Top 50 of the BEST Elf on the Shelf ideas – so many fun ideas to do with your Elf leading up to Christmas!
Hello friends! Happy Monday! Can you believe Christmas is already a month away?! Eek! Today I’m sharing the top 50 Elf on the Shelf ideas. I’ve got you covered! We started the elf on the shelf tradition last year and my kids absolutely LOVED it!
We had a lot of fun last year and will be carrying on the tradition again this year with some of these fun elf on the shelf ideas below. I just love seeing my kids eyes light up in the morning when they find their elf. And let’s get real here… our Elf isn’t always creative. Sometimes we’ll actually find him sitting on a shelf (winks) or hanging from the chandelier. Most of these elf on the shelf ideas take only a few minutes to do. It doesn’t have to be hard. Me and my husband actually have a good time hiding the elf each night. It’s almost more fun for us. ;)
What is Elf on the Shelf?
The Elf on the Shelf was started by Carol Aebersold, who published the book in 2005. It has become a Christmas tradition for many families all over the world. The Elf usually arrives on December 1st (some families choose to have their Elf arrive the day after Thanksgiving) and each night the Elf returns to the North Pole to report how the children are doing. When the Elf returns in the morning it moves to a new spot, waiting for the children to find it. Sometimes the Elf is sitting on a different shelf and sometimes he goes all out, totally up to each Elf.
Where to buy Elf on the Shelf
If you’ve never done Elf on the Shelf, you can order your own Elf on the Shelf kit on Amazon or Target (affiliate link).
Once you get your shelf, the first thing you’ll want to do is name it. Here’s a printable with 50 elf names and certificate you can download.
Easy Elf on the Shelf ideas
Click on the links below each image to be taken to the original post.
Have the elf show up on the first day with a North Pole breakfast & note from Santa
Elf on the Shelf parachute: Great way to have your Elf arrive for the season!
Make a mini count down paper chain
Cute Elf on the Shelf poem and free printable
Rolling down the stairs Elf on the Shelf idea
Elf on the Shelf idea from Frozen: Do you wanna build a snowman?
Funny elf on the shelf ideas
Elf makes himself a bed with the tissue box
Frozen Elf from Staci Mcneil
Elf tp’s the Christmas tree
Elf drinking his favorite drink -syrup!
Elf roasting marshmallows by the fireplace, potty time, made snowman donuts and a tire swing time!
Elf on the shelf playing a game with La Loopsy
Elf “kissing” booth with free printable
Elf and stuffed animals sack race
Elf on the shelf hides the candy canes
Elf going sledding on a tupperware lid
Elf trying to help put up the lights
Elf makes breakfast (mini pancakes)
Elf hanging out in the fridge
Elf snow angel with a little flour and sugar
Elf gets in trouble and draws on the picture frame
Elf made a swing from a toilet paper roll
Elf making some fruit loop garland for the tree
Elf checking out the toy catalog
Elf watching a movie with some popcorn
Elf caught eating a bag of m&m’s
Celebrating the reason for the season
Love the way she explains Jesus and Santa with this letter
Elf headed back to the north pole with all his gear!
Love this funny Elf on the Shelf idea…elf blaming the mess on your kids!
Free Elf on the shelf calendar
Download this free calendar HERE to help keep you organized with all your elf on the shelf ideas.
There’s also this handy dandy Elf on the shelf checklist to help you keep all of your elf ideas organized. You can download for free HERE.
So who will do being Elf on the Shelf this year? Have fun with it!
For more Christmas ideas go HERE. You’ll love these posts below.
Fun! This is my favorite…http://eastcoastmommyblog.blogspot.ca/2011/12/magic-elf-seeds-delivered-by-our-elf-on.html
What a cute idea Gina, thanks for sharing! :)
Thank you so much for including 3 of our Elf – on – the – Shelf pictures! We can’t wait to get started with him next week!
Elf on the shelf is so much fun…thanks for your good ideas! :)
My kids LOVE waking up to find our Elf doing something silly! I’m definitely adding a few of these to our list this year!
So fun! Love them all :)
Hello Jamielyn,
Very creative collection of Elf on the Shelf ideas! “Celebrating the reason for the season” is lovely, and “Elf hanging out in the fridge” is funny, but I love them all, too.
Wow! Thank you for including a few of our elf’s antics! I’ll be adding some of the others to our list for this year :)
Such Clever Ideas! I will have to test out my Christmas Magic and try some of these with my family this year! Thanks and feel free to check out my adventures at http://elfiejasinski.blogspot.com.au/ Merry Christmas!
What a FUN list… definitely need to use some of these this year! Thx for rounding them up. :)
Love Elf on the Shelf! We are hosting a social media #elftakeover this year! Hope to see you there. You can find our more here http://lifewithmunchers.com/elf-on-the-shelf-takeover/
Sounds like fun! I’ll have to check it out! :)
Gotta find my elf now!!
Are you taking submissions? We did it last year and I have some funny pics of our elf, Lulu.
I just collected ones I found from Pinterest! I’d love to see your ideas though! :)
Great ideas
My daughter won’t believe….hopefully some of these ideas will convince her the elf is real..
Aww! I hope so too, Elf on the Shelf is such a blast!
These are so great! :)
Love Elf on the Shelf…the possibilities are endless!
i got an elf on a shelf to it turned my daughter elizabeths milk purple
Haha, cute idea April! Thanks for sharing!
These are great!!! Wish I had started earlier.
This year before I left the North Pole Mrs Claus gave me some Printable Elf Costumes to take with me. Mrs Claus is very clever; she made Sunglasses, Reading Glasses, a Snowman Mask, Reindeer Antlers & Nose, a Moustache, a Fairy Wand & Wings, a Pirate Outfit and some lips for Elf Kisses!! She also showed me how to make a Santa costume and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume. I have posted instructions so all of you other Scout Elves can make costumes at home too! To Print your Elf On the Shelf Costumes go to http://elfiejasinski.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/printable-elf-costumes.html
Hello!! My mother is sending me our vintage Elf, cause she know how i love it when i was a little girl. I have my Pinterest account and my craft blog. Coul I participate this year?? Do you give me a permission for link you on my blog? I’ll love to organizate something fun with my boys. I don’t have the Elf on a Shelf kit, i woul do it with our own Elf. I hope your answer and let me congratulate with you for your creativity and fantasy. Best regards, Varla Lee. ^_^
What a neat tradition to start using the same elf you used as a little girl! With this elf on the shelf round up, I just found ideas through pinterest and blogs. I’m not sure if I will do another round up this year, but if I do I will definitely keep your blog in mind! Yes, you can definitely link me on your blog. Thanks Varla! :)
I love this elf idea. I can’t wait till my grandchildren are old enough to join in this activity.
Thank you
Love all the Elf one shelf my grand children is always do things with the Elf keep new things coming.
Love all the ideas to get me started.
This is so cute for my granddaughter I love it
We had our two get into some crazy stuff last year. This year they already made a Charlie Brown therapist booth, and hand fun sleigh riding down the stairs. Can’t wait to use some of the fun ideas from this
This website has helped me so much! I’ve been having to move our elf on the shelf “Jingle” into new places for my little sister. Today I used the elf in the refrigerator idea.
Thanks so much!
-Ryann
There are show many fun ideas here. I cant wait to see the smiles on my kids when I try some of them :)
I like your elf ideas
Wow! That looks super cute & funny. Loved it! Thanks for sharing :-)
Thank you! My kids love elf on the shelf. :)
Love your ideas for The elf on the shelf
I agree
THEY ARE REAL
Hi great ideas so now I have ideas of where my elf can be thank you so much.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
December,21,2017
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well. :)
Some really good ideas, this is the first year we have done Elf on a Shelf, my husband bought them with the girls not realising what you had to do with them, but should be fun!!!!
They are a lot of fun! We have gotten simpler over the years, but my kids still enjoy finding the elf each morning in a new spot. :)
I love the gift bag ideas my grandchildren will have fun making some for their friends and family
Elf on a shelf is much much older than 2005 and your mentioned author. I believe Elf originated in Japan more than 50 years ago. My brother has collected them for years. He’s an antique dealer/ collector. They are antique dolls and harder to find than these newfangled replicas. I enjoyed your compilation! Great ideas.
I love it so much I want another elf so they can do mischief together
Love These! Wrote down 12 of them that I’m going to try out! Awesome website thanks.
So glad you can use some of these ideas!
So many fun and creative ideas!
So cute and fun!
SO many great idea! I’m bookmarking this for help!
So many fun ideas the kids are sure to love!
This is totally elf on a shelf 101! I love this!! I need to start this new tradition with the kids :)
Such an adorable elf! Love this idea!
Good ideas