Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Tired Parents

These easy Elf on the Shelf ideas are perfect for tired parents who don’t have the time or energy to spend hours every night moving the Elf around. Simple ideas that are creative and fun will delight kids each and every morning!

TIPS FOR KEEPING ELF ON THE SHELF EASY

I am going to admit I kind of regret ever bringing our elf home. It became an overwhelming task for me to come up with ideas every night for our elf.

When we started the elf there weren’t nearly as many cool ideas available online and I had to put my thinking cap on. My cap was broken some nights and it became a chore!

Now there are lots of ideas and I found some ways to make the whole process simpler. Here are some tips for keeping Elf on the Shelf easy.

Plan your Elf’s activities out in November before the massively busy month of December even starts.
Buy any props or items you will need for your Elf’s antics in advance so it doesn’t sneak up on you.
Set a reminder in your phone each evening before bedtime so you don’t forget to move the elf.
Don’t go crazy creating lavish scenes for the elf only to fizzle out later in the month. Keep things simple from the START so you don’t have to outdo yourself!!
Print off ideas you find online and put them into your Christmas binder so you have it as a handy reference.

DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER FAMILIES

The biggest problem I have seen with Elf on the Shelf is that people try to outdo each other on social media.

It causes a lot of stress for parents who feel pressured to have their Elf be as “active” as their child’s friends Elf.

Come on parents, don’t fall for this adult peer pressure to keep up with the Joneses. Your Elf is your Elf and he/she can be as active or as laid back as you want.

Christmas can be a stressful time and there is no reason to let a little stuffed Elf ruin the season for you. Use these easy Elf on the Shelf ideas to make your life less stressful.

CHEAP ELF ON THE SHELF PROPS

If you like to keep things simple with your Elf one way is to use props.

Get a box or small tote to keep your props in and you can reuse them year after year.

Many of these props can be purchased at Dollar Tree and won’t set your wallet back too much.

Bungee cords are a prop that can be used in different ways and in different scenes.
Dice are a fun prop.
Artificial flowers could be used in many different ways.
Candy canes can be fashioned into sleighs, used as fishing poles and much more.
Cheap toys from Dollar Tree can be used in lots of fun scenarios.
A small marker board is an easy way to leave messages from your Elf.
Balloons can make any Elf scene more fun.
Bubble wrap is loved by kids and elves alike.