Here we are in the busy month of December! Our elves are back and the little boys could not be happier about it! Every morning they are so excited to find the elves and see what fun they have been up. Today, I’m sharing some more fun new Elf On The Shelf ideas to keep you (and your elves) inspired all month long!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. 

ONE MORE ROUND OF NEW ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS

I grabbed inspiration for my new Elf On The Shelf ideas from all over while I was out running other errands. Hope you enjoy checking them out!

>>> See all of our older Elf on the Shelf fun on my Facebook page! <<<

1. SUPER ELVES

Even my mom gets in on the elf fun once in a while. She picked this cute outfit up, and I split the accessories up between our 2 elves.

Supplies:

• Claus Couture Mighty Superhero Set.
  • My mom grabbed this one to surprise the boys- I’m pretty sure it’s a Walmart find.

2. DOUGHY GINGERBREAD

When I saw these adorable little buttons at the craft store, I knew I had to find a way to use them with the elves. Those tiny PlayDoh cookies?! The cutest!

Supplies:

• Mini cookie cutters.
  • Ours are from a pack of buttons I found at Hobby Lobby.
• Brown PlayDoh.
• Aluminum foil, folded to create a little cookie sheet.
• Waxed paper, to ‘roll out’ the dough.
• Scissors.

3. REINDEER GAMES

These light up reindeer noses are so cute! They’ll be perfect for the little boys to wear to our town Christmas parade.

Supplies:

• Small red pompoms for elf noses.
• Glue dots.
• Light up or foam red noses for the kids.
  • I found these at Michael’s.

4. CHRISTMAS BALLOONS

I found these balloons tucked away in my box of Elf On The Shelf goodies, and knew they would be fun to use this year.

Supplies:

• Self inflating Christmas balloons.
  • I’m pretty sure I found ours at Dollar Tree last year.

5. SNOWBALL STAND

This was a super quick set up using an inexpensive set from Target. Really cute, and my boys will love it.

Supplies:

• Snowball stand from Bullseye’s Playground at Target.
• Extra white pompoms, because more snowballs are always better!

6. UGLY SWEATERS

Everybody loves an ugly sweater party, even our elves! As a bonus, this set up includes an art project, for a little creativity first thing in the morning!

Supplies:

• Ugly sweater ornaments. Ours are from Target, but these are available at a ton of places.
  • Available as snowman, tree, Santa, and wreath.
• Free ‘design a sweater’ printable.
• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils.
• Holiday themed stickers.

7. START THE COUNTDOWN

My sister and I used to make paper chains every Christmas with my mom, and we loved it. This felt version from Target is such a cute countdown idea, I couldn’t pass it up! I paired it with chocolate advent calendars for each of my boys on December 1, so we started the countdown off right! (Plus the felt chain gives us a chance for a little fine motor and math practice as well.)

Supplies:

• Felt chain advent calendar.
• Chocolate advent calendar.

>>> STILL need more ideas? My Elf on the Shelf Pinterest board is full of them! <<<

TELL ME SOMETHING FUN YOUR ELF ON THE SHELF HAS BEEN UP TO LATELY!

Every winter, my kids can not wait to decorate gingerbread houses. They love the creativity, and the chance to sneak some sweet treats while they decorate. This week, I pulled all of our gingerbread themed picture books out of storage. While we we looked through them, I figured it was the perfect time to share some fun gingerbread activities and books, perfect for a December story time.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

FUN GINGERBREAD ACTIVITIES + BOOKS

There’s nothing sweeter than some cute books paired with yummy treats and fun activities. Keep reading to check it all out!

BOOKS

1. The Gingerbread Man Loose At Christmas. By Laura Murrary. Illustrated by Mike Lowery.
2. Gingerbread Mouse. By Katy Bratun.
3. The Gingerbread Boy. By Richard Egielski.
4. Gingerbread Baby. By Jan Brett.
5. The Gingerbread Man Loose on the Fire Truck. By Laura Murray. Illustrated by Mike Lowery.
6. Gingerbread Cone: Under Construction. By Melissa Tumpane. Illustrated by Nyrryl Cadiz.
7. The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School. By Laura Murrary. Illustrated by Mike Lowery.
8. How To Catch A Gingerbread Man. By Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton.
9. The Gingerbread Girl. By Lisa Campbell Ernst.
10. Gingerbread Christmas. By Jan Brett.
11. The Gingerbread Man. Retold by Jim Aylesworth. Illustrated by Barbara McClintock.
12. Catch That Cookie! By Hallie Durand. Pictures by David Small.
13. The Ninjabread Man. By Katrina Charmin and Fabiano Fiorin.
    1. Here’s a fun project that pairs perfectly with this one!
14. Gingerbread Friends. By Jan Brett.
15. The Gingerbread Pup. By Maribeth Bolts. Illustrated by Hollie Hibbert.

activities

Play-doh

Supplies: 

• Free printable gingerbread man or gingerbread house play-doh mat.
• Laminating sheets.
• Play-doh.
• Tools for play-doh.
• “Extras’ like pony beads, sequins, buttons, etc. to add on to your creations.

Instructions: 

1. First, print out the play-doh mat you would like to use.
2. Next, laminate the page, so it can be re-used.
3. Give kids the play-doh, tools, and extras to use on the mat.
   1. This is a great chance for sensory input, some fine motor practice, and some general creativity for kids.
      

Color By Number

Supplies: 

• Free printable color by number gingerbread house page.
• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils.

Instructions: 

1. First, print the free color by number page.
2. Independent readers can color by number, according to the list at the top of the page.
   1. Younger readers may need help deciphering the color words before coloring by number. The rectangles can be colored in as a ‘hint’.
      
   2. This is a great way to squeeze a little basic math practice, some sight word work, and fine motor practice into your child’s day in a fun way.
      

Paint An Ornament

Supplies: 

• Gingerbread man shaped ornament.
  • These ones are wood. We’ve bought paper mache ones in the past. You could also just cut the shape from sturdy cardboard.
  • Here’s another cute option, that isn’t an ornament, but would be equally fun.
• Brown acrylic paint.
• Sponge paintbrush.
• White puff paint.
• ‘Extras’ like sequins, pom-poms, ribbon, buttons, etc.

Instructions: 

1. First, paint the ornament using the acrylic paint and sponge brush.
2. Next, kids can squeeze the puff paint onto the ornament like they would squeeze frosting on a cookie.
   1. The puff paint can also work as glue to attach sequins, buttons, etc.
      
3. This is a really fun, creative way for children to work on their fine motor skills and hand strength.

‘Magic’ Painting

Supplies: 

• Free printable gingerbread man or gingerbread house ‘magic’ painting page.
• White crayons.
• Watercolor paints, with a paintbrush and water.
• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils.
• Holiday stickers. (Optional)

Instructions: 

1. First, print out the ‘magic’ coloring page you would like to use.
2. Next, use a white crayon to draw ‘icing’ details all over the gingerbread.
   
   
3. Then paint the gingerbread using the watercolor paints.
   1. The paint will not stick to the crayon, so the white that was drawn will ‘shine’ through.
      
      
      
4. Once the paint is completely dry, draw details like candy onto the page.
   1. If you’re using stickers, this is the time to add them.
      
      
      
      

Check Some Out

If you’re lucky enough to live near a museum or other organization with a gingerbread house display, I encourage you to take advantage of it! We’ve taken the boys to check out the Sweet Creations Gingerbread Display at the Eastman Museum for several years, and they always have a great time. If you’re planning to check out a similar exhibit, definitely try to do it before your kids create their own gingerbread houses, to maximize their inspiration!

Decorate A Gingerbread House

Supplies: 

• Gingerbread house kit.
  • There are a ton available… I usually go for these mini ones, to keep the project manageable.
• Extra icing. Trust me on this, there’s never enough in the kits. (Colors, too!)
• Candy + sprinkle ‘extras’.

Instructions: 

1. Assemble the gingerbread house per package instructions. I like to assemble ours at least 24 hours before the boys are going to decorate, so they have some time to firm up a bit.
   1. I’ve seen some hacks that suggest using hot glue to construct your house, since people rarely eat their gingerbread houses. It’s definitely worth a try if you have trouble getting yours together!
2. Set kids loose with icing tubes and sweet add-ons to create their own gingerbread masterpiece!

>>> There’s about a million more gingerbread story time ideas waiting for you here! <<<

SO, HERE’S THE QUESTION… DO YOU ACTUALLY EAT YOUR GINGERBREAD HOUSES? MY KIDS ALWAYS BEG TO, BUT ICK, THEY’VE BEEN SITTING FOR WEEKS! WEIGH IN, FRIENDS.

Now that we are officially past Thanksgiving, families that participate in Elf on the Shelf know it’s just about go-time! Our elves, Pizza and Chicken Wing will officially be back before I know it! I’ve been busy planning ahead, to keep my December a little less stressful. Today I’m sharing 5 more fun Elf on the Shelf ideas using goodies I grabbed from Target.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. 

5 MORE ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS FROM TARGET

It’s no secret, I’m at Target often… Of course I had to grab some more supplies for Elf on the Shelf ideas last time I was there!

>>> See all of our older Elf on the Shelf fun here, on my Facebook page! <<<

1. HOW HAVE YOU BEAN?

My boys love the season Jelly Belly flavors no matter the holiday, so I knew these would be a fun goodie for their elves to bring.

Supplies:

• Holiday jelly beans.
  • The Bean Boozled set is also a lot of fun for kids!
  • Classic kid favorites are always tasty too.

2. MILK AND COOKIES

These costumes in Bullseye Playground were too cute to pass up! I couldn’t quite justify actual cookies at breakfast, but cookie cereal? You bet!

Supplies:

• Cookie elf costume from Bullseye’s Playground. These were actually 2 for $1, but I only used one.
• Milk elf costume, also from Bullseye’s Playground.
• Cookie Crisp cereal.
  • If you’re not a fan of Cookie Crisp, there are a ton of other tasty cookie cereals available!
• Milk.

3. LET’S GO ON AN ELF HUNT

I love when elf ideas are pretty much done for me, so this festive scavenger hunt was a must-buy. And only $5! So reasonable.

Supplies:

• Elf scavenger hunt.

4. A TREE-RIFIC IDEA

The Christmas tree elf costumes are SO cute, and at $1 each, a great purchase! I’ll be sure to set this one up for a Saturday or Sunday morning, so the boys will have plenty of time to trim their ice cream cone Christmas trees with green icing and sprinkles.

Supplies:

• Christmas tree elf costumes were a Bullseye’s Playground find.
• Pointed ice cream cones.
• I grabbed these Funfetti sets, that come with a filled pastry bag of green icing and a pouch of sprinkles, since they were SO convenient. One for each boy, and everything’s ready to go!

5. STICK WITH IT

My youngest 2 are so intro crafts lately, so then I saw these adorable sticker books, I knew they would love creating the scenes. Bonus points for some fine motor practice AND a few quiet minutes for mom!

Supplies:

• Holiday scene sticker book.
  • The specific books I bought aren’t available online right now… I found them in the card section of one of my local Targets, so keep your eyes peeled- you might get lucky!

>>> STILL need more ideas? My Elf on the Shelf Pinterest board is full of them! <<<

WHEN DO YOUR ELVES ‘ARRIVE’ FROM THE NORTH POLE EACH YEAR? ARE THEY BACK IN ACTION YET? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

Our elves will be very soon, so I’ve been busy planning ahead so December won’t be quite as crazy this year! This week, I strolled the aisles of my local dollar store looking for elf inspiration. They did not disappoint! You won’t want to miss these 5 new Dollar Tree Elf on the Shelf ideas I came up with.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

5 NEW DOLLAR TREE ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS

Elf fun doesn’t need to be expensive! These adorable Dollar Tree Elf on the Shelf set ups prove that point!

>>> See all of our older Elf on the Shelf fun here, on my Facebook page! <<<

1. NEED A CUDDLE?

I’m constantly reminding the boys not to touch their elves. This cute little guys, 2 for $1, are a perfect for snuggling.

Supplies:

• Small plush elves.

2. KEEP IT JOLLY

A lollipop is a fun little treat to tuck into a lunch box or indulge in with dinner. These festive ones were an easy choice.

Supplies:

• Christmas lollipops.

3. RIDING THE POLAR EXPRESS

You know we love a good story time! I grabbed these supplies so my boys could get into the spirit of The Polar Express. Or make it a movie night instead!

Supplies:

• Cord.
• Large bells.
• Optional- smaller bells and cord, to make elf-sized versions also.

4. BRING THE COLOR

My kiddos LOVE coloring. Elf set up doesn’t get easier than this!

Supplies:

• Coloring book. (I got our Elf on the Shelf ones at Dollar Tree but don’t see them on the website. I’d check in store if you want these ones!)
• Colored pencils or crayons.

5. TOASTY TOES

My youngest 2 are ALL about dinosaurs, so when I saw these socks, I knew they were a must!

Supplies:

• Holiday themed socks. (We went with the dinosaur ones, you might prefer another option for your kiddos).

>>> STILL need more ideas? My Elf on the Shelf Pinterest board is full of them! <<<

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE DOLLAR TREE FINDS?

Time is flying, and our elves on the shelf will be arriving before we know it! If you’re like me, and have been doing this tradition for years, coming up with new ideas can be challenging. This week, I’m sharing 5 new Walmart elf on the shelf ideas. Keep reading to see if there are any you think your kids would like to wake up to this December!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
***Many Walmart items appear to only be available in-store. I have linked to similar options at other stores in case you prefer online shopping.***

5 NEW WALMART ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS

Check out the fun ideas I came up with while wandering the aisles of my local Walmart!

>>> See all of our older Elf on the Shelf fun here, on my Facebook page! <<<

1. KEEP IT POPPING

My little boys love anything to make bath time extra fun. These were very inexpensive to buy, and will make the evening routine a little more exciting.

Supplies:

• Mr. Bubble Magic Bath Crackle packets.

2. SWEET CEREAL

We don’t buy a lot of sugary cereal at our house, but the boys have come to expect a box from the elves each year!

Supplies:

• Elf on the Shelf Cereal
  • This year we’re trying the hot cocoa with marshmallows variety.
  • We’ve done the Sugar Cookie Cereal in the past.
  • The Elf cereal would also be a fun option if you can’t find the others.

3. MERRY SQUISH-MAS

My little boys LOVE soft, cuddly plush toys. These adorable generic Squishmallow-type dolls were very reasonably priced.

Supplies:

• Squishmallow-type stuffed animals.
  • I’ve tried over and over to find these EXACT plush toys on the Walmart website to link for you, with no luck. You might be lucky to find them in store- honestly, you can’t beat that price! Fingers crossed you get your hands on some!

4. STORY TIME

Dress up is a major thing around our house, so I knew these novelty glasses would be a big hit!

Supplies:

• Holiday novelty glasses from Packed Party, or similar.
• Some holiday themed books for bed time reading! I used some we already owned, but it’s also a fun excuse to buy some new titles!
• Pipe cleaners + scissors to make your elf it’s own glasses.
• Glue dots will help the glasses stay on.

5. PIECE OF CAKE!

A tasty treat I can easily tuck into a lunch box? Sign me up!

Supplies:

• Elf on the Shelf Cakebites.
  • I decided to try the Christmas Cakebites, but I bet the Hot Cocoa ones are great too!

>>> STILL need more ideas? My Elf on the Shelf Pinterest board is full of them! <<<

IT’S THE AGE OLD QUESTION…
WHICH DO YOU PREFER:
TARGET OR WALMART?