Elf IdeasJust like you, your Scout Elf is counting down the days to Christmas Eve, and with the help of this handy ideas planner, creating their final surprises will be a breeze! Check out some of their favorite end-of-season elf ideas below, and wait to see if your elf recreates any of them in your home. If your elf gets started tomorrow, they’ll have 12 fun elf ideas to finish out the season!
Click each picture for full instructions for your Scout Elf.
12 Days of Christmas
Your Scout Elf can’t wait for Christmas and wants to help you count down the days to the special occasion!
Materials:
- Small gift boxes
- Gift bags
- Candy, gifts, notes and other items
- Wrapping supplies
- Paper
- Scissors
- Tape
Instructions:
- To start, your elf will pack small gift boxes and bags with special treats they’d like you to find, such as candy, gifts and notes.
- Next, your elf will wrap each box and tie up each bag.
- On a piece of paper, your elf will write down the numbers 1–12 and cut them out—one for each day leading up to Christmas!
- Using tape, your elf will attach a number to each of the gift boxes and treat bags for you to open as you count the days to Christmas.
- Finally, your elf will sit nearby and wait to surprise you with this awesome advent activity.
Balloon Scavenger Hunt Surprise
Your Scout Elf plans to send you searching on a sweet scavenger hunt around the house!
Materials:
- Helium balloons
- String/ribbon
- Paper
- Markers
- Treats/gifts
Instructions:
- First, your elf will gather helium balloons.
- After, your elf will write clues and tape one to each of the balloons that will lead your family to a hidden treat! Helpful hint for elves: You can label the balloons by date or by family member for even more fun!
On the Road Again
Your elf will love the thrill of the open road and frosty nip in the air when they hop on this sporty ride!
Materials:
- Scout Elves at Play® Orna-Moments™ Christmas Scooter
- Flurry Flight Jacket
- Plastic Easter egg (2 halves)
- Low-tack decorative tape from Scout Elves at Play® Stick Quick or other decorative sticky tape
Instructions:
- First, your Scout Elf will pop out and snap together the puzzle-like pieces of the Scout Elves at Play® Orna-Moments™ Christmas Scooter.
- For a cool look while keeping warm, your elf will wear the Flurry Flight Jacket and the brown aviator glasses for eye protection.
- Finally, your elf will create a colorful motorcycle helmet by tearing off a strip of low-tack decorative tape and attaching it to half of a plastic Easter egg.
Ribbon Rock Climb
Who’s the champ when it comes to scaling a sheer-face surface? Your Scout Elf, of course! They love designing intricate climbing courses, too.
Materials:
- Assortment of self-adhesive gift bows
- Self-adhesive tape
- Holiday Harness and other climbing tools from Scout Elves at Play®
Instructions:
- First, your elf will attach a variety of colorful bows to cabinets using self-adhesive tape.
- Next, your elf will put on the Holiday Harness.
- Finally, your elf will ascend the mirror using the ribbons as toeholds.
Snowy Pretzel Treats
Leave it to a Scout Elf to find a unique way to turn a snack food into a tasty, wintry treat! These snowflake goodies look delicious!
Materials:
- Pretzel sticks
- Melted white chocolate in a bowl
- Wax paper
- Baking sheet
- Blue decorator sugar
- Scout Elf Message Card and stand from Scout Elves at Play®
Instructions:
- Your elf will line a baking sheet with wax paper.
- Next, your elf will dip pretzels, one pretzel at a time, in the chocolate (letting the excess drip into the bowl) and arrange them in a snowflake pattern on wax paper on a baking sheet.
- Then, your elf will sprinkle each snowflake with blue decorator sugar and refrigerate for 2 hours or until candy coating is firm.
- Finally, your elf will leave a note on the Scout Elf Message Card.
Holiday To-Do List
Your Scout Elf is brimming with clever ideas for family activities and good deeds you all can do together!
Materials:
- Elf-size bucket
- Ribbon
- Low-tack decorative tape from Scout Elves at Play® Stick Quick or other decorative sticky tape
- Color printer
- Card stock
- Holiday To-Do List printable
- Scissors
Instructions:
- First, your elf will decorate an elf-size bucket by gluing ribbon around the rim and embellishing it with low-tack decorative tape.
- Next, your elf will print and cut out to-dos.
- Finally, your elf will tuck the to-dos in the bucket and position it in a handy location.
- Time for fun! Each day, a member of your family will draw a daily activity from the bucket of to-dos.
Merry Mini Shrinking Machine
Your Scout Elf created a special machine to reduce cookies to the perfect elf size! Before your family goes to bed, place a variety of colorful cookies on a decorative plate. The next morning, you’ll discover the wonder of Scout Elf innovation—cookies magically transformed to miniature bite sizes.
Materials:
- Color printer
- Card stock
- Merry Mini Shrinking Machine printable
- Scissors
- Double-sided tape
- Low-tack decorative tape from Scout Elves at Play® Stick Quick or other decorative sticky tape
- Assortment of cookies and matching elf-size cookies
Instructions:
- Your elf will print and cut out the Merry Mini Shrinking Machine printable and fold along all score lines.
- Next, they will fold over flap A and align with the opposite striped side to form a cube.
- Your elf will fold in flaps B, C, D and E.
- To complete the cube, they will fold in flaps F and G, securing with tape, and fold in flaps H and I, securing with tape.
- Your elf will create a conveyor belt by tearing off and attaching low-tack decorative tape on either side of the machine.
- Finally, the machine will be ready to start production! As a finishing touch, your elf will place large cookies on the left of the machine and elf-size cookies to the right. Helpful hint for elves: Mini-size versions of conventionally sized cookies are readily available on store shelves.
Handy Christmas Tree Card
Hands down—this Christmas card will be one of your little ones’ favorite crafts to make! For this idea, your elf will bring all neccessary supplies and instructions with them, telling kids how to make a Christmas tree card. After your child traces their hand several times on green construction paper, they can cut out the handprints and glue them with the fingers pointing down on white construction paper. Yarn, pom-poms and stickers will add the perfect finishing touches!
Festive Speedway Race
Get ready to cheer! Your Scout Elf and all their special pals are eager to compete in an action-packed race in your home. The amazing lineup features all sorts of clever rides—plus everything needed to create an eye-catching racetrack and festive finish line.
Materials:
- Low-tack decorative tape, Wintry Welcome Sign, Good Tidings Train and checkered flag from Scout Elves at Play® Stick Quick or other decorative sticky tape
- Scout Elves at Play® Orna-Moments™: Christmas Scooter, Snow Day Sled, Wintry Wagon and Rockin’ Reindeer
Instructions:
- First, your elf will outline a speedway using low-tack decorative tape.
- Next, your elf will pop out the Wintry Welcome Sign, Good Tidings Train and checkered flag crafts and follow the instructions in the booklet to finish the crafts.
- To create the perfect rides for the race, they will pop out and assemble the puzzle-like pieces from Scout Elves at Play® Orna-Moments™ Christmas Scooter, Snow Day Sled, Wintry Wagon and Rockin’ Reindeer.
- Finally, your elf and their friends will jump on their favorite rides—excited to find out who will finish first!
Christmas Eve Box
Your Scout Elf loves surprising you with gifts like a Christmas Eve box, the perfect way to end the season on a high note! After grabbing a box, your elf will choose a theme they know your child will love, such as a movie night box, art box or Christmas Eve activity box to wish you a Merry Christmas Eve and year ahead!
Back at the Reindeer Corral
Before leaping on their reindeer for a competitive dash through the snow, Scout Elves make sure they are well rested, brushed and fed at the North Pole corral made of pretzel sticks.
Materials:
- 12 pretzel sticks
- Glue gun
- Candy Cane Cable from Scout Elves at Play® or colorful string
- Scissors
- Elf Pets® Reindeer
- Scout Elves at Play® Orna-Moments™ Rockin’ Reindeer
Instructions:
- To create a fence, your elf will lay four pretzels in a hashtag shape and use Candy Cane Cable or glue to secure the corners.
- They will repeat this step twice, attaching all three hashtag shapes together in a fence shape.
- To help the fence stand up, they will lean it against a static object. Helpful hint for elves: For a simpler corral, use a fence from a mini train set or other play set.
- Finally, your elf and Elf Pets® Reindeer can rest in the corral or hop on the Scout Elves at Play® Orna-Moments™ Rockin’ Reindeer.
Sweet Wreath
Is every wreath created to hang on a door? Not necessarily. For an early morning surprise for her family, this Scout Elf created a pretty, taste-tempting wreath made of colorful fruit! It’s a simple, no-fuss recipe Scout Elves love preparing.
For other easy elf ideas, check out Scout Elves at Play®, and for daily inspiration, download the Ideas for Scout Elves app!
Before you or your elf get to work recreating any of these inspirational photos, be sure to read these safety warnings. Santa wants to make sure everyone stays safe!
