I live in Miami where there is never any snow. Our elf brought back some snow and added in some friends to create a fun play space for my daughter. She played with it all afternoon.
What you need: a baking dish, some small toys (I used Paw Patrol dogs we have), some small bottle brush trees and fake snow
#43 Swing
This one is easy peasy and so cute. You create a swing from an empty roll of toilet paper with a ribbon going through it. You can suspend it from a doorway or anywhere you desire. I put it on my banner because it was super easy to tie there and our elf was able to lean against the wall. I tied our elf down to the toilet paper roll with another piece of ribbon making it look like a seatbelt and used clear hair ties to attach the hands to the ribbon.
What you need: toilet paper roll (empty), clear hair ties and a ribbon
#44 Fort Slumber Party
Our elf made a fort and invite a bunch of friends to join her for a slumber party. Pick a bunch of toys such as dolls or stuffed animals and lay them all together on the blanket on the floor for a slumber party under the fort they built.
What you need: chairs, a bedsheet, a blanket for the floor and dolls or stuffed animal (the friends)
#45 Lip Stick Art
Leave a message on their bathroom mirror in a dark colored lipstick. Our elf went with I love you but it can be a drawing or any little message.
What you need: a bright or dark colored lipstick
#46 Game Night
Looks like our elf had a game night! She pulled out a game and invited some friends to play. It can be any board game and any dolls, barbies or stuffed animals will work as the friends.
What you need: any board game and a few stuffed animals to play with
#47 Hiding with Silverware
Save this for the weekend or a morning that you’re not in a hurry because it will take a long time to find! I closed the drawer, but if you have younger children and don’t want them to get frustrated you can definitely leave the drawer open or at least cracked open.
What you need: NOTHING!
#48 Celebrating a Milestone
Coincidentally the day after Thanksgiving (which is the day our elf always returns) was also my daughter’s half birthday. We never celebrate that but I figured it would be a fun way to welcome the elf back. We set up a little 1/2 birthday celebration and she brought a note along with some candles in some muffins we had at home. You can celebrate any milestone like this… a birthday, half birthday, big win, good grade, etc.
What you need: 1/2 birthday banner and candles
#49 Toilet Paper ROLL
Our elf had a playdate because my niece was over so we had 2 elves for the night. They thought toilet paper rolls were for ROLLING around the house. You don’t need a 2nd elf for this. It can easily be done with a barbie or toy instead.
What you need: toilet paper roll
#50 Astronaut
Our elf left a message board saying “I love you to the moon and back” and she used aluminum foil to create a space suit turning herself into an astronaut.
What you need: aluminum foil and a message board or a note
The page has too many photos to load properly all on one page, so I had to split it into 2 posts. Continue to see 50+ more easy peasy Elf on the Shelf ideas.
