Do I really need water for these elf scenes?

These 11 ideas use water as a key prop. Most allow substitutions — cotton balls for snow, ribbon for string, printed paper for a themed prop. Read each idea's "You'll need" list for specifics.

Where's the best place to get water?

Most households already have water on hand. If not, the affiliate link next to each prop in an idea's "You'll need" list goes to a Amazon search for that specific item.

Are any of these water ideas pet safe?

Several are — check the "Pet safe" badge on individual idea cards, or use the Pet Safe filter from the main generator to narrow the list.

Elf on the Shelf Ideas with Water

11 Elf on the Shelf ideas that use water. From simple scenes like "Paper Boat Sailing" to more elaborate ones like "Gone Goldfish Fishing", here's every idea from our catalog that calls for water.

11 ideas Use the generator instead →

Bathroom ●●○○○

Paper Boat Sailing

Fold a small paper boat and float it in a half-full sink or bathtub. Place the elf inside as captain, holding a tiny paper flag.

Ages 3–10 Pet-safe 0

Kitchen ●●○○○

Toy Car Wash

Set up a shallow bowl of water with a sponge and a few toy cars lined up. Pose the elf scrubbing one car with soap suds.

Ages 3–10 Pet-safe 0

Dining Room ●●○○○

Elf Pee Lemonade Stand

Fill a few shot glasses with water and a drop of yellow food coloring and label them 'elf lemonade'. Pose the elf as the cheerful vendor with a small sign.

Ages 5–10 Pet-safe 0

Kitchen ●●○○○

Elf Brings Back Melted Snowman

Fill a bowl with water and add a carrot, twigs, buttons, and googly eyes so it looks like a puddled snowman. Pose the elf beside it with a 'he melted' sign.

Ages 3–10 Pet-safe 0

Bathroom ●●○○○

Sink Lake

Fill the bathroom sink with water and float a toy boat with the elf as captain. Add a paper 'lake' sign on the mirror.

Ages 3–10 Pet-safe 0

Kitchen ●●○○○

Melted Snowman Water Glass

Fill a glass with water and drop in a carrot nose; draw a face on the glass with a dry-erase marker. Pose the elf beside it with a sad note.

Ages 3–10 Pet-safe 0

Kitchen ●●●○○

Chocolate Fishing Adventure

Stir cocoa powder into a small bowl of water until it looks like a murky pond. Pose the elf with a twig fishing rod over the edge.

Ages 4–10 Not pet-safe 0

Kitchen ●●●○○

Skittles Rainbow Magic Trick

Arrange Skittles in a circle on a white plate and pour water in the center to let colors bleed into a rainbow. Pose the elf as the magician revealing the trick.

Ages 3–10 Not pet-safe 0

Bathroom ●●●○○

Bath Toy Floater

Elf floats on toy in filled bathtub.

Ages 3–10 Pet-safe 0

Living Room ●●●●○

Carnival Dunk Tank

Carnival dunk tank setup with elf precariously above water.

Ages 3–12 Pet-safe 0

Kitchen ●●●●○

Gone Goldfish Fishing

Elf fishing with goldfish crackers as bait in bowl of water.

Ages 3–12 Pet-safe 0

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Frequently asked questions

Do I really need water for these elf scenes?: These 11 ideas use water as a key prop. Most allow substitutions — cotton balls for snow, ribbon for string, printed paper for a themed prop. Read each idea's "You'll need" list for specifics.
Where's the best place to get water?: Most households already have water on hand. If not, the affiliate link next to each prop in an idea's "You'll need" list goes to a Amazon search for that specific item.
Are any of these water ideas pet safe?: Several are — check the "Pet safe" badge on individual idea cards, or use the Pet Safe filter from the main generator to narrow the list.