Are these Elf on the Shelf ideas free to use?

Yes — the ideas are free to read and apply. We catalog ideas shared publicly by parenting bloggers and link back to the original post for each one. If you're looking at a specific idea, the attribution line and "original post" link will take you to the source.

How do you choose which blogs to source from?

We prioritize parenting bloggers who publish original Elf on the Shelf ideas with photos and clear setup instructions. Each post is reviewed for ideas we haven't catalogued yet, and every idea we pull is attributed with a follow link back to the source.

I'm a blogger — can I be added to the sources list?

Yes, we'd love to. Email hello@elfplanner.com with a link to your "Elf on the Shelf ideas" post and we'll credit every idea we pull back to your site. Turnaround is usually under a week.

Can I ask for my ideas to be removed or updated?

Absolutely — email hello@elfplanner.com and we'll adjust attribution, update links, or remove any idea within 24 hours.

Is this site affiliated with The Elf on the Shelf® or The Lumistella Company?

No. Elf Planner is an independent aggregator and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Lumistella Company or The Elf on the Shelf® brand. All trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.

Sources & Credits

Every idea on this site was originally shared by a parenting blogger somewhere on the web. We've curated, rewritten for clarity, and attributed every single one back to its source.

If you're one of the bloggers listed here — thank you. Your creativity is what makes Elf on the Shelf magical for kids. If you'd like us to adjust any attribution, update a link, or remove an idea, just email us and we'll make it right within 24 hours.

Our contributing bloggers

Listed by number of ideas contributed. Visit their sites for more Elf on the Shelf content, recipes, crafts, and the broader parenting wisdom they offer year-round.

What Moms Love

114 ideas

v2 crawl — 100+ ideas

See 114 ideas → Visit What Moms Love

The Foreign Mom

79 ideas

v2 crawl — 100 ideas

See 79 ideas → Visit The Foreign Mom

Life With Tiny Humans

73 ideas

Crawled in v1 — 77 raw ideas extracted

See 73 ideas → Visit Life With Tiny Humans

A Visual Merriment

73 ideas

Crawled in v1 — 78 raw ideas extracted

See 73 ideas → Visit A Visual Merriment

Finding Myself Young

72 ideas

v2 crawl — 80 ideas

See 72 ideas → Visit Finding Myself Young

So Easy Being Green

69 ideas

v2 crawl — 100+ ideas

See 69 ideas → Visit So Easy Being Green

Ashlina Kaposta

65 ideas

by Ashlina Kaposta

Crawled in v1 — 69 raw ideas extracted

See 65 ideas → Visit Ashlina Kaposta

Make the Best of Everything

62 ideas

Crawled in v1 — 64 raw ideas extracted

See 62 ideas → Visit Make the Best of Everything

Clara and Macy

60 ideas

v2 crawl — 100 ideas

See 60 ideas → Visit Clara and Macy

Another Mommy Blogger

60 ideas

v2 crawl — 50 ideas

See 60 ideas → Visit Another Mommy Blogger

The Soccer Mom Blog

52 ideas

v2 crawl — 500+ ideas

See 52 ideas → Visit The Soccer Mom Blog

Bored Panda

40 ideas

v2 crawl — 90 ideas

See 40 ideas → Visit Bored Panda

Mommy Poppins

36 ideas

Backfilled — family activities + parenting blog

See 36 ideas → Visit Mommy Poppins

Madison Mom

30 ideas

v2 crawl — 40 ideas

See 30 ideas → Visit Madison Mom

Elf on the Shelf (official)

24 ideas

by The Lumistella Company

Backfilled — official brand site

See 24 ideas → Visit Elf on the Shelf (official)

MyKidsTime

20 ideas

Crawled in v1 — 21 raw ideas extracted

See 20 ideas → Visit MyKidsTime

Mrs. Ashley French

20 ideas

v2 crawl — 24 ideas

See 20 ideas → Visit Mrs. Ashley French

Penny Pinchin' Mom

16 ideas

v2 crawl — 25 ideas

See 16 ideas → Visit Penny Pinchin' Mom

Hello Magazine

7 ideas

Backfilled — UK family/lifestyle publication

See 7 ideas → Visit Hello Magazine

Are you a blogger? Let's team up.

If you run a family blog and have an "Elf on the Shelf ideas" post, we'd love to add you to our sources. Drop us a line at hello@elfplanner.com and we'll credit every idea back to your site with a follow link.

We also love featuring generator links in "best of" round-ups. If you're putting together an elf ideas post for the 2026 season, consider linking to the generator as a free resource your readers can use.

Frequently asked questions

Are these Elf on the Shelf ideas free to use?: Yes — the ideas are free to read and apply. We catalog ideas shared publicly by parenting bloggers and link back to the original post for each one. If you're looking at a specific idea, the attribution line and "original post" link will take you to the source.
How do you choose which blogs to source from?: We prioritize parenting bloggers who publish original Elf on the Shelf ideas with photos and clear setup instructions. Each post is reviewed for ideas we haven't catalogued yet, and every idea we pull is attributed with a follow link back to the source.
I'm a blogger — can I be added to the sources list?: Yes, we'd love to. Email hello@elfplanner.com with a link to your "Elf on the Shelf ideas" post and we'll credit every idea we pull back to your site. Turnaround is usually under a week.
Can I ask for my ideas to be removed or updated?: Absolutely — email hello@elfplanner.com and we'll adjust attribution, update links, or remove any idea within 24 hours.
Is this site affiliated with The Elf on the Shelf® or The Lumistella Company?: No. Elf Planner is an independent aggregator and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Lumistella Company or The Elf on the Shelf® brand. All trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.