This list of 25 funny Elf on the Shelf ideas are all easy to put together and most don’t require any complicated accessories.
The Elf on the Shelf tradition is a fun one that has taken off in these last few years.
A little elf on the shelf trivia for you: this fun Christmas tradition was birthed in 2005 when Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell published their book “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition.” Of course, the book came with the famous elf doll. Since then, people have come up with so many fun ideas for hiding places and costumes like Mission Impossible Elf and sick Elf.
It’s definitely super fun for the kids. And parents can enjoy making it a fun morning surprise. Just wait until you see the kids’ faces when they find Santa’s little helper in a new position or location around the house!
I hope you can make use of some of the fun, creative Elf on the Shelf ideas on this list. There are so many more great hiding places for your family elf. I’ve created a FREE printable Elf on the Shelf planner to help you organize your ideas. With this tool, you won’t be stressing every night about where to move the elf.
1- Put Your Elf in Quarantine
If you want a great excuse to not move your elf for a while, just put it in quarantine 😂. Found on Pinterest.
2 – Twister Elf
Get this fun free printable Elf Twister game from Frugal Coupon Living and set up a game with your kids’ favorite figurines. You can take this idea to the next level by pulling out the ol’ Twister mat and playing it with your kids.
3 – Naughty Elf
Kids will love this naughty elf drawing mustaches on their pictures. It only seems right that an elf show a little mischief. Use a dry erase marker to make sure you don’t do any permanent damage. Found on Simple as That Blog.
4 – Frozen Elf
If you have an Elsa figurine, surprise your kids with this frozen elf to make them smile. If you don’t have an Elsa figurine, you can still do this fun arrangement using the backstory that this elf got a little cold in the North Pole. Heads up, this arrangement requires preparation in order for it to be ready the next morning. Origin Unknown.
5 – Elf eating elf spaghetti
If you’re planning on watching the movie Elf, surprise your kids and duplicate the iconic scene from the movie by having your Elf on the Shelf eating sugary spaghetti. But be warned—-Your kids might want to try it! Found on Pinterest.
6 – Elf Conducting a Fruit Choir
I loved this fruit choir idea from the official Elf on the Shelf website. This setup might actually make for a happy mom if it inspires the kids to eat some fruit!
7 – Elf Melting a Snowman
A little spilled milk and some well placed cookies or chocolate chips and you too can have a naughty elf melting a snowman. Found on Pink Peony Home. Such a sneaky little elf. If you don’t want the mess of spilled milk, you can use play dough to sculpt a melted snowman.
8 – Elf Ice Fishing on Toilet Seat
This ice fishing Elf is easy to set up and sure to get the kids to giggle in the morning. The goldfish crackers really take this over the top. Found on I Think We Could Be Friends.
9 – Trickster Elf changing Oreo
This funny Elf on the Shelf is being a little trickster changing the insides of the Oreos with toothpaste. Found on Pinterest. This mischievous elf is not making the nice list.
10 – Elf Candy Cane Treasure Hunt
Kids will be entertained for a while looking for all 12 candy canes that the elf has hidden. Found on KA Inspired. And who doesn’t love a candy cane during the Christmas season?
11 – Elf caught Red Handed in the Nutella Jar
While we’ve all been tempted to put a finger in the Nutella jar, it’s this naughty elf that actually did it! This elf just got caught red handed. Found on Instagram.