Elf on the Shelf. What an icon of holiday cheer! It’s such a fun and festive Christmas tradition. Plus it gets kids excited to be nice for the season!
Are you ready to spruce up your holiday season with some easy Elf on the Shelf ideas?
These fun ideas are sure to get your kids laughing. My 6 and 4 year old were dying when I told them what the Elf on the Shelf had done at some people’s houses.
If you’ve never had an elf on the shelf before, you’re going to want to invest in one after you read these creative ideas!
Your little elf will come in a nice box, and you can choose which type you would like (e.g., a boy, a girl, one in a costume, etc.). Make sure your elf has a good name.
He is going to watch over your children to make sure they are being good to stay on Santa’s Nice List! Each night the elf will “move” to a new location.
Growing up, and for most people, this just means the elf would move to a new spot each night. The Christmas tree, the doorway, the fireplace, the kitchen cupboards, etc.
So, if you are looking for less of a challenge with your elf, check out these great ideas in our post on Elf on the Shelf ideas.
However, if you have a creative elf, he or she might make more of a dramatic appearance each morning.
So, if you are ready to take your elf to the next level — trust me, these new ideas are sure to make your Christmas one that your kids (and YOU) will never forget!
Let’s dive into it!
New Elf On The Shelf Ideas You’ve Never Seen Before
1. You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
If you already have a grinch somewhere in your house, this is the perfect way to utilize it!
Have the grinch be the one who captures your elf and hangs him by a string. You could do this in multiple ways.
If you don’t have a Grinch, then print one out or get creative and make one. Here is a little easy access to one you can print and color in.
Be sure to laminate it if you plan to use it again in future years.
2. So THAT’S A Hot Dog!
The Elf on the Shelf is very confused by the English language. One of the most mind boggling words is “hot dog”.
This reminds me a bit of the children’s books “Amelia Bedelia” who takes everything literally.
Leave him in the kitchen like this for the entire day, and then have him serve the dinner like this if you want to get a good laugh out of your kids!
3. Invisible Elf
I don’t know about your kids, but my kids are very into super powers and wish they were real. If you’re in the same boat, having an invisible elf for the day is genius!
Make sure you hide that little guy real well so they don’t accidentally stumble upon him in the day. Your kids might have fun trying to go on a hunt for him just to make sure he is actually invisible.
Also, if you ever have problems with kids complaining about stuff they can’t find because they misplaced it (but promise they put it away last time they used it), you have a great cop-out answer now… “It must have been the elf who moved it and you couldn’t see him because he is invisible today!”
4. Pringle Bells
After emptying the Pringles container, make sure you save some for the kids! They’ll have fun eating them while they admire your elf’s creativity in dressing in a pringles container.
And bonus points if you can find the containers that actually look like an elf! You can purchase some of your elf’s other North Pole pals to keep him company while he is stuck in his Pringles container for the day.
5. The Guilt Trip
Having a hard time getting your kids to listen to you? Why not scare them a bit?
When they go to bed, everything will be totally normal. The next day, they will find that your elf has turned you into a skeleton (just hide out in your closet and take the morning nice and slow while they have a bit of a freak out).
I would highly suggest only doing this one if you have older children. Younger kids might have nightmares about their mother actually turning into a skeleton!
6. “Hey, Let Me Out!”
What are your favorite things to hang on the tree? Candy canes, bows, popcorn, homemade ornaments?
What about Elf on the Shelf?!
This is one of those easy ideas that won’t take a lot of prep work.
Head to the dollar store and buy a cheap plastic ornament that can come apart and you’re good to go!
Time the kids in the morning to see how long it takes them to find him because it’s such an unusual place to be!
Christmas decorations are always a great place to hide your elf friend because they are already in place and it makes elf seem a little more festive.
7. Deck The Halls
Another great Amelia Bedelia one! If makes your elf seem silly and your kids will feel so smart!
6-7 year olds are the perfect age for these “play on words” jokes. They will think your elf is hilarious!
They might even try to explain the real meaning to your elf. And the best is when they explain it completely wrong anyways!
8. Elves Need To Be Cleaned Too
You might have to wait to reveal this one until your child’s bathtime because they aren’t going to think to look in the tub or shower for your little elf friend.
The best part about this one is all the elf accessories!
You can find a curated elf kit on the official Elf on the Shelf website. Or you can also find knock off ones on temu or Amazon.
If you don’t want to spend the extra money on your elf’s bathing materials, feel free to use other household items and it will still be a fun surprise for your kiddo at bathtime!
9. The Chef
Elf on the shelf cooking?! No way! Who taught him how to do that?
Let’s face it, if mom or dad cooks the food, it’s not very exciting to try… especially when it’s vegetables or a casserole.
But if your elf is making the food?? You better believe they will be on board to try it. Something about an elf cooking your food is a magical experience.
Remember to tell your kids that your elf is the North Pole’s top baker and they’ll be more likely to give the food a try.
10. Whoops!
If you’ve got mischievous kids or a mischievous elf… this one is for you! Tell your kids that elf wanted to color in a coloring book but didn’t know where to find them.
But he remembered seeing one of the kids color on the floor once so he thought he would try that!
This will not only be funny to your kids that your elf was being “naughty” but it might also teach them a lesson about coloring!
11. April Fool’s
Elves aren’t around for April Fools day, so they have to play their tricks a bit early.
This is a great way to pull a prank on dad, or an older sibling who doesn’t find joy in doing Elf on the Shelf anymore.
When they go to sit down, the noodles will all crunch… leaving behind a big mess. Just make sure to make the rule that whoever sits on it, cleans it.
If you want to be sneaky, hide your elf inside one of your rolls of toilet paper so dad doesn’t suspect anything!
12. TV Tied
This was one of our daughters favorites! If you’re having tech problems in your home and want to take a break without kids thinking YOU are the “bad guy”… then here’s your answer!
Elf on the Shelf never gets in trouble by the kids! They will simply think it is funny.
Consider leaving a note that tells them that they can’t cut the zip ties until the next day because Elf-on-the shelf wants a completely tech free day!
13. Two Birds, One Stone
Your kids will get a kick out of this one! Give them a bag of oreos with the toothpaste in them (before they find elf on the shelf sitting with the toothpaste bottle).
After they taste them and spit them out, tell them it must have been the elf! Then once they find him, you can say, “well maybe he wanted you to be able to have the sugar while keeping your teeth clean”.
Make sure your kids tell the dentist about this trick next time you go in for routine cleanings!
14. Hot Diggity Dog
Hide your Elf all day long. The kids will be confused as to where he is, but try to keep it a surprise.
Then at lunch or dinner, serve them a hot dog with your elf in the bun instead of the dog!
If you have multiple kids, you might need to enlist a little help (either from borrowed elves of family members… or invest in some more elves of your own).
They will be shocked when each person gets their own “Elf Dog”!
These ideas are all lots of fun and we hope you enjoy them during this festive season.
After these new twists, your kids are going to be waiting with anticipation for when your elf returns next year!
Remember to have fun as the parent as you put them all together each night even though it can be a lot of work sometimes. It’s worth it to see the kid’s faces and excitement!
We can’t wait to hear about how these ideas work in your home! Feel free to comment below about your kids’ reactions to Santa’s helpers!