Elf on the Shelf Ideas

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year…?

We’ve made it to December ladies! This time of year can be so magical, but if you’re anything like me, it can also be a little stressful. With Chris gone, I’m looking for ways to make this season fun for all of us. I want to be intentional with my kids, so when they look back as adults, they KNOW I did everything I could to make the most of the time we had when they were little. Elf on the Shelf is about to help me so much with accomplishing this mission!

Knock, knock. Who’s there? It’s Elf on the Shelf.

When you think of Christmas, I’m sure you think of Santa and his little helpers. God bless whoever came up with this Elf on the Shelf idea… ha. My kids are just old enough to really appreciate the magic of Christmas, but the idea of coming up with “elf activities” every day can be a little daunting. So here I am compiling a list of ideas for you guys. Since the responsibility falls on me to create the magic, I’m relying on the easy stuff. These ideas are fool-proof!

Getting started with your Elf on the Shelf:

If you don’t have an Elf on the Shelf yet, don’t panic! Grab yours here, because it’s not too late! This kit is awesome because it comes with an elf, a storybook explaining to your kids why the elf comes to visit, an adoption certificate, and ground rules for the kids about the elf’s magic! And if you’re a parent to any fur-babies, you can grab the Elf on the Shelf Pet gift set, too!

A grand entrance

I’ve seen so many cute ideas for the elf’s arrival. Who doesn’t love a grand entrance? With this arrival envelope, your elf can accomplish it! Simply write a cute note to your kids, from your elf, and tell them how excited your elf is to spend the Christmas season with them! Make sure you explain in your note that part of the elf’s job is to report back to Santa about who’s been naughty and who’s been nice (this saves you so much energy and sanity in your parenting haha). Place your elf (in his/her envelope) and the letter on the counter, or somewhere your kids will easily find them on the first morning! So easy! This sets a great tone for your Christmas season!

It’s here, now what?

Now the fun can really begin (and I’m using the term “fun” loosely here). The whole point of the elf is intentionality, right? So here are some ideas to create some Christmas magic:

Elf kits:

Amazon has some great Elf on the Shelf kits, that take the hard work right out of this journey! When your elf arrives, you can pack mini luggage with accessories and clothes for him/her to bring along. My kids love having company over, so this makes it feel like we will have a guest in our house!

While I was searching for Elf on the Shelf accessories, I stumbled across this Get Along Shirt that, personally, I think is absolutely genius for those of you that have more than one elf AND more than one kid! If you’re having a particularly hard day in parenting, where nobody wants to get along with anyone else, just throw this little shirt on your elves and make an example out of them. Here is another opportunity to write a note explaining what “naughty behavior” can look like, and what the consequences can look like.

While we’re on the topic of accessories for your Elf on the Shelf, I wanted to take a moment for this precious little door kit that comes with an elf door, Christmas decor, and a little mailbox where your elf can send “behavior reports” to Santa! I mean, COME ON!

More (very) helpful tools

Another great kit to grab would be this 28 Day Kit. This kit comes with all of the props you need to create intentional magic for everyone, including little note cards that explain the activity that your Elf on the Shelf is doing, and prompt your kids into activities as well! I love the creator of this kit so much!

When you’re searching for Elf on the Shelf kits, it would be a great idea to grab this flex kit, too! The flex kit helps make your elf a little more flexible so they can be posable for any of the activities you have them do while they’re visiting!

Christmas traditions

One of the most magical (and intentional) parts of Christmas is the traditions. Elf on the Shelf makes lots of room for you to incorporate traditions into their stay in your home. Advent gifts are so fun, and Elf on the Shelf activities can create organic opportunities to gift small items to your kids to increase their Christmas spirit!

Letters to Santa

One of the easiest activities you could do on day 1 of your Elf on the Shelf stay is write letters to the big man! This Letters to Santa kit is brilliant for kids because it’s so intentional and fun! Have your kids write their letter to Santa on the magic stationary that comes in the kit, then you pop them in the oven shrink them. After the letter has been read by Santa, your Elf on the Shelf will bring the shrunken letter back and hang it on the tree. So your kids don’t only have a fun time with writing their letters, but you also get a little keepsake to hang on your tree and keep forever! I love this idea so much!

Baking Cookies

Baking Christmas cookies is perhaps the most popular (and yummy) Christmas tradition I can think of! I love baking cookies with my kids, so I gathered some items that your Elf on the Shelf can deliver as advent gifts that will make cookie baking fun! These cookie stamps will make your cookies look so beautiful! They really boost the cookie baking confidence, in my opinion. You can also have your elf deliver this rolling pin to enhance the aesthetic of your cookies! And of course, no Christmas cookie baking experience would be complete without and apron and Christmas cookie cutters!

Movie Night with your Elf on the Shelf

Christmas movies are another fan favorite when it comes to Christmas traditions. We love the classics! If you’re really into giving your kids little gifts throughout the Christmas season, here is another opportunity to combine gifts with traditions, MOVIE NIGHT! Obviously you can’t cuddle up to watch a movie without getting comfy, so these pajamas would be the perfect touch to a cozy Christmas movie night.

And no movie night is complete without SNACK! But you will obviously need something to hold all of the popcorn and other treats, so I recommend grabbing these movie trays to make sure you can hold everything! And if you’re having popcorn, your going to get thirsty, so you’ll need some silly straws to take your beverage experience to the next level! If you really want to elevate your movie night/Elf on the Shelf game, you could snag some movie banners and a show time sign to set up with your Elf on the Shelf and gifts!

Christmas Games

Games are another way to spend quality time with our kids. Part of your Elf on the Shelf’s job can be to facilitate game nights with your kids. I found this scavenger hunt that would be great for moms of young kids, who don’t really have the energy to come up with their own scavenger hunt! This one is a no-brainer. It contains easy Christmas items for your kids to find, that are probably already around the house in your decor!

Puzzles are another great way to spend quality time, because they create room for conversation while you complete them! These puzzles are perfect for younger children as well, because they don’t have man pieces! See my complete list below, or my Amazon storefront, for other games and puzzles that you could pick if your kids are older and would enjoy something more challenging.

I hope some of these ideas help you navigate this holiday season! I’m so excited to try some of the activities with my kids and see the joy on their faces when their elf brings them fun items to make their Christmas magical!