24 Simple Elf on a Shelf ideas!

Last year I joined in with a much-loved tradition called Elf on a Shelf. This tradition only became known to me around November of 2013 and I immediately bought one and I could not wait for him to arrive.

Once he did and the first of December fell, we had so much fun he & I, his name was Tinsel and we had 24 nights of glorious elf mischief to entertain the children with.

A Christmas tradition

24 Simple Elf on the Shelf ideas

Assigned by the big man himself to watch over the children to make sure they remain off the naughty list and on the nice one. I love this Elf on a Shelf idea and the magic this tradition has re-instilled into my children.

When they wake in the mornings I could hear them running around the house looking for Tinsels most recent antics! I cannot wait to do that again this year, so I have put together a list that may be of use to you! 24 simple Elf on a Shelf ideas.

Elf antics here we come…

1. Present the children with a North Pole breakfast, introducing them to their little Family scout elf all the way from the North Pole.

2. Make little message cards asking them to do nice things, such as pick up after themselves.

3. Leave them messages to find in the morning using cheerios, m&ms etc.

4. Dress your elf up in whatever you can imagine and leave a note for the children telling them he/she had been to a fancy dress party as they slept!

5. Buy some magic snow, build a snowman and place both him and the elf in the fridge, side by side. SO cute!!

6. Snowball {Marshmallow} fight with other toys!

7. Draw moustaches on the upper lips of your sleeping babes, and leave your elf on the mantle holding a pen and sitting next to a mirror asking the children to look at their reflection.

8. Hide candy canes around the house and leave a message with the elf telling the children to go find them.

9. Gather ingredients and leave the elf with a note for the children to bake up some festive treats.

10. Put your elf on strike if the children aren’t behaving! Telling them he’ll resume his mischief and fun once they behave 😉 I love this one!!

11. Spell out “Brush your teeth” in toothpaste in the bathroom sink and have your elf holding the toothpaste.

Super simple and fun Elf on the shelf ideas!

12. Put googly eyes on EVERYTHING in your fridge, even your elf with a little message saying “I have my eyes on you” – love this one too, a little creepy I confess, but fun!!

13. Place your elf on your tree with a message telling the children that he/she has hidden a handful of decorations in the living room for them to find!

14. Wrap your Christmas tree in a toilet roll, with a mischievous elf underneath it.

15. Add a few drops of food colouring to your milk, and place the elf next to it. I did this last year and my kids still talk about it!

16. Fill a dish with marshmallows and let your elf enjoy a nice relaxing, fluffy bath. You can even make him/her a little makeshift towel for his hat to stay dry!

17. Get an empty loo roll, some string and make your elf a little swing and hang it from the top of a door frame.

18. Place him under the tree with a few of his toys friends, all having a slumber party as they snooze in the socks of the children.

19. Cover the kitchen in pretty Christmas bows. All the kitchen cupboards, the fridge, everywhere and sit your elf on top of it all admiring his handy work.

Scavenger hunts, secret messages and growing candy canes…

20. Create a scavenger hunt leading to mischief or a present.

21. Hang the children’s underwear all over the Christmas tree!

22. Write a secret message to the kids! {Candle wax and leave them a little pot of paint and brush to reveal the message!}

23. Plant some magic elf seeds {tic tacs} in sugar and have the kids wait until morning to see what grew! {Candy canes!}

24. Present the children with a Christmas eve basket! Fill it with hot chocolates, a Christmas movie to watch before bed, new PJs and don’t forget a little goodbye note from your elf himself! 

More Christmas ideas & Free Printables

If you enjoyed this post with 24 easy Elf on the Shelf ideas, then you might also enjoy the following posts: Christmas Eve Box Ideas & Free Christmas Letter Templates.

So in just a few short weeks, the mischief shall begin, the magic in my children will shine and our home will once again be filled with the magic of Christmas! I cannot wait!

Do you have any fun Elf on a Shelf ideas that you’d like to share? 

PIN IT FOR LATER!