115+ Simple and Naughty Elf on the Shelf Ideas
If your elves are like ours, Elf on the shelf ideas can become hard to come by around mid-December as your elves get tired of finding new places to be naughty.
If you’re looking to spice things up and add a playful twist to your elf’s escapades, you’re in the right place.
Here are 115= naughty Elf on the Shelf ideas that will have your family laughing, gasping, and eagerly anticipating the next antic.
What you need to make this happen.
An Elf on the Shelf.
That’s it.
Literally. Most of the “accessories” involve things that are already in your home. Your elf can easily access them while you’re sleeping so this should be super simple and quick for him or her to achieve.
Our elves like to leave a message when they first arrive for the season.
They usually say they’ve missed the children or something to that effect. We didn’t intend to have two elves, but one of ours went missing. We later realized he was a military elf and had been deployed overseas to serve. His girlfriend came in his stead until he was found/returned from deployment. So now we have two. If you need to invite one to your house you can easily do that here.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I can earn from qualifying purchases. I can get a small commission when you buy from links on this page.
Elf Arrival and Departure
It’s always a good idea for your elves to do something special when it comes to their arrival and departure.
The kids have likely been looking forward to their showing up so they should try to do something memorable. Maybe they bring a note that says how much they’ve missed the children. Or they include a message of what they’ve been up to since last year.
Likewise a memorable farewell can leave them with a sweet lasting impression.
1. Swiftie Elves:
These are my favs for the years. Our elves ordered their sweaters off of Etsy so it takes a tiny bit of planning but you could always have them just print off Pictures of Taylor Swift to surround them.
Our elves made tiny friendship bracelets for themselves. Your elves could make the bracelets or the kids could get a kit and make them after school.
Wrap the Christmas tree or the bathroom in toilet paper for a mischievous snowstorm surprise.
2. Marshmallow Hot Tub:
Create a cozy hot tub scene using mini marshmallows and a small container.
3. Zip Line Adventure:
String a zip line across the room and have your elf take an adventurous ride. Our strung yarn from one light fixture to another.
4. Cheeky elves
Have them grab hamburger buns and write “I like big buns” on them for a funny elf.
5. Taco Tuesday Elf on the shelf:
Let your elf wrap herself in a tortilla or sit in a taco shell to commemorate the best day of the week.
6. Iron Man Extravaganza
Have your elf grab an iron and ironing board and he can help the action hero with his chores.
7. Run for the roses Elf
This one works especially well for Kentucky families. All the toy horses in the house can gather for the Kentucky Elf derby.
8. Van Gogh Elf
Have your elf paint one of the famous artists scenes with a bandage over this ear.
9. Elves like pancakes too
Have your elf eating a tiny “real” pancake.
You could also have your elves cooking breaking for everyone in a perfect elf chef outfit.
10. Elves recreating parent’s first date or where you met
My husband and I met at a dueling piano bar so our elves paid homage to where we first met and left a note about it. Yours could recreate how you met and it sparks a fun conversation with the kids.
11. Jingle Bells, Batman Smells Elf:
You need to involve Batman in this one. Be careful where you put this. My kids refused to use this bathroom because the elves were right there. Didn’t consider that beforehand.
12. Yoga Master:
Capture your elf in a variety of yoga poses on the living room floor.
13. Donut worry about it elf
Have your elf bring donuts for breakfast a lot with a note that says you donut need to worry about anything.
14. Elf-napped:
Stage a scene where a toy or another stuffed animal has ‘kidnapped’ the elf.
15. Cereal Avalanche:
Create a snowy scene by pouring cereal around your elf as if caught in an avalanche.
16. Chocolate Chip Noses:
Provide your elf with a pile of chocolate chips and let them give themselves a chocolate chip nose.
17. Jellybean Jacuzzi:
Turn a bowl into a colorful jacuzzi with jellybeans and have your elf relax in style.
18. Elf on a Shelf Swing:
Craft a miniature swing using string and a candy cane or a toilet paper rolle and let your elf swing.
19. Balloon Bonanza:
Fill a room with balloons and let your elf navigate the colorful sea.
19. Elf ski time
Our kids love when ours are naughty elves.
The side of our large candy collapsed one evening spilling wax into a big pile on the table. Our elves made skis and poles out of tongue depressors and hopped on the wax mound for a whiz down the mountain. Your elves could use cotton balls instead of wax to be less messy.
20. Elf helping broken toys
Have your elf leave a note that a special broken toy is headed to Santa’s workshop and will be back good as new in no time.
21. Saran Wrap Shenanigans:
Wrap furniture in clear plastic wrap for a comical twist.
22. Elf drive-in movie night:
This is an especially fun idea if you have a Barbie car your elf or elves can sit in. Ours were watching The Polar Express and eating popcorn under a cozy blanket. If you have a laptop, your elf could pull up some Christmas movies and be watching one of those when the kids find him.
23. Wrapping paper legs elf
Have your elf standing in two rolls of wrapping paper to make her extra tall.
24. Game night elf
Our family had played charades the night before our elves did this one so the kids immediately got what they were doing
25. Tik tok elf
Your elf can strap herself to a clock and say she’s now on Tik Tok.
26. All eyes on you elf
Scatter googly eyes all around your elf or have him put the eyes on various containers in the fridge.
27. Youtube elf
Your elf can leave a note saying they want to get on YouTube. All while the elf is inside a tube – either plastic or could even use a toilet paper roll. They can write a “U” on the tube and add some starts.
We had these plastic tubes left over from another project so our elves put them to good use!
28. Brought you a snowman elf
Have your elf next to a bowl of water with a carrot in it, some sticks, and eyes with a note that reads, “Brought you a snowman.”
29. Measuring your elf
We have a measuring board in our home where were regularly see how tall the kids have gotten. Have your elf get in on the measuring fun.
30. Dog treat disgust
Have your elf try the dog food/treats and tell the kids those “treats” are gross.
31. Lipstick Artist:
Allow your elf to get creative with lipstick and leave a mark on a mirror.
32. Rock Climbing Adventure:
Use sticky notes to create a rock climbing wall for your elf.
33. Elves sticking to the main food groups
This is a nod to the movie Elf. Have your elf eating all the goodness with the note that reads, “We elves stick to the 4 main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup!”
35. Christmas climbing boots
Easy ideas here using holiday paper rolls – sure to make your kids laugh.
36. Lemonade for sale elf
This is for your funny elf. Have him standing like he’s relieving himself in a cup with lemonade in it. Add a sign that says, “Lemonade 50 cents.”
37. Paper sack race elf
Have your elf race other animals in the house in a paper sack race.
38. Elf makes everyone a Rudolf
Have your elf put red noses on herself as well as a family picture or two.
39. Mr. Fix it Elf:
Let your elves grab a hammer, measuring tape and nails to help you with any home improvement projects you have going on.
40. Glow Stick Bath:
Place glow sticks in a bowl for a magical bath scene.
41. Christmas Light Chandelier:
String Christmas lights across the ceiling for a sparkling chandelier Santa will love.
42. Jenga Tower Topple:
Set up a Jenga tower and capture your elf in the act of toppling it. You can use the regular Jenga set or add the miniature version which you can order online.
43. Christmas Carol Elf
This one cracks me up because my mother-in-law is named Carol. This one really only works if you have someone in your life named Carol. Have the elves carrying pictures of your Carol with a note that it’s time for Christmas Carols.
44. Moses elf parting the red “C”
Have your elf use cotton balls to make a beard and long hair to emulate Moses from the Bible. He can be parting an actual red letter “C.”
45. Bob Sledding
Again, this one only works if you have someone in your life named Bob. Have the elves rolled in a picture of Bob and a note that they’re “Bob sledding.”
46. Sick elf needs to stay away
Let’s hope we don’t have to worry about a pandemic again but if your kids get sick, your elf will want to protect herself. These tiny masks can easily be made but cutting human-sized ones and gluing the strap to it fits around the elf’s face. If your elf forgets to move also at night, it’s often because the’re sick and don’t want to spread it.
47. Cupcake Wrapper Skirt:
Fashion a skirt for your elf using cupcake wrappers.
48. Gumball Machine Mischief:
Turn a jar into a gumball machine and let your elf enjoy the treats.
49. Sneaky Selfie:
Set up a tiny camera and capture your elf taking a selfie.
50. Chocolate Syrup Slip-n-Slide:
Create a slippery slide using chocolate syrup for your elf.
51. Sipping syrup with Barbie Elf
Your elf can grab two straws and be sipping from the syrup bottle along with Barbie. Surely this is an elf’s favorite drink.
52. Toothpaste Art Attack:
Allow your elf to create artwork using toothpaste on a mirror.
53. Elf Size Surfing:
Turn a book into a surfboard for your elf to catch some waves.
54. Lego Zip Line Adventure:
Use a string and Lego pieces to create a zip line for your elf.
55. Peek-a-Boo Wrapping Paper:
Wrap your elf in festive paper for a game of peek-a-boo.
56. Fishing for Gold Coins:
Set up a small fishing scene with your elf attempting to catch gold chocolate coins.
57. Ironing the crinkle chips
Have your elf iron the crinkle chips into straight ones with a note that says, “Fixed these for you.”
58. Crayons to skittles
Your elf can be putting crayons through the cheese grater and enjoying a rainbow of skittles on the other side.
59. Cupcake Liner Parachute Jump:
Attach a cupcake liner to your elf as a parachute and let them take a daring jump.
60. Elf Dentist:
Set up a dental scene with your elf wearing a glove and holding a mini toothbrush. Or just cover your elves in dental floss, new toothbrushes and toothpaste like mine did when my daughter lost her tooth. They also offered some money for the tooth!
61. Growing candy canes
Have your elf leave a note to “plant” the sprinkle seeds into the cup of “dirt” (really it’s brown sugar). And see what happens when they return from school. In the afternoon, the sprinkles will have grown into candy canes.
62. Skittle Rainbow
Put skittles in a circle or square and include a note to add warm water to them. See the rainbow of color that follows.
63. Zip Tie Jailbreak:
Stage a daring escape using zip ties as handcuffs that your elf has managed to break free from.
64. Snowman Building:
Let your elf create a mini snowman using marshmallows or cotton balls.
65. Elf Shoe Shoe train:
Have your elf line up the kids’ shoes so it looks like a train. Put Barbies and other toys in the shoes so they’re riding along with your scout elf.
66. Enjoying the 4 food groups
This is a nod to the classic movie Elf. Buddy says, “We elves try to stick to the 4 main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup.”
67. Elf Astronaut:
Craft a rocket ship using household items, and have your elf ready for an intergalactic adventure.
68. Injured Elf
If your child falls off a bike (like mine did) have the elf recreate the incident along with a note that says he understands.
69. Magnetic Madness:
Create a magnetic wall using a cookie sheet, and let your elf defy gravity.
70. Elf Spa Day:
Set up a spa scene with mini towels, a tiny robe, and a bowl of ‘bubble bath’ for your elf. Our elves showed up when we were at the Omni and had a gloriously relaxing afternoon after visiting the North Pole.
71. Bungee Jumping:
Attach a string to your elf, simulating a bungee jumping adventure.
72. Elfed up
Have your elf draw pictures of elves and cover the faces of your whole family with them.
73. Pototos to chips
Have your elf putting real potatoes through the cheese grater. The faces on the potatoes look terrified. On the other side are potato chips.
74. Glow-in-the-Dark Party:
Charge up glow-in-the-dark items and have a glowing party with your elf.
75. Cotton Ball Beard:
Use cotton balls to create a fluffy beard for your elf.
76. Hot Cocoa Stand:
Set up a hot cocoa stand with your elf as the barista, serving a mini marshmallow or a heap of them.
77. Elf Weather Report:
Create a weather scene with your elf reporting on the ‘snowy’ forecast.
78. Jellybean Rainstorm:
Hang jellybeans from a string to simulate a rainstorm over your elf.
79. Cupcake Liner Skirt:
Fashion a stylish skirt for your elf using cupcake liners.
80. Balloon Rocket Launcher:
Turn balloons into rockets, with your elf ready for takeoff.
81. Silly String Shenanigans:
Set up a scene with your elf holding a silly string can for a colorful surprise.
82. Elf plunge pool:
My kids love swimming and so do our elves. They created their own pool with a glass bowl and blue food coloring. For their swim caps, they put on a balloon and tucked it in around their heads. They could also fill the bowl up with ice to be on trend with the poor plunges people like to do.
83. Popcorn Pool Dive:
Dive into a pool of popcorn kernels with your elf taking the plunge. This is especially fun if you’re planning a family movie night or if you’ve just had one.
84. Lipstick Kisses:
Allow your elf to leave lipstick kisses on a mirror or paper.
85. Miniature Bookshelf Climbing:
Arrange small books on a shelf for your elf to climb and enjoy more fun.
86. Cupcake Baking Extravaganza:
Set up a baking scene with your elf surrounded by mini cupcakes.
87. Sled Race:
Create a sled race scene using small toy sleds or candy canes. Our elves glued or taped (I can’t remember which) them together for sleds. This is especially fun to do when it snows.
88. Camping
Have your elf use the Elf on the Shelf book to simulate a tent. They can be roasting marshmallows over a tiny battery-powered candle.
89. Elf Detective Agency:
Craft a detective scene with your elf analyzing clues.
90. Tape Maze Madness:
Create a maze using colorful painter’s tape for your elf to navigate.
91. Sneaky Spider Elf:
Use string to create spider webs with your elf in the center.
92. Elf-sized Bowling Alley:
Set up a mini-bowling alley with your elf as the bowling ball.
93. Shaving cream snowman
Your elf on the shelf can make a snowman out of shaving cream (or whipped cream) on the mirror.
94. When I “dip” Elf gift bearer
Our elves aren’t usually big gift givers but sometimes they come bearing small presents. They can use an “elf” themed package and put little tokens in surprising places. Our elves brought Fun Dip game boxes. I think they picked them up from Dollar Tree so total bargain.
95. Playing Cards Poker Night:
Arrange a poker night with playing cards and poker chips.
96. Elf Magic Show:
Set up a magic show with your elf as the magician.
97. Caught the Grinch
A little green food coloring in the toilet means the Grinch has been here! Your elf can be holding a note that says he caught the Grinch using the toilet! If you want to go farther with the Grinch theme, see my cute Grinch Christmas tree.
98. Lemonade for sale
This one is a little irreverent but a little funny too.
99. Basketball Elf
My boys play basketball so our elves had to get in on the action. Our elves used these little to-go salad dressing cups to make the basket. You could also use those little cups that come with children’s medicine bottles for your basket and tape it to your drawn construction “backboard.”
100. Big bootie Elves
Who doesn’t love big buns? On their hamburgers??? Again, rap music making its way into Elf life.
101. DJ Booth:
Craft a DJ booth with tiny records and headphones for your elf.
102. Elf from the movie It
This is one for the grown-up as NO child should watch the movie It. That flick still gives me nightmares.
103. Toastie Elves
This is a classic example of our elves using what they already have in the house – a toaster! This one might be better for older kids who understand nothing should be put in the toast but… toast!
104. Titanic Elf
This is another one to give the grown-ups a chuckle. If you have two elves one can be drawing the other like in the scene in Titanic where Rose says, “Draw me like one of your French girls Jack.” If you don’t have two elves use a Barbie for the part of Rose. For a more G-rated nod to Titanic, have your elf holding Barbie from behind with her arms stretched out to the side. Works especially well if you have a Barbie boat or something for them to be standing on.
105. Bob Ross Elf on the Shelf
Another one the grown-ups will like. Your elf can don your daughter’s hair bun-maker and paint some little Christmas trees.
106. HEEEEERE’S Elfie!
Another one for the grown-ups. Have yours peeking out from between two things. A nod to Here’s Johnny from the famous scene from The Shining. Bonus points for a mini ax.
107. Snow Angel
Have your little guy making snow angels in flour just like I’m sure they do at the North Pole. Bonus points if yours is completely covered in flour.
108. Remembering someone special
The year our dog died, our elves ended up by her picture. They wrote a note saying they missed her too. Ours has also been caught admiring a picture of the kids’ late great-grandmother.
109. Adventure elf
Have your elf print out pictures of the adventures she goes on at night and leave them for the kids to find. Ours flies fighter jets.
110. Etch-a-sketch Elf
111. Elves in the manager
We love Jesus and so do our elves. I think that’s why they’ve ended up in the manager along with baby Jesus at least once a year. One year they even played the part of Mary and Joseph. This is super quick and easy for them to do.
112. “Made you cake” Elf
You elf can grab a sponge and put some sprinkles on it for a spongecake. Or put a candle in a piece of cheese for your perfect cheesecake. Creative idea sure to create mom envy.
113. Toilet paper rolled elf
Cover your christmas tree in TP and have your elf peeking out.
114. Cookie Heist:
Catch your elf in the act of stealing cookies from the jar.
115. A nod to 90s alternative Rock- Isn’t it “Ironic?”
If your elves love Alanis Morissette’s smash 90 rock anthem “Ironic” like I do maybe they should incorporate some of the lyrics into their antics. I think my elves hit up the Dollar Tree for a ton of spoons on the cheap!
116. Paper Snowball Fight:
Create a scene of your elf engaged in a snowball fight using crumpled paper.
117. Fishing for Goldfish:
Have your elf go fishing in a bowl of goldfish crackers. They could craft a fishing rod out of small stick or tongue depresser.
118. Read with me
Have your elf make a sign that instructs the child to grab a book and read to him for 10 minutes. This is especially good during holiday break. See if your elves are great listeners.
119. Floor is lava
120. Love you to the moon
Yours can become a great elf astronaut using aluminum foil. Be sure to have them tell the family members they (and Santa) love them to the moon.
121. Toothbrush bootie scrubber
Have your elf up against the kids’ toothbrush with a note that says, “Thanks for letting me use your butt brush.”
Conclusion:
These mischievous Elf on the Shelf ideas are sure to bring joy, laughter, fun ideas, and a sense of wonder to your holiday season. Get creative, have fun, and enjoy the magic that these little elves bring to your home!
If you’re not the creative type and don’t want to have to make your elves come up with creative spots on their own, you can always order an Elf on the Shelf kit.
Hi I’m Erica! TV news anchor and mom to 4 littles. I’m obsessed with creating those “wow” moments in life through crafting at home, cool travel adventures and special celebrations with loved ones. Thanks for joining me on this adventure!
