Flour Snow Angel
The elf makes a snow angel in a dusting of flour on the kitchen counter.
5 min setup Messy 2 items
19 Elf on the Shelf Ideas With No Props
No shopping, no crafting. Every idea here uses things already in your kitchen, bathroom or toy box.
19 ideas
Message on the Mirror
The elf writes a good-morning message on the bathroom mirror.
3 min setup No mess 1 item
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
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
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
Ice Skating on Foil
The elf skates on a tinfoil “ice rink” with paper-clip skates.
5 min setup No mess 2 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
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
Lego Building Site
The elf has built a tiny house, sleigh or tower out of your child’s building bricks.
10 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
Plan the whole month
One idea for every night from 1 to 24 December.