24 Simple & Hassle-free Elf on the Shelf Ideas | Elf On The Shelf UK (2024)

The festive countdown has almost begun and we couldn’t be more excited!

It’s all hands on deck at the North Pole as we prep for Christmas, but first up is Santa with his favourite ideas for Scout Elves – one for each day of Advent, of course.

From the silly and crafty to funny and daring, we’re here to inspire you and your Scout Elf with the very best Elf on the Shelf ideas around.

Ready? Let’s go!

1. Christmas bakes

There’s nothing better than waking up to a festive treat or two, so get the ingredients in for your child’s favourite cookies or cupcakes and leave them out ready for your Scout Elves to cook up these delicious treats. Look forward to finding a yummy surprise in the morning!

2. Decorating the tree

Scout Elves love to help out! Especially when it comes to making your Christmas tree extra festive.

They’ll often wait until everyone’s asleep before adding the finishing touches, so don’t be surprised if your little ones catch them in the act when they wake up.

3. Time for a story

In the North Pole, the Scout Elves enjoy storytime with Mrs Claus every night. To make sure they don’t miss out, they bring their favourite books with them to share with their new friends.

You can find them waiting by the fireplace with a selection of books for your little ones to choose from.

4. Wreath making

Wreath making is a popular activity in the North Pole, and the Scout Elves love getting everyone involved.

Gather all the bits and pieces they need and watch as the kids wake up to an amazing morning of crafts, organised by the elves of course.

5. Receiving a Christmas card

The Scout Elves take extra special care when it comes to writing their Christmas cards, and this year will be no different.

With your little ones at the top of their list, they’ll leave a handmade card next to their pillow, signed by Santa himself.

6. A treat to share

It’s no secret that Scout Elves love candy canes, but what they love more than anything is sharing.

They’ve spent all year collecting their favourite sweets and now it’s time to leave them out for the whole family to enjoy.

Be quick though… you might find them tucking into the sweets before you do.

7. Make a time capsule

Christmas memories should last a lifetime, and with the help of your Scout Elf they can!

Bringing with them from the North Pole a personalised time capsule, it’s the perfect way to capture all the children’s favourite festive memories.

Encourage the kids to gather objects from around the home, make little notes and even take pictures with an instant camera. Pop them all in your time capsule and set a date for you can open it again.

8. Chalkboard doodles

Challenge the little ones to a doodle competition with the Scout Elves by getting them to draw on a chalkboard before they go to bed – don’t forget to leave space for the elves!

During the night, the Scout Elves will get busy drawing their masterpieces ready for you to find in the morning.

9. Getting snuggled

They may be from the North Pole, but Scout Elves like to be cosy and warm, too.

So much so, they love nothing more they getting snuggled up in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows. Perhaps the kids can join them too!

10. A little yoga

To prepare for a busy festive period, the Scout Elves often practice their best yoga moves.

They’re pretty good at creating a zen environment, so don’t be afraid to join in with the downward facing dog pose.

11. Noughts and crosses

Care for a game of noughts and crosses? This simple (and fun) strategy game can be spread over a few days as you each take it in turns to go.

The Scout Elves will start things off by leaving out a piece of paper, a pen and their first move. Can you beat the Scout Elves?

12. Having a kickabout

Football’s coming home… and it really is with the Scout Elves around this Christmas.

Make a football using a ping-pong ball and a black marker pen, and see what tricks they get up to in the night. To take things into extra time, you can make a goal for the elves too, using straws.

13. Play dress up

If your child loves playing dress up, then they’ll adore seeing all the Scout Elves’ different Claus Couture Collection® costumes this festive period.

They’ve got plenty of outfits to choose from, with the elves never missing an opportunity to put on a fashion show and strike a pose.

14. Get your boogie on

You’ll often see the Scout Elves getting down with their favourites moves at parties, so don’t be surprised to find them by the speaker doing just that this Christmas.

They might even have a few party accessories, too, so be sure to join in all the fun with your little ones.

15. Start a treasure hunt

‘X’ marks the spot! The Scout Elves sometimes like to leave out a treasure map with clues to finding a big surprise!

With the map hand drawn on a piece of paper and a few written clues hidden along the way, the kids will have the most exciting start to the day finding the treasure.

16. The domino effect

Before bed, ask the kids to start laying out dominoes in a line so they all fall one at a time with a little nudge.

They’ll have to wait until morning before they do though, as the Scout Elves need to finish adding their dominoes too.

Be careful though… the elves might have accidentally knocked a few down in the night. Can you spot them?

17. Say CHEESE!

Everyone loves a silly photo booth session, so be sure to grab an instant camera and some props for everyone to enjoy this Christmas. Don’t forget smaller props for the Scout Elves, too.

To show you how it’s done, the elves will leave a few test shots out for you all to see. Now it’s time for you and your children to start taking your own.

18. Introducing new friends

In the North Pole, we like to say “the more, the merrier!”, and this couldn’t be truer at Christmastime.

Elf Pets® are bursting with festive love and ready to meet their new friends. Let the Scout Elves introduce Santa’s Saint Bernard and Reindeer to the family for a little extra festive spirit this Christmas.

19. BRB! Gone Fishing

Never ones to waste a moment, the Scout Elves are always busy doing something.

To keep them entertained, why not let them go fishing? Just leave out a bowl of water filled with some artistic looking fish, and don’t forget a few small twigs and a reel of cotton to make the fishing rod. The Scout Elves will be drawn in hook, line and sinker!

20. Leave a message

Scout Elves are clever when it comes to leaving messages around the home. They use all sorts of objects and techniques to spell things out.

From children’s letter blocks and alphabet fridge magnets to cut out words from magazines, they really are quite inventive when it comes to saying “Merry Christmas, Friend!”.

21. Putting up the decorations

You’re putting up all your festive decorations, but in all the excitement you’ve missed a spot.

Fear not, the Scout Elves are on the job with all their expert decorating skills. Mrs Claus has taught them everything she knows, so be prepared for a nice surprise when you wake up in the morning.

22. Monkeying around

Scout Elves are never naughty, but they do love to fool around and hide from time to time. In a thrilling game of hide and seek, you can often find them snigg*ring behind curtains, on top of door frames and even in the garden!

Set the timer and see how long it takes the kids to find them.

23. Surfing the web

It’s a busy time for the Scout Elves at Christmas, so sometimes they have to check in with Santa via email instead.

They’re pretty good at typing, so if your little ones have a request for Santa, now’s the time to get it in!

24. On top of the presents

Who better to guard all the presents than Santa’s Scout Elves? They’ll stack all your gifts neatly and add festive bows if you like, too!

Find them on top of the pile waiting for the rest of the family to join in the festive fun.