Elf on the Shelf

This is our first year taking part in the Elf on the Shelf. Meet our elf, Buddy!

On the 1st of December Buddy made his first appearance. He had left advent calendars for us and a note to Kory explaining who he is, where he’s from and why he’s here. (Basically he’s one of Santa’s elves and Santa has sent him to come stay with us so that him and Kory can have lots of festive fun together and he can also use his magic to go back to The North Pole each night to tell Santa whether Kory has been naughty or nice.) Having never done this before, I thought we were off to a pretty good start!

Today, we went downstairs to see that Buddy had been making snow angels!

It’s only day 2 and I’m already running out of ideas of what to do next with this elf! So after looking online, I came across lots of great Elf on the Shelf ideas that I thought I’d share with you. 24 elf ideas to be exact, so that if you too are taking part in the Elf on the Shelf this year, you won’t be stuck like I was!

Here goes:

• Place a piece of paper next to your elf that reads ‘can you find all 12 candy canes?’ And then hide candy canes around the house for your child to find.
• Leave notes/letters from your elf for your child to read. There are lots of free printables online or you could choose to write your own. (Certificate, Arrival letter, goodbye letter, ect.)
• Place your elf on the couch with the remote and a bowl of popcorn.
• If you have a dog, put your elf next to the dogs bowl, make it look like he’s been eating the biscuits and leave a note saying ‘worst cookies ever! Do not leave out for Santa!’ Lol
• Start a jigsaw, leave it unfinished and sit your elf beside it. Encourage your child to help finish the puzzle.
• Put your elf inside a glass with a card that reads ‘HELP.’
• Leave a gingerbread house kit with your elf and a piece of paper that reads ‘do you want to build a gingerbread house?’
• Leave a packet of reindeer food with your elf for your child to use.
• Place your elf next to everything you need to make Christmas cards and a note that reads ‘Let’s make Christmas cards.’
• Leave a colouring book or some colouring pages and crayons with your elf.
• Place a treat (donut, lolly, chocolate, ect) on a plate in front of your elf and a note that reads ‘I made this for you, Santa said you have been good. Keep it up!’
• Cover your elf in stickers and leave a note beside it saying. ‘Stickers are fun!’
• Stuff your elf inside a glass jar and write a letter that says ‘I have stuffed myself in this tight spot so you can carry me around for the day. Don’t pop the lid because I will fall out and lose my magic. I am excited to see what you show me today.’
• Place an open book in front of your elf, what have they been reading?
• Leave your elf in front of your child’s packed lunch with a note that reads ‘I made you lunch.’
• Leave a baking kit besides your elf with a note that reads ‘do you wanna bake some _____.’
• Let your elf present a new book you’ve bought for your child to them by leaving the book beside the elf with a note that reads ‘I’ve bought a book for you!’
• Put your elf on the back of a toy dinosaur.
• Stick wrapping paper and cello tape over your elf, make it look like they’ve been wrapping presents for Santa.
• Put your elf on strike for bad behaviour.
• Make it look like your elf is trying to climb up the Christmas tree.
• Put your elf on the potty!
• Put your elf inside a toilet roll tube and roll them down the stairs.
• Set up an ‘elf car wash’ by placing lots of toy cars in front of your elf and a sponge.

Are you taking part in the Elf on the Shelf this year? Are you a first timer like myself? I hope you find these Elf on the Shelf ideas to be helpful… What has your elf been up to?