If your kid’s favorite toys are dolls, dress-up clothes and a basket of craft supplies, you already have plenty to work with for Elf on the Shelf.
These 25 ideas turn those favorites into little Christmas scenes. Use whichever ones your child likes; the elf does not care who the toys belong to.
Keep the setup simple
Start with doll accessories, clean socks, scrap paper, crayons and short pieces of ribbon. For a pretend salon, use paper props rather than real makeup or nail polish. The scene should be fun to find and easy to put away.
The official Elf site has an arrival-ideas collection that includes a mermaid scene and a hidden-message craft. The ideas below give you more ways to build a doll-and-craft theme without buying an entire prop collection.
25 doll, craft and dress-up elf ideas
1. A doll sleepover
Make beds from clean socks or folded washcloths. Sit your elf beside the dolls, with a paper pillow for each guest.
2. A pretend nail salon
Draw nail polish bottles on paper and set them beside your elf. Skip painting the actual doll or leaving open cosmetics.
3. A ribbon skirt
Tie a short scrap of ribbon loosely around the elf’s waist. Keep it easy to remove so the outfit is ready for the next scene.
4. A mermaid lagoon
Line an empty bowl with blue tissue paper and sit your elf above the pretend water. Add toy fish if you have them.
5. A bracelet boutique
Arrange a couple of bracelets on a small tray. Let the elf be the shopkeeper, with dolls lined up as customers.
6. A bow collection gone wild
Put a few hair bows around your elf on a table. One enormous bow is often enough to make the joke.
7. A doll tea party
Set out toy cups for the elf and dolls. Use paper treats instead of actual drinks that might spill.
8. A paper crown fitting
Cut a crown from scrap paper and fit it around the elf’s hat. Put the scissors away afterward.
9. A tiny fashion show
Lay out a few doll outfits and make a paper runway. Seat your elf at one end as the very serious judge.
10. A sticker masterpiece
Stick a few stickers to a sheet of paper and prop it beside the elf. Keep the stickers on the paper instead of the furniture.
11. A book-club meeting
Open a picture book with a favorite character and gather dolls around it. Your elf can sit in the middle as the reader.
12. A paper snowflake studio
Leave a finished snowflake and folded paper beside your elf. This can become a craft to do together in the morning.
13. A hairbrush microphone
Stand a toy hairbrush beside the elf like a microphone. Give the dolls front-row seats for the concert.
14. A toy-camera photo booth
Make a backdrop from wrapping-paper scraps and put a toy camera nearby. Use props you already have rather than buying a kit.
15. A washcloth spa day
Wrap your elf in a dry washcloth and set them in an empty bowl. A folded scrap of paper makes a tiny magazine.
16. A dance party
Put your elf and dolls in a circle beside a speaker that is switched off. Leave a note naming a song to play in the morning.
17. A craft-basket expedition
Sit the elf beside yarn, paper and a finished drawing. Keep needles, glue and sharp tools put away.
18. A dollhouse visit
Place your elf beside the dollhouse door or at the toy dining table. No dollhouse? Build a room from an open cardboard box.
19. A dress-up accessory swap
Give the elf a doll scarf or hat that fits loosely. Let a doll borrow a paper elf hat in return.
20. A friendship-card delivery
Fold a small card and draw a heart inside. Your elf can leave it beside a toy friend.
21. A soft-toy picnic
Spread a small cloth on the floor and add toy plates. Invite the stuffed animals along; no food required.
22. A drawing challenge
Leave a pencil and a note asking the kids to draw the elf. Put a blank page nearby so it is ready to go.
23. A pretend cupcake shop
Make cupcakes from crumpled paper tucked into liners. Arrange them on a toy plate beside the elf.
24. A ribbon gift-wrapping desk
Put your elf beside a tiny empty box and short ribbon scraps. Keep tape and scissors out of the scene once you finish.
25. A Christmas-tree decorating team
Put the elf and a doll beside a small paper tree with stickers. The kids can help finish it after breakfast.
Choose the scene your kid will recognize
A favorite doll at a tiny tea party can be more fun than a complicated setup made with toys your child never uses. Start with the favorites, repeat the good ones, and keep a sock sleeping bag handy for the tired nights.
Planning the next part? Check when your elf arrives and leaves, 30 easy, low-cost elf ideas, or current elf phone-call options.
More cute ideas from creative bloggers
The tiny scenes and printables are half the fun. Here are more ideas to browse from the bloggers who created them:
- Living Locurto’s tiny elf kissing booth — Amy’s printable booth makes an adorable little scene. Check her page for the current download details.
- Over the Big Moon’s quick elf ideas — Browse the glow-party and other little scenes.
- Elf-sized coloring pages at Kids Activities Blog — The little coloring sheets are designed by Amy of Living Locurto. Let the elf color alongside the kids.
- Your Modern Family’s funny elf ideas — Becky’s roundup has grown beyond the original boys list and includes ideas for boys and girls.
- Meaningful Mama’s kind elf ideas — Jodi’s collection takes the elf in a thoughtful direction with kind things to do for others.
