24 Quick & Easy Naughty Christmas Elf Ideas

Kick things off with a special Elf welcome letter to set the tone for the magical month ahead. If you like you can personalise it for extra sparkle, then prop next to your elf with some festive candy canes.

Make a target by cutting a hole in the middle of a paper plate - we’ve gone for a star shape.

Decorate around the hole if you like, and write “can you hit the snowball target?” around the rim.

Prop the plate up on an elf so that they are holding the target, then place a pile of pom pom snowballs (or you could use marshmallows!) next to the target.

This one takes a little more time to make, but kids love playing toy twister and it will give them hours of entertainment long after the elves have hopped back to the North Pole!

For the coloured spots on the twister mat, you can either cut circles from coloured paper or draw and colour them in with pens. Make 6 circles in each colour and glue/draw them in evenly spaced rows onto an A4 piece of card or paper.

For the twister dial, cut a small square of card for the base. Using the picture as reference, draw and colour in the card to resemble a twister dial and divide into 4 sections for two feet and hands. Take a matchstick from the craft box and wrap a split pin around one end (add a dot of glue to hold in place if needed). Poke a hole in the middle of the board and push the split pin through and open out the ends. Give the stick a little wiggle to make sure it spins.

Cut small Christmas cards from card or paper.

Decorate with items from the craft box. Here we’ve written a message in glue, sprinkled on the coloured sand and cut tiny christmas shapes from foam. You can also make mini envelopes from paper if you like.

Place the card on a corner of paper diagonally. Cut out a square, allowing a few millimetres extra to give you some overlap (see image below). Fold the bottom up, then the sides in and glue in place to make an envelope.

Lay an elf on top of a piece of felt and mark roughly in pencil the length of the arms and size of the body. Cut jumper shapes to this size from pieces of felt. Use scraps of felt to cut embellishments for the jumpers and glue in place.

To finish you can lay them next to the elves or even arrange the felt on top of the elves so it looks like they are wearing them. You can add a little sign saying “we made Christmas jumpers!” if you like.

This one is nice as a half-completed craft, leaving the trees for the kids to decorate once they find the elves.

Fold a piece of green craft foam in half and cut out two identical Christmas tree shapes - we cut a paper template from a folded piece of paper to make this easier.

Measure from the top and mark the centre of each tree. Cut a slit from the top of one tree shape, and from the bottom of the other, to the centre. Slot the tree shapes together to make a 3D tree.

You can make a little foam star to go on top in the same way as the tree. Then put this with the sequins, shapes and other embellishments from the craft box in a little bowl next to the tree with a sign that says, “help us decorate our tree!”

Elves can be cheeky!

Make earmuffs by cutting a quarter of a pipe cleaner and gluing a pom pom to each end. Bend to shape and place over an egg. Add googly eyes to the eggs for and display in an egg box for a silly surprise.

Once you’re finished with the ear muffs keep hold of one pair for day 14!

Set your elf up to look like they’re being pampered with this quick make.

For cucumbers, cut two circles from green craft foam, just bigger than the elf’s eyes, then cut two slightly smaller circles from white paper. Glue the paper to the foam and colour in to resemble cucumbers.

Cut a circle of felt for a face mask and add eye nose and mouth holes - you can place the felt over the elf’s face to work out where to cut the holes.

Cut a piece of corrugated paper or foam to make a mat for the elf to lie on.

Wrap a bit of toilet paper around the elf’s head and body for towels.

Add the face mask and cucumber and a little paper sign saying ‘I am visiting the elf spa’ as a finishing touch!

To make this campfire scene, collect up some small twigs and cut them to about 6cm, then cut some flame-shaped pieces of red felt.

Arrange the twigs to look like a fire stack and use a glue gun to stick them together with the flames tucked in and glued at the top. Glue pink and white pom poms to the end of matchsticks to look like marshmallows.

Attach the matchsticks to the elves’ hands using twist ties and arrange them to be sitting around the fire roasting their mallows.

Build a loo roll snowman by gluing some googly eyes and an orange pom pom nose onto one of the loo rolls, then draw on a smile.

On another loo roll, glue on some twig arms and draw on coal buttons. Stack the decorated rolls onto a plain one on the table. If you like you can pop a small hat and a small scarf onto the snowman.

Spread more loo paper around to create a snow scene (you can wind it back on later to not waste it!).

Give the elf a large pom pom to hold as a snowball and sit them by the snowman.

Cut small strips of paper in two colours. If you want to write a festive message on them, lay them out and write the letters of your message onto one of the colours.

Glue them together to make a chain, alternating the colours so that the letters are on every other link. Take care to keep the letters the right way up!

Arrange them around the elves with the scissors and some extra strips to look like they are mid-craft.

For a pair of elf ski goggles, bend a pipe cleaner into a glasses shape by twisting and modeling the pipe cleaner around the elf’s eyes and ears to fit. Open the goggles out flat, then glue them onto a scrap of card. Trim the card around the shape of the goggles.

Take 4 lollipop sticks and glue them together in pairs to make one long stick for each ski. Use straws for ski poles - attach the poles and skis to the elf using twist ties. Trim the ends from the ties so they don’t show.

Make a ski slope on your stairs - Unwind a piece of toilet roll so that it goes all the way down the stairs and prop the elf up near the top, ready to launch.

Make a scarf by cutting two strips of felt (about 3cm wide) and gluing them together in the middle. Snip into either end to make tassels at the end of the scarf. Cut lots of tiny strips of felt in a contrasting colour and glue these on to make stripes on the scarf.

Use the pom pom ear muffs from day 7 for the elf.

Cut a circle of card and write “Just Chillin’” on it, then glue it onto a straw to make a sign.

Then, you can place the elf in the fridge, wrapped up with the ear muffs and scarf, holding the sign.

Create snowy chaos with paper snowflakes!

Fold a square of tissue paper into a triangle, and continue folding until it’s too thick to fold further. Cut small shapes out of the sides and unfold to reveal your unique snowflake. Don’t worry about wonky edges—elves aren't the best with scissors!

Use four lollipop sticks stacked to create a grid.

For your counters, cut festive shapes from the foam sheets (or use pre-cut shapes if you're short on time).

Even elves are on the lookout for Santa!

Roll a strip of corrugated card into a thin tube and secure with glue. Cut it in half to make two equal pieces and glue them side-by-side to form binoculars.

Decorate with sequins or gems.

Add ribbon so they can hang around your elf’s neck.

Oh no! The elves brought a snowman inside, and he melted!

To make the melted snowman, cut a blob shape from white felt. Add black felt eyes, a hat, an orange felt carrot nose, pom pom buttons, and stick arms.

Lay it all out on the worktop to finish.

Use stackable chocolate biscuits to build a Jenga tower.

Position your elf as if they’re mid-game—just don’t be surprised if one goes missing!

You can also make a little sign to go with your elves to ask if they want to play.

Make a mini easel with red and green lollipop sticks.

Form a triangle for the base and glue on a smaller stick as a shelf.

Create a mini masterpiece with paint and display it on the easel, with the elf holding the brush.

Make mini wreaths by cutting a ring card.

Glue pom poms all around the ring and add sequins or beads before attaching a ribbon loop on the back for hanging.

Cut green felt into golf course shapes.

Use straws for flag poles and foam for flags and glue everything in place.

Label them with hole numbers then arrange the elves next to the green with candy cane golf clubs attached with twist ties.

Turn your kitchen into a climbing wall for your mischievous elves!

To make a climbing harness, cut three foam strips - one for the body and two for leg loops. Glue them together to create a mini harness, then attach a ribbon to act as the climbing rope.

Use fridge magnets as climbing grips to help the elf scale the door. Position one elf on the fridge door as if it’s mid-climb, using the magnets for support.

Tie a bead to the other end of the ribbon to stop it sliding then tuck the ribbon over the top of the fridge door.

Place the second elf peeking over the top of the fridge door, holding the rope; ready to help their friend finish the climb!

As Christmas draws to a close, have your elf leave a heartfelt goodbye letter, a lovely way to mark the end of their stay and thank the children for the fun.

Print out the free printable and position it by the elves as a last goodbye.