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Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas

A classroom elf is a great activity to add to your kindergarten classroom this holiday season! Here are some classroom elf ideas and inspirations to get you started on all things elf!

This activity works well with these resources:

If you are looking for more Classroom Elf Ideas, you MUST check out their new Scout Elves at Play Kit.  I absolutely love the idea of this kit. It is loaded with photos of ideas and special props that you can use to make your life easier during elf season.  I could not wait to get this kit into the class and test out how all these neat little props work.

One of the coolest things this kit comes with is the boot with suction cups on them.  These are so helpful for positioning the elf and for hanging him upside-down.  The book comes with tons of ideas for him to kneel and climb, but this way is just so much fun.

Not sure about a classroom elf?  Read about the Pros and Cons of Having a Classroom Elf.

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Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.
Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

My review of the boots:  The more suction cup support for the elf the better the elf will stay.  Because of this, I would use both feet and even the waste support if you can.  The suction cups are strong, but we need him to stick all day up-side-down and I just fear he will fall.  Also, the boots were very difficult to get on the elf.  I ended up not putting his feet into the fabric like you are supposed to and just shoving his little legs behind the fabric and lacing up the boot.  You would never know by looking so I think it is totally ok.

Another fun item is the swing.  The swing comes with a rope to hang but you can also use a suction cup on any surface to hang it pretty much anywhere.  The idea book has lots of cool ways to use the swing including making it into a sleigh using candy canes.  We had lots of fun putting the elf in the library pushing his gingerbread friend (just clipart I had on my computer).

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

My review of the swing:  I love the idea of this swing.  It was really hard to find places to hang it, though.  If we hang it from the ceiling or SmartBoard it is ridiculously high for the kids to see.  I guess you could use the extra cable to extend it.  You can’t really hang it on the door because the door might make it fall.  Maybe your classroom has more places to hang this fun swing. I love that it has a strap to hold the elf on it and squeezing a gingerbread man in it is super easy and sturdy because of the design.

The peppermint grappling hook has so many ways to use it too.  I really liked the idea of using it to have the elf climb on things and what better place to do that than the whiteboard.  We could have added the boots and had him actually climbing up.  Or we could have propped a marker into his hands and written a fun little saying for the kids.  The kit also comes with a whole roll of candy cane cable so you can really get creative with this hook.

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

Candy cane grappling hook and candy cane cable review:  the grappling hook is super easy to use.  Then when the surface is too thick to hang this hook you use the other hook they provided in the kit, so they really thought about the customer.  You also get a ton of this rope. You will never run out.  Love them both.

The chair is fantastic too.  I mean, how can you go wrong with a chair?  It totally looks like it came from the north pole with the elf too.  The dice is also great.  It’s cute to have the elf hold the dice and display a certain message or have him play with your favorite friends.  We added Greatest Class Ever just by printing the words and glue sticking them down.

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

The kit comes with quite a bit of fun signs as well.   Some have ideas like hiding candy canes and others just have sayings.  My favorites are shown below.

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.
Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

My review of the signs:  These are extra thick and sturdy.  They also come with a holder so that you can stand them up next to the elf-like a game piece holder you would find in a Candyland game.  Most cards will fit the classroom, but it is fun to make them custom for your class with a piece of paper and glue stick like the first image shown.

This is the holiday hook.  It can be used for the elf to hang onto, for him or her to hang from something, or turned upside-down to do things like golfing.  This idea is actually one of the ideas that came from the book.  It worked out great with some green border and green construction paper.  You can easily hang the hook from your whiteboard and hang the elf from his arms in that slot.  (My elf’s hands are not sewn together because I thought it would be good to take them apart one year).

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

You will also notice in the photo the holiday harness.  This is seriously one of my favorite things in the box.  It’s like a waist strap for the elf to help him balance.  This strap just makes everything so much easier.

My review of the holiday hook and holiday harness:  love, love, love.  Between the two hooks provided, you can really do anything with your elf.  This hook has a slot though for your elf’s arms to hang from so it is so easily used and requires little prep.  They are just both so easily used so if you are in a hurry or run out of ideas you just hang your elf somewhere with some extra support.

elf-on-the-shelf

We picked up our Elf on the Shelf and our Elves at Play set on Amazon, but they can be found any most major retailers. Watch the price though, as we have seen it at different prices at different stores.

And, of course, you don’t need the Scout Elves at Play kit to have fun with your elf.

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.
Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

What are your favorite ideas for your classroom elf?

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas and Inspiration using the Elves at Play set. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and first grades.

For a free activity to name your elf, click here:

Elf Naming Survey. A free printable from Simply Kinder that reinforces literacy and math.

Our readers have also shared some amazing Elf on the Shelf ideas.  Check them out:

Elf on the Shelf Classroom Ideas from the teachers at Simply Kinder!

Mrs. Hatfield had her elf take a selfie on her Smartboard.  Click here to see all the photos.

And for more ideas, check out More Classroom Elf Ideas.

More Classroom Elf Ideas
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