Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Toddlers: 46 Easy, Low-Mess Ideas

Inside Elf on the shelf ideas for toddlers this Christmas

You’re either planning ahead, or it’s 11pm and you’ve just remembered the elf hasn’t moved.

I’ve been there too, don’t worry. I have also been the mum who’s tiptoed down the stairs at 5 am because I’ve forgotten to move the elf the night before.

Why do we do it to ourselves?

These 46 elf on the shelf ideas are made for toddlers and preschoolers: most take two minutes, none need much mess or fancy props, and every one can be done on a sleepy morning.

Jump to: Quick-pick by age · Arrival ideas · 2-minute ideas · Naughty-but-gentle ideas · Kind & creative ideas · Goodbye ideas · FAQ

Quick answer: the easiest elf ideas if you’re short on time

Pick any of these (all two minutes or less): #1 Arrival letter from the North Pole, #2 Paper aeroplane arrival, #3 Elf among the Christmas decorations, #4 Writing Christmas cards, #5 Story time, #6 The toy catalogue, #7 Elf brings a Christmas colouring book, #9 Popcorn and the remote.

What is Elf on the Shelf?

If you are new to this tradition then welcome to the club. That is, welcome to the club of crazy mamas who do everything in their power to keep the magic alive.

It is a nightmare, I’m not going to lie. I forget more than I remember but my children love it. I’d even go as far as saying that it is their favourite part of the entire season. And that makes it worth it.

Elf on the Shelf started in the US and has slowly made its way around the globe with social media spreading the joy each Christmas. More and more families are embracing elf magic and creating fun memories for their little ones.

The original concept saw an elf appear on the first of December. The rules were that nobody could touch the elf or else it would lose its magic. Each night, the elf would come to life and get up to mischief while the children were asleep.

Making the elf toddler-friendly

• Let them touch him. The official rule is “no touching”. For toddlers we say: let them hold and play with the elf. I wanted to make my elves friendly and fun, so we ditched the idea of ‘no touching’ and thought of fun activities that my kids could do with the elves.
• Keep it simple. One easy scene beats an elaborate one that you forget.
• Think safety first. Avoid small items for under 3s (marshmallows, sweets, buttons) unless you’re supervising, don’t use raw eggs, and keep anything hot or sharp out of the scene.
• Keep it kind, not scary. Many toddlers don’t understand “being watched”. Frame the elf as a friendly helper who loves silly, kind things.

How to introduce the elf to a toddler (1-2 years)

Children love magic and really don’t question it. So all I did was set up the elves ready for when the children came downstairs in the morning. I had written a little note explaining who they were and that they would be joining us for the whole of December. But that on Christmas Eve they would go back home to the North Pole.

From there, the children quickly came to understand that the elves got up to mischief each night and would rush to find them each morning.

Quick Pick by Age

Age	Best Ideas to Start With
2-year-olds	1 Arrival letter from the North Pole, #3 Elf among the Christmas decorations, #5 Story time, #7 Elf brings a Christmas colouring book, #11 Hide and seek, #14 Head-first in the cereal, #15 Tucked up in a toy bed, #27 Bubble bath, #33 Reindeer food (big, simple, nothing small or fiddly)
3-year-olds	8 Name-the-elf card, #16 Floury footprints, #17 Chocolate wrapper culprit, #20 Pants on the tree, #21 The floor is lava, #24 Zipwire, #31 Tissue-paper snowball fight, #36 Elf with the camera, #35 Gingerbread house ingredients
4-5-year-olds	34 Scavenger hunt, #22 Drawing on eggs, #39 The naughty and nice list, #32 Snowflake cutting, #30 Paper chains, #6 The toy catalogue, #13 Playing a game, #29 A second elf arrives, #42 A kind note (more story, more mischief, small jobs for them to help with)

Arrival & First Day Elf Ideas

1. Arrival letter from the North Pole
Age: 2-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf arrives with a note from Father Christmas explaining who he is and that he is watching for kindness (not naughtiness).

2. Paper aeroplane arrival
Age: 2-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf has “landed” next to a paper aeroplane with a little note.

3. Elf among the Christmas decorations
Age: 2-5 · Time: 1 min
Sit the elf in the tree or between the baubles so little ones can spot him.

4. Writing Christmas cards
Age: 3-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf with a pen, a stack of cards and a tiny envelope.

5. Story time
Age: 1-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf propped up with a Christmas book open on his lap.

6. The toy catalogue
Age: 3-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf has the toy catalogue and has circled a few things. Ask what they would pick.

7. Elf brings a Christmas colouring book
Age: 2-5 · Time: 1 min
A reward for good behaviour: a Christmassy colouring book and crayons.

8. Name-the-elf card 
Age: 2-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf holds up a card asking for a name. Toddlers love a vote.

Quick 2-minute set-ups (no mess)

9. Popcorn and the remote
Age: 2-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn and the tv remote.

10. Miniature breakfast
Age: 2-5 · Time: 3 min
A tiny breakfast laid out for the elf: a raisin on a doll plate, a cup made from an egg cup.

11. Hide and seek
Age: 2-5 · Time: 1 min
Hide the elf somewhere low enough for toddlers to find. Great for sleepy mornings.

12. Playing with the toys
Age: 2-5 · Time: 1 min
Elf has taken over a toy: tractor, train track, doll house.

13. Playing a game
Age: 3-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf has set up a board game or a stack of cards and is “winning”.

14. Head-first in the cereal
Age: 2-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf diving head-first into the cereal box.

15. Tucked up in a toy bed
Age: 1-3 · Time: 2 min
Elf asleep in a doll cot with a muslin blanket. Gentle and calm.

Naughty-but-gentle elf ideas

16. Floury footprints
Age: 3-5 · Time: 5 min
A trail of flour footprints across the kitchen worktop. Wipe up and no harm done.

17. Chocolate wrapper culprit
Age: 3-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf on the sofa surrounded by empty chocolate wrappers.

18. Toilet roll tree
Age: 3-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf has covered the tree or a chair in toilet roll. Messy but quick to scoop up.

19. Wrapped in sticky tape
Age: 3-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf wrapped up in tape or wrapping paper surrounded by gifts.

20. Pants on the tree
Age: 3-5 · Time: 2 min
Spare (clean!) pants hung on the Christmas tree. Instant giggles.

21. The floor is lava
Age: 3-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf stranded on a cushion island surrounded by “lava”.

22. Drawing on eggs
Age: 4-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf has drawn faces on hard-boiled eggs. Not raw eggs, especially around toddlers.

23. Frying “eggs”
Age: 3-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf at the toy cooker with pom-poms and a pan.

24. Zipwire
Age: 3-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf zipping across the living room on string between two chairs.

25. Sweets stash
Age: 3-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf caught with his hands in the sweets jar. Swap for fruit if you prefer.

26. Making sandwiches
Age: 3-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf building a sandwich from play food or paper cut-outs.

27. Bubble bath
Age: 2-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf in a washing-up bowl “bath” with cotton-wool bubbles.

28. The cheeky bathroom scene
Age: 3-5 · Time: 3 min
The one toddlers find hilarious. Chocolate buttons are your friend.

29. A second elf arrives
Age: 3-5 · Time: 2 min
Introduce a second elf, a “friend” for your elf.

Kind & creative elf activities

30. Paper chains
Age: 3-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf has made the first few links. Your child finishes the chain.

31. Tissue-paper snowball fight
Age: 2-5 · Time: 5 min
Scrunched tissue “snowballs” for an indoor battle (or real snow if you have it).

32. Snowflake cutting
Age: 3-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf surrounded by paper cuttings and child-safe scissors.

33. Reindeer food
Age: 2-5 · Time: 10 min
Elf has mixed up reindeer food to sprinkle outside on Christmas Eve.

34. Scavenger hunt
Age: 3-5 · Time: 10 min
Elf leaves picture clues around the house for a mini treasure hunt.

35. Gingerbread house ingredients
Age: 3-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf has laid out everything for a gingerbread house. Bake it together.

36. Elf with the camera
Age: 3-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf with a toy camera to take Christmas photos. Add a family photo-booth moment.

37. New Christmas jumpers
Age: 3-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf has knitted jumpers (or tangled the wool) for the family.

38. Day trip with the elf
Age: 2-5 · Time: 0 min
Take the elf with you to see Father Christmas or on a family outing.

39. The naughty and nice list
Age: 3-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf writing the list (spoiler: everyone is on the nice list).

40. Snow angels
Age: 2-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf making snow angels in flour or sugar.

41. Building a snowman
Age: 2-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf building a mini snowman from marshmallows, cotton wool or play dough. Supervise toddlers with small items.

42. A kind note
Age: 3-5 · Time: 2 min
Elf leaves a gentle note reminding little ones about being kind. (Your original “cautionary note”, softened.)

43. December birthday
Age: 2-5 · Time: 5 min
Elf with a party hat on the presents, or in a paper hot air balloon.

Saying goodbye to the elf

44. Thank-you letter
Age: 3-5 · Time: 3 min
Final day: elf leaves a thank-you note and goes back to the North Pole.

45. Snow-spray goodbye
Age: 2-5 · Time: 5 min
A farewell scene in snow spray or flour on the window or table.

46. Elf flies off 
Age: 2-5 · Time: 3 min
Elf next to a balloon or paper plane for the journey home.

FAQ

What age is Elf on the Shelf for?
Toddlers can enjoy it from around 18 months to 2 as a “find the elf” game; the “naughty and nice” story makes more sense from about 3.

How do I introduce the elf to a 2-year-old?
Keep it simple: a friendly arrival letter, the elf in an easy-to-spot place, and no talk of being watched. Let them say hello and hold him if you’re happy with that.

Can toddlers touch the elf?
Officially no, but a lot of parents (including me) let toddlers hold and play with the elf: it keeps the magic fun rather than stressful.

What if I forget to move the elf?
It happens to everyone. Tell them the elf was “extra tired” or “waiting for a special visit”, or move him quietly and add a “sorry I overslept” note.

What are some quick elf on the shelf ideas for toddlers?
Try “arrival letter from the north pole”, “paper aeroplane arrival”, “elf among the christmas decorations”, “writing christmas cards” (see the quick-answer list above).