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Best Elf Ideas - Top Rated Christmas Elf Activities

Discover the highest-rated Elf on the Shelf ideas voted by parents. Browse our top 30 most popular Christmas elf activities and scenarios.

Showing top 21 highest-rated ideas
1
Toilet Paper Snowstorm Surprise
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Nice

Toilet Paper Snowstorm Surprise

The elf sits in the bathroom surrounded by unraveled toilet paper rolls that are draped across the mirror, sink, and floor. The elf holds the end of a toilet paper roll with white paper streaming everywhere like a snowstorm hit the bathroom.

🚿Bathroom
⏱️10
Standard (5-10 min)
5.0(2)
2
Elf's bubble wrap dance floor
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Naughty

Elf's bubble wrap dance floor

The elf creates a 'dance party' using bubble wrap taped to the floor with toy figures or small stuffed animals 'dancing' on it. Add a note: 'I made a POP party! Step on it and dance with me!' Preschoolers will love stomping on the bubble wrap to make it pop while pretending to dance with the elf.

⏱️10
5.0(1)
3
Smoothie bar takeover with mystery ingredient challenge
Tweens (11-12 years)
Naughty

Smoothie bar takeover with mystery ingredient challenge

Your elf has set up an elaborate DIY smoothie bar with labeled ingredient cups (spinach, berries, protein powder, etc.) BUT one cup is labeled 'Mystery Ingredient - DO YOU DARE?' filled with something unexpected like pickle juice, hot sauce, or sardine water. Include a challenge note: 'I triple-dog dare you to make a smoothie with the mystery ingredient and post a taste-test video!' Perfect for social-media-loving tweens who enjoy challenges.

⏱️10
5.0(1)
DJ Elfie's turntable scratch session
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Nice

DJ Elfie's turntable scratch session

Your elf becomes DJ Elfie! Set up a mini DJ booth using two round lids or coasters as turntables, headphones made from bottle caps and pipe cleaners, and tiny album covers cut from wrapping paper. Surround the elf with colorful building blocks arranged as speakers. Add a note: 'I've been mixing the North Pole's hottest tracks all night! Can you help me name my next song?' Include crayons for kids to draw their own album covers.

⏱️10
5.0(1)
Elf's makeshift gym disaster
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Naughty

Elf's makeshift gym disaster

Your elf tried to lift 'weights' made from stacked cookies, candy canes, or small toys tied to spoons with ribbon. The weights are 'too heavy' so the elf is pinned underneath them dramatically with a sign saying 'Send help! Skipped leg day!' Bonus: scatter toy cars or small stuffed animals around as the elf's 'gym buddies' cheering them on.

⏱️10
5.0(1)
DJ Elfie drops the bass
Toddlers (1-2 years)
Nice

DJ Elfie drops the bass

Transform your elf into a techno DJ! Create a mini DJ booth using a cardboard box, with pot lids as turntables and wooden spoons as mixers. Add aluminum foil knobs and buttons. Surround the elf with toy sunglasses, a colander as a disco ball hanging above, and arrange baby toys as the 'dance floor crowd' (stuffed animals bouncing). Bonus: Leave a note saying 'Das ist gut, ja!' with glow stick bracelets for your toddler to join the silent disco party.

⏱️10
5.0(1)
Protein powder shake explosion
School Age (6-10 years)
Naughty

Protein powder shake explosion

Elf attempted to make a post-workout protein shake but made a huge mess! Set up elf with a blender surrounded by spilled flour or powdered sugar (as protein powder), with a tiny protein shaker bottle, dumbbells made from toilet paper rolls and tape, and a motivational gym poster drawn by elf. Add a note: 'Leg day was brutal! My shake exploded everywhere! - Buddy'

⏱️10
5.0(1)
Elf's homework rebellion
School Age (6-10 years)
Naughty

Elf's homework rebellion

The elf has 'done' the child's homework but gotten all the answers hilariously wrong on purpose (2+2=Fish, the capital of France is Pizza Town, etc.). Leave a red marker nearby with silly corrections and a note: 'Homework is HARD! Can you fix my mistakes before school?' Kids will laugh at the absurd answers.

⏱️10
5.0(1)
Elf's sixty seven dance party
Toddlers (1-2 years)
Pop Culture

Elf's sixty seven dance party

Your elf is hosting a toddler dance party with the number 67 everywhere! Elf wears a headband with '67' and is surrounded by 6 toy cars and 7 stuffed animals having a dance party. Play toddler music and add a sign: 'Can you count my friends? 6 + 7!' This introduces the viral Gen Alpha reference while teaching counting - toddlers learn numbers, older siblings get the meme.

⏱️10
5.0(1)
Elf's epic time capsule mission
School Age (6-10 years)
Nice

Elf's epic time capsule mission

Your elf has packed a 'time capsule' box with funny items and memories from this year (drawings, photos, small toys, notes about funny moments). The elf sits with packed 'luggage' (small box), holding a map marked 'North Pole Express' and wearing sunglasses. A note says: 'Thanks for the memories! I'm taking proof back to HQ that you were AWESOME this year. Same time next December? -Your Elf'

⏱️10
5.0(1)
Toilet Paper Snow Angel Mess
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Nice

Toilet Paper Snow Angel Mess

The elf lies in the bathroom floor surrounded by unrolled toilet paper stretched across the tiles in the shape of a snow angel. Toilet paper is draped over the sink and toilet with the elf positioned in the middle of the paper mess.

🚿Bathroom
⏱️10
Standard (5-10 min)
4.5(2)
Pillow Fort Chaos
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Naughty

Pillow Fort Chaos

Rampenissen sits in the middle of a bedroom pillow fort, surrounded by pillows and blankets scattered everywhere. Stuffed animals are positioned as if they've been knocked over in a pillow fight, with feathers and down scattered across the bed and floor. The elf holds a pillow triumphantly, with more pillows piled haphazardly around the fort.

🛏️Bedroom
⏱️10
Quick (1-3 min)
4.0(2)
Oreo tower stacking challenge
Tweens (11-12 years)
Nice

Oreo tower stacking challenge

Your elf has set up an extreme engineering challenge using Oreos! Stack them vertically to build the tallest free-standing tower possible. The elf leaves a measuring tape, a note with the current 'North Pole Record' (12 cookies high), and challenges your tween to beat it. Bonus: use toothpicks as support beams for advanced architecture. Winner gets to eat their creation!

⏱️10
4.0(2)
Elf's Nutella mustache makeover
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Nice

Elf's Nutella mustache makeover

The elf got into the Nutella jar and gave themselves (and maybe some toy friends or family photos) chocolate mustaches! Place the elf sitting next to an open Nutella jar with a spoon, and use a tiny bit of Nutella to create a mustache on the elf's face. You can also draw Nutella mustaches on toy figures nearby or place silly mustache drawings on family photos. Leave a note: 'Oops! The Nutella was too yummy to resist!'

⏱️10
4.0(1)
Social media influencer takeover
Tweens (11-12 years)
Naughty

Social media influencer takeover

Your elf has 'hacked' into social media! Print out fake phone screenshots showing the elf has changed the family WiFi password to 'NaughtyList2024', posted embarrassing throwback photos to a mock Instagram account, or created a TikTok-style video script about the family's funny habits. Leave the printed posts around their devices with the elf posing with a toy phone and ring light.

⏱️10
4.0(1)
Elf runs a silly science lab experiment
School Age (6-10 years)
Naughty

Elf runs a silly science lab experiment

The elf sets up a 'mad scientist laboratory' using household items. Place the elf wearing a coffee filter 'lab coat' with safety goggles, surrounded by labeled test tubes (clear straws in play dough), beakers (small cups with colored water), and a clipboard with 'Top Secret Experiment: How to make kids laugh.' Add funny fake formulas like '2 cups giggles + 3 tbsp silly faces = best day ever!'

⏱️10
4.0(1)
Bubble Bath Foam Party
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Nice

Bubble Bath Foam Party

The elf sits in the bathroom sink surrounded by mountains of white foam bubbles that overflow onto the counter. Small toy rubber ducks are scattered around the foam-filled sink with bubble solution bottles tipped over nearby.

🚿Bathroom
⏱️10
Quick (1-3 min)
(0)
Phone charger hostage situation
Tweens (11-12 years)
Naughty

Phone charger hostage situation

The elf has 'stolen' all the phone chargers in the house and created a ransom note demanding 5 acts of kindness or holiday cheer (like singing a carol, helping with dinner, or complimenting a sibling) before the chargers are returned. The elf sits with the chargers wrapped in ribbon like a present, holding a tiny ransom note. Perfect for tweens who are attached to their devices!

⏱️10
(0)
Elf's blocky world builder
Toddlers (1-2 years)
Nice

Elf's blocky world builder

Your elf has been building their own 'Roblox world' overnight using colorful blocks! Set up the elf surrounded by block towers, with small toy figures positioned around like game characters. Add a handmade sign that says 'Welcome to [Child's Name] World!' Include simple block creations like a house, tree, or tower. Leave a note: 'I built you a special world! Can you add to it today?'

⏱️10
(0)
Rockstar elf karaoke showdown
Preschoolers (3-5 years)
Nice

Rockstar elf karaoke showdown

Your elf is hosting an epic karaoke concert! Set up a 'stage' using a box or platform, with the elf wearing sunglasses and holding a wooden spoon as a microphone. Arrange stuffed animals as the audience sitting in rows. Add a sign that says 'SOLD OUT SHOW!' Optional: scatter toy musical instruments around or make confetti from paper scraps for extra pizzazz.

⏱️10
(0)

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