Snow Globe Arrival
The elf turns up inside a clear jar or vase “snow globe” full of cotton wool snow.
5 min setup A little mess 3 items
37 Last Minute Elf on the Shelf Ideas
It is late, the kids are asleep and the elf has not moved. Every idea here takes five minutes or less — most use nothing but what is already in the kitchen.
37 ideas
Marshmallow Bubble Bath
The elf relaxes in a bowl or sink of mini marshmallows like it is a bubble bath.
5 min setup No mess 4 items
Flour Snow Angel
The elf makes a snow angel in a dusting of flour on the kitchen counter.
5 min setup Messy 2 items
Message on the Mirror
The elf writes a good-morning message on the bathroom mirror.
3 min setup No mess 1 item
Toy Hostage Ransom Note
The elf ties up a favourite toy with tinsel and leaves a cheeky “ransom” note asking for cookies.
5 min setup No mess 3 items
Toilet-Papered Christmas Tree
The elf drapes toilet paper all over the Christmas tree like garland.
5 min setup A little mess 1 item
Caught in the Cookie Jar
The elf is found head-first in the biscuit tin with crumbs everywhere.
3 min setup No mess 2 items
Bubble Wrap Floor
The elf covers the hallway floor in bubble wrap so the first steps of the morning go pop.
5 min setup No mess 3 items
Homework Helper
The elf is found doing a maths worksheet or writing a list of Christmas spellings.
5 min setup No mess 2 items
Kindness Challenge Card
The elf leaves a small challenge such as “Give someone a compliment today”.
2 min setup No mess 2 items
Toy Donation Box
The elf leaves an empty box with a note asking your child to choose a toy to give away.
5 min setup No mess 2 items
Morning Elf Yoga
The elf strikes a yoga pose on a folded tea towel with a little water bottle beside them.
3 min setup No mess 2 items
Chilling in the Fridge
The elf is found “chilling out” inside the fridge, wearing sunglasses made of paper.
3 min setup No mess 2 items
Tangled in the Tree Lights
The elf has got themselves hopelessly tangled in a spare string of fairy lights.
3 min setup No mess 1 item
Snowball Fight
The elf is in the middle of a snowball fight with soft toys using mini marshmallows or cotton wool balls.
5 min setup No mess 2 items
Ice Skating on Foil
The elf skates on a tinfoil “ice rink” with paper-clip skates.
5 min setup No mess 2 items
Santa Letter Helper
The elf leaves paper, pens and an envelope addressed to Santa so your child can write their list.
5 min setup No mess 3 items
Making Reindeer Food
The elf mixes oats and sprinkles into a bag of reindeer food to scatter on Christmas Eve.
5 min setup A little mess 4 items
Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge
The elf sets up a game of noughts and crosses with sweets and challenges your child to finish it.
5 min setup No mess 2 items
Colouring Contest
The elf has started colouring a Christmas picture and challenges your child to colour their own.
5 min setup No mess 2 items
Pool Party in a Sink
The elf throws a pool party with sweets as inflatables and a straw as a slide.
5 min setup A little mess 3 items
Riding the Toy Train
The elf hitches a ride on a toy train, car or dinosaur across the floor.
2 min setup No mess 1 item
Hide and Seek
The elf hides somewhere tricky and leaves a note saying “Find me!”.
2 min setup No mess 1 item
Elf Bowling
The elf sets up skittles made from toilet rolls or plastic cups with an orange for the ball.
5 min setup No mess 2 items
Elf Dental Check-up
The elf lines up the family’s toothbrushes and leaves a note to brush well before the big day.
2 min setup No mess 2 items
North Pole Weather Report
The elf presents the North Pole weather with a hand-drawn map stuck on the fridge.
5 min setup No mess 3 items
Christmas Socks Swap
The elf swaps your child’s socks for festive ones laid out for the day.
2 min setup No mess 1 item
Sprinkle Footprints
A trail of tiny footprints in icing sugar or sprinkles leads from the window to the elf.
5 min setup A little mess 1 item
Bedtime Story Reader
The elf is found reading a Christmas picture book to your child’s soft toys.
2 min setup No mess 2 items
Moustaches on Family Photos
The elf has “drawn” moustaches on the family photos — using sticky notes or a dry-wipe pen on the glass.
5 min setup No mess 3 items
Last Selfie Together
The elf leaves a printed photo of your child from earlier in the month with “See you next year!”.
5 min setup No mess 1 item
Sleigh Lookout
The elf watches out of the window with toilet-roll binoculars, waiting for Santa.
3 min setup No mess 2 items
Stuck in Slime
The elf has fallen into a bowl of green jelly or slime and is waiting to be rescued.
5 min setup Messy 2 items
Diving Board
The elf dives off a ruler balanced on books into a mug of hot chocolate.
5 min setup No mess 3 items
Advent Treat Delivery
The elf arrives carrying today’s small treat — a sticker, a sweet or a hot chocolate sachet.
2 min setup No mess 2 items
Play Dough Sculptor
The elf has made a little play dough snowman or Christmas tree overnight.
5 min setup No mess 1 item
Postcard from the North Pole
The elf brings back a postcard “from Santa” praising something your child did this week.
3 min setup No mess 1 item
Plan the whole month
One idea for every night from 1 to 24 December.