114 Elf on the Shelf Ideas from What Moms Love
114 Elf on the Shelf ideas originally shared by What Moms Love. v2 crawl — 100+ ideas Every idea below links back to the original post — visit their site for more parenting ideas, recipes, and crafts year-round.
Adoption Certificate
Official elf adoption certificate displayed near elf on arrival.
Airplane Arrival
Fold a paper airplane and position elf as if arriving via North Pole Express.
Angel Rice
Scatter rice on surface; elf making snow angels in rice pile.
Barbie Dress Up
Elf trying on tiny Barbie doll clothing with outfits scattered.
Bubble Gum Balloon
Elf holding pink balloon as bubble gum blown to enormous size.
Carried Away by Toys
Elf being carried or held by action figures in abduction scene.
Clown Noses on Photos
Red mini pom poms as clown noses on family photo portraits.
Coloring Sheet Delivery
Elf delivers fun holiday-themed coloring pages with markers.
Doctor's Note Rest
Humorous doctor's note explaining elf needs rest for a few days.
Door Handle Hang
Elf hanging from door handle by hands or arms.
Drawing on Eggs
Draw fun pictures and faces on eggs with edible marker.
Dry-Erase Photo Art
Use dry-erase markers to add mustaches or faces to family photos.
Elf Games
Elf positioned with miniature printable games like Bingo or cards.
Elf Note Station
Pre-printed note cards for elf to leave daily messages to children.
Elf Operation Game
Miniature Operation game setup using actual game pieces near elf.
Finishing Puzzle
Elf surrounded by puzzle pieces suggesting holiday puzzle work.
Flying Slinky
Stretch slinky toy; elf hiding or traveling along its coils.
Fridge Nap
Wrap elf in plastic wrap; position on fridge shelf as if napping.
Fruit Loops Necklace
Elf strings Fruit Loops on string to create edible necklace.
Grocery List
Humorous grocery list from elf requesting items for family.
Hiding in Stuffed Animals
Bury elf among pile of stuffed animals as hiding spot.
Jenga Hideout
Elf hidden among Jenga game pieces.
Lincoln Logs Building
Elf building or inside structure from Lincoln Logs.
M&M Welcome Message
Spell out "did you miss me?" using M&Ms arranged around elf.
Marshmallow Jar Lounge
Elf inside or surrounded by jar filled with marshmallows.
Message on Eggs
Write holiday messages using edible marker directly on eggs.
Mini Twister
Mini printable Twister game mat with elf in contorted poses.
Minion Bananas Prank
Use edible marker to draw minion faces on bananas near elf.
Poinsettia Collar
Poinsettia-shaped collar from red and green paper for elf.
Reindeer Poop
Chocolate candies near elf with humorous sign explaining "reindeer droppings."
Rice Krispies Box Pop
Cut hole in Rice Krispies box; pop elf through to replace cereal elf.
Secret Mission Cards
Top-secret mission envelopes with helpful tasks for children.
Summertime Beach Elf
Miniature sunglasses and beach towel with elf sunbathing scene.
Toothpaste Message
Use toothpaste to write message like "Brush Your Teeth" on mirror.
Utensil Drawer
Elf positioned in kitchen utensil drawer among spoons and forks.
Wrapping Paper Roll Legs
Empty wrapping paper rolls as oversized comical legs on elf.
Army Men Capture
Elf surrounded by army men figurines in capture scene.
Basketball Mini-Hoop
Miniature basketball court with hoop and elf playing or dunking.
Blinds Entanglement
Wrap elf in mini blinds with cord tangled suggesting entrapment.
Bows Everywhere
Cover elf and area with gift wrapping bows in wrapping chaos.
Bundle of Balloons
Colorful balloons attached to elf with welcome message.
Camera Departure Gift
Elf with camera on final night as memory-capturing gift.
Car Race
Race course with toy cars; elf as driver or referee.
Cardboard Sled Slope
Cardboard hill with elf on simple sled going down slope.
Christmas Tree Zipline
Line from tree with elf "ziplining" down using candy cane grapple.
Clubhouse
Cardboard clubhouse structure for elf and stuffed animal friends.
Couch Potato TV
Elf sprawled on couch with remote suggesting lazy TV watching.
Cushion Treasure Discovery
Elf surrounded by random items "found" under couch cushions.
Decorate Gingerbread Cookies
Leave pre-baked cookies and decorating supplies for children.
DIY Kisses Ornament
Fill clear ornament with candy Kisses, string, and festive tag.
Donation Request
Elf with note requesting children donate toys for generosity.
Donut Breakfast Arrival
Festive donuts arranged around elf on arrival morning.
Donut Seeds
Plant Cheerios cereal in sugar as "seeds" that will grow into donuts.
Door Crepe Paper Trap
String crepe paper across doorway; elf as if caught in trap.
Elf Door
Create a tiny fairy garden door on a wall suggesting elf entered through it.
Elf Hammock
Tie small cloth between furniture to create hammock for elf.
Elf-Made Advent Calendar
Elf creates advent calendar with small wrapped gifts for daily surprises.
Elf Outhouse
Printable outhouse with elf inside for humorous bathroom setup.
Elf Phone
Miniature phone prop with printable showing direct lines to Santa.
Elf Photo Booth
Miniature photo booth with elf for staged photo shoot.
Elf Teacher
Elf positioned as classroom teacher with stuffed animals as students.
Fabric Mask Wearing
Tiny fabric mask on elf suggesting pandemic awareness.
Find the Ornaments
Hide four ornaments; leave clue card directing children to find them.
Fridge Surprise
Decorated milk containers with treat inside fridge for children to discover.
Frozen Solid Ice Man
Wrap elf in white fabric suggesting frozen solid icy appearance.
Grinch in Jar
Elf trapped in jar with ribbon suggesting capture of the Grinch.
Gummy Bear Tree
Stack gummy bears to form Christmas tree shape near elf.
Hand Washing Poem
Hand washing poem near bathroom sink with elf promoting safety.
Hidden Treat Hunt
Hide treats under overturned cups; flip cups to find them.
Hot Air Balloon Arrival
Craft a hot air balloon from paper or fabric with elf attached.
K-Cup Coffee
Elf with mini coffee cup next to K-Cup machine.
Kindness Letter Arrival
Elf arrives with a Random Acts of Kindness letter.
Kissing Booth
Miniature kissing booth stand with elf inside offering kisses.
Lifting Weights
Tiny dumbbells from markers or paper; elf working out.
Magic Seeds Grow Canes
Plant candy pieces in sugar; overnight "grow" into candy canes.
Magic Shrinking Machine
Cardboard "machine" with large cookies next to shrunk versions.
Marshmallow Mini-Snowmen
Tiny snowmen from marshmallows near elf as if built them.
Marshmallow Tic Tac Toe
Draw board; use marshmallows as game pieces with elf as player.
Microwave Popcorn Night
Elf with microwave popcorn setup suggesting movie night.
Mini Donut Treats
Dip O-shaped cereal in chocolate syrup, coat with sprinkles.
Mini Pancakes
Plate of teeny tiny pancakes with butter and syrup near elf.
Mixer Trap
Elf caught in kitchen mixer or whisk with flour scattered.
Mrs. Claus Cookies
Cookies with note indicating they came from Mrs. Claus.
Orange Juice with Straw
Elf holding bendy straw inserted into fresh orange juice.
Pandemic Prep Station
Elf surrounded by masks, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper.
Paper Bag Race
Paper sack race course with elf in or near a paper bag.
Paper Chain Countdown
Elf creates miniature paper chain counting down days to Christmas.
Peeking at Presents
Elf peering under wrapping paper suggesting naughty behavior.
Perler Bead Portrait
Perler bead self-portrait of elf or supplies for children.
Piggy Bank Heist
Elf raiding piggy bank with coins scattered around.
Playing Piano
Stack books under piano keys; elf at keyboard playing songs.
Rapunzel Hair Rescue
Use yarn as "long hair" from elf to furniture suggesting rescue scene.
Rocket Ship Departure
Cardboard rocket ship with elf inside preparing to return to North Pole.
Secret Message From Santa
Leave encoded message from Santa that children must decode.
Shaving Routine
Elf following dad's morning routine with shaving cream props.
Sick Day Rest
Tissue box bed with towels; elf resting with illness.
Skiing Elf
Popsicle stick skis; elf skiing down powdered sugar "mountain."
Snowflake Cutting
Paper, scissors, folding guide for children to cut snowflakes.
Snowmen Donuts
Powdered mini donuts and toothpicks create snowmen with edible marker.
Special Delivery Package
Wrap a box with elf inside. Include a "Special Delivery" sticker on front.
Sunbathing Setup
Elf on "beach" with sunglasses and towel enjoying imaginary weather.
Superhero Costume
Dress elf in teeny tiny superhero costume from paper or fabric.
Sweet Message in M&Ms
Spell out "Be Nice" or similar using M&Ms around elf.
Taco Stand
Miniature taco stand prop with elf as vendor.
Tied Up with Ribbon
Use ribbon or washi tape to bind elf with LEGO figures as captors.
Time Out Corner
Elf in corner with "Time Out" sign for humorous consequences.
Toasty Warmup
Elf wrapped in blankets or near fireplace image suggesting warmth.
Trapped in Tape Train Tracks
Use tape to create train track patterns; elf tied along tracks.
Tree Skirt Sleeper
Tuck elf under Christmas tree skirt with marshmallow pillow.
Vacuum Rudolph
Add markers and antlers to vacuum with elf at controls.
Carnival Dunk Tank
Carnival dunk tank setup with elf precariously above water.
Crazy Breakfast
Absurd breakfast scene with unusual combinations like green milk.
Gone Goldfish Fishing
Elf fishing with goldfish crackers as bait in bowl of water.
Ice Fishing Scene
"Icy" fishing setup with salt as ice and goldfish crackers.
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Frequently asked questions
- Who runs What Moms Love?
- What Moms Love is a parenting blog. v2 crawl — 100+ ideas
- Are these ideas from a What Moms Love blog post?
- Yes — each idea on this page is credited back to a specific post on https://whatmomslove.com/kids/best-easy-elf-on-the-shelf-ideas/. Click any idea's detail page and look for the "original post" link in the image caption or the Credit section at the bottom.
- Can I use these ideas with my own family?
- Absolutely — ideas are free to use. If you'd like to share or republish any of these specific scene write-ups, please follow the original source's usage terms; visit the linked post for details.