Elf on the Shelf Ideas with 24 Day Cheat Sheet

Elf on the Shelf Ideas

Has the naughty Elf descended on your home this Christmas?  Here’s an entire month’s worth of easy ideas to keep the kids entertained.

What is Elf on the Shelf?

Elf on the Shelf is a modern Christmas tradition that started with the popular children’s book called ‘The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition’, written by Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell in 2005.

Here’s the idea:

• On December 1st, a small Elf will appear, sitting on a shelf in the family living area.
• The Elf is ‘sent by Father Christmas’ to watch over children and report back each night about whether they’ve been naughty or nice.
• Each morning, the Elf “returns” from the North Pole and appears in a new spot around the house.
• Kids wake up and look for where the elf has moved (and what it’s been up to).
• The elf can’t be touched, or else it “loses its magic.”

Over time, parents have turned it into a fun game, often setting up funny scenes with the elf getting up to mischief each night for children to wake up to.

It’s become especially popular as a playful countdown to Christmas.

25 Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas

This Elf on the Shelf cheat sheet has a months worth of easy ideas for the month of December to make it easy for you and fun for the kids

We will pop some suggestions underneath some of the less obvious ideas on how to make them even better!

Day 1  Arrival Day 

• Kids come home from school or wake up, and Elf is on the shelf.
• Elf Arrives with Welcome Note.
• Elf Arrives with Advent Calendars.

Option 2 – Crash Landing
1) Sellotape one arm to the TV
2) Write a note of your choice
3) Search “broken screen” via your TVs YouTube app and pop the 24 hour one on

See option 2 ‘Crash Landing’ in action on TikTok

Day 2  Zipline with a Candy Cane

• Use ribbon or string for the zipline and a candy cane for the Elf to hold on to.

Option 2 – Snow Slide

1) Clingfilm from the cupboard to the side or table (use tins in the cupboard to secure)
2) Use flour or icing sugar for the snow
3) Go as crazy as you like with the snow! Less is more in my house

See option 2 ‘Snow Slide’ in action on TikTok

Day 3 Toilet roll down the stairs & hides in the tube

• Tie it around the door handles, around the lights and all the way down the stairs.
• Flour at the bottom of the stairs to resemble snow

Option 2 – Toilet Roll Carnage

• Wrap toilet roll around the tree, furniture, lights! Everywhere
• Go as crazy as you like with the carnage! Less is more in my house

See option 2 ‘Blend an Elf’ in action on TikTok

Day 4  Banana Minions

• Use a Sharpie to turn a bunch of bananas into minions!

Option 2 – Blend an Elf

• Use a trending topic or a funny reason as to why one Elf has punished the other

Day 5  Hide Elf in the Christmas Tree 

• Break some baubles
• Marker Pen faces on some baubles
• Pull out some tinsel

Day 6  ELF gets Frozen

• Put him in a glass of water and pop him in the freezer
• Is there an Elsa doll in your house? Perhaps she is responsible!

Day 7  Snow angels out of flour

Day 8 Draw Moustaches  on family pictures

Day 9  Snowball Fight with Cotton wool balls

Day 10   Elf Wraps ‘gifts’ to leave under the tree

• Kids favourite teddy
• Their school uniform
• Their Iphone or Ipad
• Another Elf

Day 11  Elf makes a Shoe Shoe Train

Day 12 Elf dyes the milk Green

Day 13 Add googly eyes to things all around the house

Day 14 Glitter bomb a room  

• Add a note saying “that’s MUCH better” or “sorry I farted”

Day 15  Make paper snowflakes and put them EVERYWHERE

• Leave the mess from the snowflakes all over the floor too
• Hang them, stick them to the walls, cover the sofas!
• Leave a note saying “Oh the weather inside is frightful”

Day 16  Kidnap some toys and make a ransom note

• Use teddys, dolls or action figures and tie them with sellotape or string
• Write a ransom note demanding chocolate for them back.

Day 17  Steal some chocolate & make a mess

• Nutella is a good one
• Or Quality Street and leave the wrappers everywhere
• Smear some chocolate over the Elf’s face.

Day 18  Make a Skittles water rainbow

• Put a circle of skittles on a plate, and sit the Elf next to the plate with a note saying “let’s make a rainbow, just add water”.

Day 19  Make a toilet roll snowman

Day 20  Write on the mirror, “5 days until Christmas”,

• Use lipstick, a sharpie or toothpaste.

Day 21  Make a treasure hunt

• Make a pirate eye patch for the Elf
• Draw a map or write a list of clues
• Treasure can be the kids phones/ipads, a sweet treat or maybe a small gift.

Day 22  Hiding in the cutlery drawer

• Remove all the spoons, place Elf in the slot, then cover the kitchen with the spoons.
• Place a small blanket over Elf
• Leave one spoon in the slot and add a note saying “I needed someone to spoon with”

Day 23  Elf Breakfast

You can print off a personalised apology note from the Elf or purchase a personalised one here.

Day 24  Goodbye Note

• You can print off a personalised goodbye note or purchase a personalised one
• You could simply write “Good bye” in tomato sauce or toothpaste.

Elf on the Shelf Cheat Sheet

You can download and print the image below so you can mark each day off as you go along. Click on the image to print.

Where can I buy an Elf on the Shelf?

To purchase an authentic Elf on the Shelf, which comes with the book, you can pick it up on Amazon for around £20 here.

You can also get a similar Elf in places like Home Bargains or B&M for around £2 if you prefer.

We hope you enjoy implementing some of these mischievous scenes, and the kids have a fantastic countdown to Christmas 2026