It is time to start planning your Elf on the Shelf Arrival idea for their return! There are so many ways to have a fun elf return that the kids will love. These easy elf on the shelf arrival ideas are perfect to get the Christmas Elf fun started! Your kids are going to love these easy Welcome back Elf on the Shelf Ideas that the elf can do the yearly return!
Easy Elf on The Shelf Arrival Ideas – Time to Welcome Back Elf on the Shelf
Making sure the first visit from the elf is perfect is a must. Ok, maybe that is because I love this little elf so much and the smiles on my kid’s faces so I always make the first day super special. I love making the elf return fun for the kids, to make your life easier I am sharing a great list of elf return ideas that are sure to make the kids smile. These Elf on the shelf welcome back ideas are also easy to set up and get done.
The day our Elf on the Shelf friends come back from the North Pole each year is one that the kids look forward to. It marks the start of the Christmas season where in our house we have as much fun as we can. That fun includes having our 2 little scout elf friends, George Twinkle and Snow come to see us each day.
Even my children who are older look forward to when the elf returns. They know it means that the magic of Christmas is about to fill our house. They know that this Christmas tradition marks the start of a fun time in our house.
Elf on the Shelf Printables
There are lots of free Elf on the shelf printables and some paid ones on Etsy that will help make your elf on the shelf adventure even more fun! I highly suggest grabbing the free Elf on the shelf planner printable.
- Elf on the Shelf Tic Tac Toe
- Elf on the Shelf Names Printable
- Elf on the Shelf BINGO Game
- Elf Kissing Booth Printable Prop
- Elf Pizza Shop Printable
- Elf Cookie Shop Prop Printable
- Elf Reindeer Friend Adoption Certificate Printable
- Elf Donut Shop Printable Prop
- Elf on the Shelf Health Certificate
- Elf on the Shelf Adoption Certificate
- Elf on the Shelf Printables Pack
- Elf on the Shelf Welcome Letter
- Elf on the Shelf Ideas calendar
- Elf on the Shelf Rules Printable
- Elf on the Shelf I’m Back Letters
- Elf on the Shelf We are Back Letters
- Elf on the Shelf Nice List Printable
Tips for Elf on the Shelf
Plan head. Use the the Elf on the Shelf planner to get all your planning done for Elf on the Shelf fun so there is no stress.
Be informed. If this is your first time doing Elf on the Shelf, be sure to read up on How Elf on the Shelf works and all the other important information.
Elf Doctor notes. If you are looking for ways to make sure the kids know that your Elf has not been affected by any sickness then you can print out this awesome Elf on the Shelf Health Certificate here.
When Does Elf on the Shelf Come?
The Elf on the Shelf tradition typically begins around the start of December, particularly on December 1st, and continues until Christmas Eve. Some families have their elves come back the day after Thanksgiving.
Elf on the Shelf Return Ideas
If you are looking for an elf arrival idea you are in luck. We have lots of them, and they are all kid-approved! You can make it a grand entrance or keep it simple, there is no wrong way to have an elf return to spend the holiday season with you and your family.
Bring an Elf Arrival Letter
It is important that the elf brings a letter saying Hello to their friend(s), you can grab the Elf on the Shelf Welcome letter, I’m Back on the Elf on the Shelf Letters or We are back Elf on the Shelf letters to print that fit your houses need.
Elf Brings a Friend
If you are wanting to add another elf to your fun, arrival day is the perfect time to bring a new elf friend along wth tour favorite elf friend. Then the kids can pick an elf name for the new elf and have 2 elf friends who come each year.
Elf Footprints
Grab an elf foot print stencil and make it look like the elf walked through the house upon their arrival.
Bring An Advent Calendar
We always do advent calendars for the kids and the elves bring them each year. There are lots of different ones that you can grab at the store and on Amazon. If you are doing things last minute, you can order online at Target for same day pick up and they have lots of Advent Calendars to pick from!
Bring an Adoption Certificate to Make it Official
Head on over here and you can grab the Elf on the Shelf Adoption Certificate to make everything official.
Special Delivery Elf on the Shelf Envelope costume
Grab a Santa’s letter costume and put the elf in the costume and hide in the house.
Set up an Elf Door
Head on over to Amazon and grab an elf sized door to set up near your front door.
Bring Family Christmas Pjs
Family Pjs are a must in our house and they are the perfect gift that the elves can bring with them. I always pick a them for the year and get PJ’s for the whole family.
Have an I’m Back Party
Have the elf decorate the house with streamers and balloons and a special treat to kick off the start of the adventures and mischief they are about to have with the kids.
Spell I’m Back with Food
M&Ms are my favorite way to do this but you can use just about any food, candy, dry cereal, or mini marshmallows. If you don’t want to use food Scrabble tile blocks work well too.
Write a message in a fun way
I love using the I’m Back saying you can use many others. Spell them out with food just like the I’m back! Some great options are:
- Santa says Hi
- We are Back
- I missed you
Leave Secret Messages
These messages are a super fun way to have the kids get a message from the elf. It is super easy to make a DIY secret message.
Write any message you want with a white crayon on a piece of white paper. Then leave a cup with water and food coloring or water color paints with a note saying “paint me”. When the kids color all over the paper the message from the elf will appear.
Elf Brings Breakfast
Have the elves set up a good morning breakfast? There are lots of easy Christmas breakfast ideas that are perfect! My kids love it when they bring donuts, plus it is a super simple way for me and fun for the kids. You can add some holiday festivities by adding in some candy canes or other holiday candies.
One of my favorite ways to have the elf come back is for them to bring donuts and then use the Donut Elf on the Shelf Arrival letter printable. If you have multiple Elves be sure you grab the We are Back Donut Elf on the Shelf Printable.
Christmas Themed Breakfast Ideas for Kids
- Santa Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree
- Reindeer Cinnamon Rolls
- Snowball Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Santa Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Santa Banana Pops
- Chocolate Frosted Baked Donuts
- Grinch Fruit Kabobs
Elf Style Breakfast
While the elves bringing a normal breakfast is fun, bringing an elf breakfast is even better! What would be considered an Elf breakfast is noodles with syrup and lots and lots of candy. When I did Elf on the Shelf idea one year my kids thought it was the coolest thing ever.
Bring A Silly gift
Sometimes our elves like to bring the kids gifts, but not normal gifts they like to wrap up things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant ect. and give them as a gift. You can easily do this by finding things around the house and wrapping them in wrapping paper as silly gifts the elf brings with them.
Personalized Elf Arrival Puzzle Gift For Kids
Get a personalized elf on the shelf arrival letter puzzle for the kids to put together that forms a letter from the elf.
Make Elf on the Shelf Cookies
Using our favorite Sugar cookie recipe and royal frosting you can make these amazing Elf on the Shelf Sugar Cookies.
Have an I’m Back Party
Have the elf decorate the house with streamers and balloons and a special treat to kick off the start of the adventures and mischief they are about to have with the kids. You can also make it look like the elf had a party with his friends while everyone was sleeping.
Make it a Movie night with Elf on the Shelf Movies
If you have kids who love reading the Elf on the Shelf book then they will love the Elf on the Shelf Movies too! There are 4 different Elf on the Shelf movies that all are under 30 minutes in length that are great for a quick movie night with the kids.
- An Elf Story. This Elf on the Shelf movie tells the story of the Elf on the Shelf.
- Elf Pet’s: Santa’s Reindeer Rescue. The movie follows the adventures of the Scout Elves as they embark on a mission to help Santa Claus rescue his reindeer, who have encountered difficulties during test flights leading up to Christmas. With the help of a crew of adorable reindeer and Santa’s trusted friends, the Scout Elves work to ensure that Santa’s sleigh can fly smoothly on Christmas Eve.
- Elf Pet’s: A Fox Cubs Christmas Tale. In this movie, a curious Scout Elf named Newsey, along with a young boy named Michael, other Scout Elves, and a group of charming Arctic fox Elf Pets, set out to uncover the truth. Together, they discover that even Santa’s magic is surpassed by the extraordinary power of hope!
- Elf Pet’s: Santa’s St. Bernard Saves Christmas. In this movie, Santa realizes there’s a shortage of Christmas spirit to make the holiday truly magical. The Scout Elves of The Elf on the Shelf®, a pack of Saint Bernard puppies, and a compassionate family to bring back the magic of Christmas in their community.
What comes Next after the Elf arrives?
Up next, until Santa comes to bring the Elves back to the north pole is when all the rest of the fun happens.
Each night, the parents move the elf to a new location in the house, creating the illusion that the elf is actively watching over the children. Children wake up each morning to find the elf in a new, often mischievous, position, leading to excitement and anticipation as they search for the elf’s latest hiding spot.
During this time you are going to want to find some Elf on the Shelf Ideas I am sure, and we have made that super easy and have hundreds of Elf on the Shelf Ideas that kids love. You can use the Elf on the Shelf Planner printable I have created to get organized and make your Elf on the Shelf plan for the holiday season.
Elf on the Shelf Daily Ideas
- Cute Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- 135 Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- 25 Simple Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- Kitchen Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- Dollar Store Elf on the Shelf ideas
- Quick Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- Naughty Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- Elf on the Shelf Donut Ideas
- Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Toddlers
- Last minute Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- 5 Minutes or less elf on the shelf ideas
- Elf on the shelf ideas for when you have forgotten
What Is Elf on the Shelf?
Elf on the Shelf is a fun holiday tradition in which scout elves are sent from the North Pole by Santa to add magic to the holiday season.
Each night the elf goes back to the North Pole, some parents say to report back to Santa the children’s behavior and others say it is so the scout elves can meet up and come up with ideas to share with the children.
The elf magically moves to a new spot every night, and children find their elf friends when they wake up each morning. The fun part for the kids is seeing what the elf (or elves if they have multiple) have done for the day. Sometimes the elf brings a gift, other times the elf does something silly, and sometimes something mischievous.
In our house, our Elf adds to the magic of the Christmas Season and is used to have extra fun and enjoyment. You can choose to have the elf be a watcher of good behavior if you want to, that is a personal parenting choice.
If you are new to Elf on the Shelf be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide of Everything you need to know about Elf on the Shelf.
Grab the Elf on the Shelf Printable Pack here!
More Holiday fun to check out!
You can have a lot of fun calling Santa with Santa’s Phone number and it is FREE!
When does Elf on the Shelf come? And everything else you need to know about the Elf on the Shelf!
Elf on the Shelf Letter – Perfect Elf on the shelf printable letter that you can print out and have your elf on the shelf bring with him or her when he comes to visit! Plus this Elf on the Shelf Rules printable is awesome to print out and hang on the wall for the kids!
You should also check out these funny elf on the shelf ideas! There are over 135 Elf on the shelf Ideas that kids will love! If you are running short on time, then make sure you check out this list of Quick Elf on the Shelf ideas!
You can have a lot of fun calling Santa with Santa’s Phone number and it is FREE!
Make sure you also check out Reasons your Elf Did not move… it might happen sometimes 😉
if you are stuck on Elf Names, Check out this awesome list of 110 Elf on the shelf names! We have girl elf on the shelf names and boy elf on the shelf names!
Make sure you also grab the Elf on the shelf good bye letters!
Elf on the Shelf Printables
- Elf on the Shelf Tic Tac Toe
- Elf on the Shelf Names Printable
- Elf on the Shelf BINGO Game
- Elf Kissing Booth Printable Prop
- Elf Pizza Shop Printable
- Elf Cookie Shop Prop Printable
- Elf Reindeer Friend Adoption Certificate Printable
- Elf Donut Shop Printable Prop
- Elf on the Shelf Health Certificate
- Elf on the Shelf Adoption Certificate
- Elf on the Shelf Printables Pack
- Elf on the Shelf Welcome Letter
- Elf on the Shelf Ideas calendar
- Elf on the Shelf Rules Printable
- Elf on the Shelf I’m Back Letters
- Elf on the Shelf We are Back Letters
- Elf on the Shelf Nice List Printable
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