Traveling with Elf on the Shelf plus 8 more quick ideas

As promised, here's the last installment of this year's quick and easy Elf on the Shelf ideas.  I've got eight more great ideas for you, but, better than that, I've got two ideas for traveling with your Elf.

We're visiting Nana and Gramp this year for Christmas.  I debated taking Lion with us and originally planned not to.  But, then Doug came up with a great idea, even better than the clever idea I had, so Lion is traveling, too.

Even if you're traveling this weekend, you still have time to pull of both of these ideas.  First, the morning that you leave, have your Elf be found playing with a phone, iPad, or some other gadget capable of sending photos.  Then, stage photos around your house for the number of days you'll be gone and have them ready on your phone or iPad.  You can tell your kids that the Elf is sending the pictures to them each day.

Option two is taking the Elf with you.  The morning you leave have the kids find your Elf with his own suitcase, ready to hop in the car or on the plane.  If you have a toy suitcase, use that.  If not, wrap a very small box in brown construction paper and add a string, pipe cleaner, or ribbon handle.  Then, when you get to your destination, you have a whole new house to work with, plus hopefully some more family members who can help come up with some ideas.  I know I'm just about out of good ones!


So, there you go.  You're covered either way with a clever way to finish out your month of Elf on the Shelf.  Your kids will be excited and you won't have to answer "What happened to the Elf?  Where's the Elf?  Did the Elf stay home?  Will he be okay while we're gone?"

And, without further ado, here are 8 more quick ideas for the busy nights you're too tired to be creative.

We found Lion on top of the fridge one morning where he'd left a note for Phee.

 

Phee loves sprinkles and has about a dozen different kinds.  Lion made use of the snowflakes one day so he could make some snow angels.  

 

Time to sing some Christmas carols!

 

Making a naughty and nice list.  This was a funny list, with Phee's classmates on the nice list, the bad guys from her shows and books on the naughty list, and then Phee and her best friends on the extra nice list.  

Snowball fight!  (use balled up tissue paper or white pom poms)

Time to snuggle up with a blanket and a good Christmas book.

Lion had some presents to wrap.

And, probably my favorite one yet, Lion visiting with Santa.  The beard is white felt.

Merry Christmas!  What has your Elf been up to lately?

Need more ideas?  Here's Part 1 and Part 2 of my Elf on the Shelf series for this year.