7 days of quick and easy elf on the shelf ideas. Stress less about your elf with these fun elf ideas.

Spend just a couple minutes or less each day to prep your elf’s activity with everyday household items.

Check out our other blog post for more Quick Elf on the Shelf Ideas!

Scroll to the bottom of the article and get the printable checklist for 7 days of quick and easy elf on the shelf ideas and links to Recommended Products to help you out!

Christmas Traditions: Elf on the Shelf

Start your Christmas Elf on the Shelf tradition with a complete Elf on the Shelf Kit. Each kit comes with your choice of boy or girl elf doll and a book.

Once you have your Elf on the Shelf, you will need elf activity ideas. Lots of them! Every holiday season, your elf will need to arrive at your house.

After the elf arrives, each day the elf will need to appear somewhere different each morning. If you are so inclined, your elf may want to play tricks and/or bring candies and/or play games.

Quick and Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas

Enjoy a week’s worth of quick and easy Elf on the Shelf ideas from me to you! Hope they help inspire your Elf for the next 7 days!

Day One: The Elf Blows a Bubble with Bubblegum!

You’ll need a (pink) balloon, clear tape, and a pack of bubblegum or Bubble Tape for your child to enjoy.

Blow up the balloon and tape the knotted end to the elf’s face area so it looks like the Elf has blown a huge bubble with bubble gum. Leave the pack of real bubblegum as a treat for the kids.

Day 2: The Elf Decorates Child’s Bedroom Doorway

You’ll need: Crepe Paper Streamers and Tape.

Tape crepe paper streamers across the child’s doorway from top to bottom. Make sure the door is closed first so it will be a fun surprise when they wake up.

Day 3: The Elf TP’d the Christmas Tree!

You’ll need: Toilet Paper. Use toilet paper to TP the Christmas tree! Don’t worry, the toilet paper is still perfectly useable once this trick is done.

Day 4: Play Jenga with the Elf!

You’ll need: Jenga game or other blocks. Simply set up the blocks or Jenga tower and put the Elf inside.

Day 5: The Elf builds a Playdoh Christmas Tree!

You’ll need: Green, Red, and Yellow Playdoh.

Use green Playdoh to make a Christmas tree shape. Use red Playdoh to make small balls to use as ornaments on the tree. Use yellow Playdoh to make a star shape for the tree top.

Day 6: Where’s the Elf? Cup game.

You’ll need: 3 red Solo cups, a black marker, and your choice of Christmas candies.

Use the marker to draw question marks on each one of the cups. Place the Elf doll inside one of the cups. Put Christmas candy inside the other cups.

To play: Let your child guess which cup the Elf is hiding under.

Day 7: HELP! The Elf is trapped inside a balloon.

This is probably my personal favorite Elf idea. The kids cannot figure out how the Elf got trapped inside the balloon!

You’ll need: A balloon, preferably clear in color and at least 18 inches works best. Smaller balloons just don’t get big enough for the Elf to get inside. You’ll also need a Wide Mouth Canning Jar Funnel. Trust me, the funnel makes this trick so much easier.

To get the elf inside the balloon, you will first need to stretch the neck of the balloon around the canning jar funnel. *Note: The balloon does not have any air in it yet.

Next, push the Elf head first into the funnel and into the balloon. Once the elf’s entire body is in the balloon, you can blow up the balloon as normal and tie it off.

Finally, use a marker to write a message such as “Help me!” on the balloon.

Let me know what your Elf is up to this year! What is your favorite Elf idea?