These easy Elf on the Shelf ideas will give you the motivation you need to get your Elf moving.
Easy Elf on the Shelf ideas that take just a few minutes and require minimal materials. Get ready to make this holiday tradition more fun than ever!
Here are lots of creative yet easy Elf on the Shelf ideas that anyone can achieve on a budget.
Thank you to the talented Hip2Save team members and readers who have shared their great ideas over the years.
1. Play tic, tac, and bow.
Photo credit: Elf on the Shelf
Have your elf play with his bow and try a new spin on tic-tac-toe. If you don’t have holiday tape on hand, use an easy-to-remove tape such as painter’s tape.
Our hip buddy Sarah also incorporated some of her daughter’s hair accessories to make it even more fun.
2. Elves create large happy families.
Grab some red and white paper and a photo of your family and let’s cut it out. This may also include dogs. 🥰
3. The elf is scanning a selfie to Santa via fax.
The options are endless and your kids will be thrilled to see all the photos they take.
4. The elf cooks his favorite dinner.
If you’ve ever seen the Will Ferrell movie Elf, you know what elves like to eat at every meal. This idea is also great for those nights when you made too much pasta or to get rid of any Halloween candy you still have on hand.
Tip: Speaking of movies, check out our lineup of the best Christmas movies and see them all using our free printables.
5. Wrapping Paper A prank played on the whole family.
Consider wrapping every item in your home, including your toilet, kitchen cabinets, and front door.
6. Do you want to build a snowman?
Elf is frozen along with characters from Disney movies. If you have a Frozen movie lover in your house, this is easy.
7. Even elves need naps.
A box of tissues makes it the perfect bed for a nap. He even folded it up as a soft pillow for naps.
8. Dress up your Elf on the Shelf with affordable costumes.
Historically, Target offers elf costumes in the bullseye section. Previously priced at just $1, they sell out quickly.
9. Elves can be artistic.
You can find inexpensive mini art easels on Amazon that allow you to recreate this adorable scene. This idea takes a little work, but it’s sure to be memorable.
10. Dogs rule and elves drool!
This playful scenario is perfect if you have a chalkboard, whiteboard, or mirror and, of course, your dog is willing to join in. 😉
11. Elf refueling station for all coffee addicts.
Elves need enough energy to travel to the North Pole and back so they can get caffeine straight from the coffee machine.
12. The elf steals the treats!
Photo courtesy of Me & B Make Tea
Even holiday goods aren’t safe near elves.
13. Elf marathon runner.
Use decorations you already have, tie ribbons together as necklaces or sweatbands, and you’ve got yourself a champion.
14. Elf takes a selfie with her best friend.
Even elves love taking selfies and posting them for all of the North Pole to see. Don’t forget to change your phone’s settings so that the screen stays on all the time.
15. The elf is involved in a shower prank.
Our elf is hanging from an umbrella balancing on the shower curtain. What a conundrum!
16. Would you like to make a snowman out of toilet paper?
If you’ve been using rolled up toilet paper lately, this is a super cute and easy idea.
17. The elf takes a bath.
Combine miniature marshmallows with tissue paper hair towels for the perfect “bubble” bath. You can find similar clear containers in Walmart’s new “The Home Edit” line.
18. The elves are having a hot cocoa party.
These cute candy cane spoons and hot cocoa mixes are an affordable and fun treat to add to your holiday bucket list.
19. The elf toasts mini marshmallows.
This is a fun and easy to assemble scene using candles, barbecue skewers, and mini marshmallows.
20. This glow-in-the-dark elf will light up your home.
The glow-in-the-dark bracelet fits snugly around your elf, creating a vibrant neon effect at night.
21. Good Deed Elf is here to encourage you to do better!
Elf helps kids complete random acts of kindness with these free printable cards at Over the Big Moon. See, not all elves are naughty. 😏
Tip: Check out more random acts of kindness ideas and get a free printable list to create with your family and complete throughout the year.
22. Your elf is flying high in this hot air balloon.
Dollar Tree’s helium balloons and containers give your elves a fun and frugal hot air balloon ride. Up, up and away!
23. The elf hides in his mother’s jewelry.
A closet jewelry collection makes a great disguise for an elf.
Tip: Consider using a thread rack to organize your jewelry. Mine has been working perfectly for years.
24. Even elves have bad days.
Even elves can get sick! Luckily, there are always plenty of cold and flu essentials around the house to help him out. This lucky guy also has magical reindeer friends and an elf sidekick to help him recover.
As a bonus, this may be an excuse to leave your elf alone for a few days. 😆
25. Yoga elves are showing off their skills.
You can easily recreate this Fit Elf scene by drawing and cutting out a mini paper logo with a red pen and cutting out small pieces of fabric you have around the house.
26. The Elf in A Christmas Story to ensure comic relief.
If your family needs some laughs, consider creating this cute leg lamp award scene from the movie A Christmas Story. Incorporating this fun with leg lamp ornaments is sure to become a hit every year.
27. Give the poop elf some privacy.
Elf kisses poop chocolate! Remember that he may also need reading material. 😂
28. The elves really enjoy ziplining.
Tie a piece of wooden string to a hard-to-reach spot in your home and your elf will have the perfect zipline. Amazon has lots of felt snowflakes to add to your adventure.
29. The elf gets hurt.
Does your elf need to stay still? 😉 Use this genius casting idea to make him no-fly for a few days! You can even get all of Santa’s reindeer to sign it! . 😊
30. Have your elf make delicious baked goods.
Impress your kids by using the Easy Bake Oven or buying fancy cupcakes from your local bakery.
31. Encourage Gingerbread House Build Day.
Surprise your kids by making a mini gingerbread house or use the mini gingerbread house decorations you already have. A fun way to present kids with a new gingerbread house kit for a fun afternoon activity.
32. Make your elf’s last day a memorable one.
Check out this quick farewell speech from my hip buddy Sarah.
“My daughter is very attached to elves, so Christmas is very bittersweet for her. Last year, she wanted to take a picture with our elf Julia, so I wrote a quick note on a piece of paper. , we placed her next to it with a mini Polaroid and kitchen gloves. The idea was to take a photo of the two of us that she would cherish all year long. I took one photo for Julia (aka mom 🥹), she still has the photo from last year on her dresser and I can safely say it was a huge hit on my part. It required almost no effort.”
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What is your favorite Elf on the Shelf idea? Share with us in the comments and let’s all collect more fun ideas!
Christmas sale is already underway!
