20 Elf on The Shelf Ideas

Here are some fun, creative and perfect Elf on the Shelf ideas for you this holiday season!

If you have kids you've probably heard of Elf on the Shelf. You know, he's that cute little Elf guy that magically appears after Thanksgiving and stays through Christmas. He's generally well known for being mischievous, yet fun and tends to makes the kids behave (well, we can hope!).

Our Elf's name is Buddy. He magically arrives when our Christmas tree goes up, reports every night to Santa on the behavior of the kids during the holiday season. When Christmas is over, Buddy returns to the North Pole (aka top pantry shelf) where he remains there with Santa until next year.  My kids LOVE Buddy and they are always excited to find him every morning. My littlest is already reminding me daily to put our tree up (I guess I'd better get on it, and dig out Buddy, too!)

If you haven't done Elf on Shelf before there are TONS of ideas online. Today we are bringing you 20 fun and creative Elf on the Shelf this holiday season!

20 Elf on the Shelf Ideas

1. Stranger Things Elf on The Shelf Tutorial from The Homespun Hydrangea. How creative is THIS for all you Stranger Things fans! My kiddos are too young to watch but older kids, even adults, would love this idea!
2. Elf on The Shelf Dunk Tank from This Mama Loves is super cute, fun and even comes with a free printable! How fun would it be for the kids to try and 'dunk' their elf!
3. Star Wars Elf on The Shelf from Busy Kids Happy Mom. Have a Star Wars fan at home? This idea is perfect for your little Jedi!
4. Elf on The Shelf Twister Printable from Frugal Coupon Living. What a fun twist to an old game. No pun intended. This idea is creative and gets other toys/friends involved.
5. Elf on The Shelf DIY Scarf from A Worthey Read. It's chilly here in Northern Michigan and a DIY Elf scarf would be perfect to keep our Elf buddy nice and toasty for those chilly trips back and forth to the North Pole!
6. Mischievous Elf Ideas from The Jenny Evolution. Does your Elf like to get into trouble? I know ours does! These creative ideas are perfect for your mischievous Elf.
7. Elf on The Shelf Reading Books Ideas from Growing Book by Book. Both of my second graders have to read over 100 minutes a week as part of their homework. Reading with an Elf is way cooler than reading with mom, dad, grandma or grandpa!
8. Elf on the Shelf Snack Idea from Frugal Navy Wife. My kids love snacks and so do Elves. What is a better snack for an elf than mini marshmallows!
9. Elf Roasting Marshmallows from Pickle Head Soup. Have holiday candles sitting out on your counters? Put some mini marshmallows on a stick and have your Elf 'roast' marshmallows. How cute!
10. Elf Zip Line from Raining Hot Coupons. This zip line is creative and very easy to set up. I did this with our elf a few year ago and the kids LOVED it.
11. Elf in the Refrigerator from Smart School House. Searching for an elf every morning is fun! I like to change it up every now and again and it takes them a while to find the elf. When they do find him they are super excited.
12. Elf Planning Calendar from the The Resourceful Mama is a great way to keep track of all your creative Elf on the Shelf Ideas! Plan ahead and you won't be up past your bedtime looking for a new idea.
13. Fun Elf on The Shelf Stationary Printable Set from Playdough & Popsicles includes both a Hello and Goodbye letter for your elf! This helps the little ones understand exactly how the Elf on the Shelf works.
14. How to Make Your Elf on the Shelf Bendable from Poofy Cheeks. What a great idea! I am always struggling to pose our Elf Buddy and making him stay put. This tutorial shows you how to make your Elf bendable!
15. Elf on the Shelf Warning for Naughty Kids from Mommy of a Monster and Twins. Use this idea for when the kids aren't listening or following directions! It never hurts to assist in Elf magic for this parenting task!
16. Elf on the Shelf Hot Tub from The Frugal Girls. How adorable is this? Put that mini slow cooker to use and make your elf a fun hot tub using mini marshmallows!
17. Elf on the Shelf Welcome Party from Growing Up Gabel. Surprise your children with a welcome back breakfast or party, Elf style!
18. Christmas Game Night Elves from Passion for Savings. Christmas Eve fun with your Elf!
19. Elf on the Shelf Kitchen Ideas from My Crazy Good Life. Does your Elf love to cook and bake? Take a peek at these fun Elf kitchen ideas to gather ideas!
20. 25 Reasons Your Elf Forgot to Move from Your Modern Family. This might be the most useful one yet! I am notorious for this. We get a few weeks in and I get lazy or I just plain forget and then the kids freak out. Here are 25 reason WHY Elf didn't move!

You will also love our DIY Elf on the Shelf Trolls Wig! These are perfect for all of those Trolls Movie fans! My kids included!

If you don't have an elf, grab the complete package here! It includes a book, elf and storage box.

What are your favorite Elf ideas? We would love to hear about them in the comments!

Save