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Sunday, November 29, 2020

30 Easy Elf on the Shelf Ideas

So you've decided to do Elf on the Shelf and you need ideas to keep the fun going all month long, because we all know December can sometimes feel like it drags on forever when you have an Elf visitor in the house! Don't worry we've all had that panic moment of what will the Elf do tonight?!, usually mid way through December when you've just climbed into bed. 

I've got you covered though with 30 different easy Elf on the Shelf ideas and tips to make the Elf on the Shelf run smoothly {although if you're reading this post mid December in a state of panic you'll just want to skip ahead to the ideas list}.

elf on the shelf on a christmas tree
Sunday, November 15, 2020

The Best Christmas Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers in 2023

We love books for all occasions in our family, but we especially love Christmas books. We bring out all the Christmas books in our December 1st box and each year we add one or two new books to our collection. The kids love reading all the stories in the lead up to Christmas and it often leads to lots of bookish play

If you want to start a Christmas book tradition like a book advent calendar, December 1st or Christmas Eve box, or you just want to add to your collection, I've put together a list of our favourite Christmas books for kids.

girl reading christmas books in front of tree
Saturday, November 7, 2020

Top 12 Open Ended Toys Every Playroom Should Have

Wanting to add more open ended toys to your playroom, daycare or classroom, but don't know where to start? I get it, there's so many options it can be a bit overwhelming at first. To help you get started, I've put together a list of the top 12 open ended toys every playroom should have. They're also great for kindy and prep classrooms as well. No matter what age your kids are, these toys will grow with them and can be used in many different ways as they get older and develop more skills.

girl playing with duplo people

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Elf on the Shelf Held Hostage by Dinosaurs

It's late at night you're about to drift off to sleep and you suddenly realise crap I didn't move the Elf! So, you run downstairs desperately searching through all the kids toys, trying to think of a quick elf on the shelf idea using things you have in front of you. This was the exact situation that inspired this elf held captive by toy dinosaurs idea

elf on the shelf held captive by dinosaurs

Yep we've all been there late at night, usually half way through December when elf motivation and imagination is lacking. Don't worry you don't need to have elaborate props or grand plans to pull off the magic of Elf on the Shelf. A quick rummage through the toy box late at night can often provide some last minute inspiration.
Sunday, November 1, 2020

What is the Elf on the Shelf? The Ultimate 2023 Guide to Elf on the Shelf

A few years after my daughter was born this concept called the Elf on the Shelf seemed to start popping up. At the time I had no idea what it was until some friends started getting on board. In fact you could probably say I was team anti-elf for a while, until I realised just how magical it would be for my girls. 

Now we have our own special elf, Elfie, who visits us each December and many other families have their own elf too, I've even heard of some classrooms that have their own elf visitor at the end of the year.

the ultimate elf on the shelf guide

The Elf on the Shelf is a popular Christmas tradition stemming from the children's book, The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, by Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell. The Elf on the Shelf {a special scout elf} is sent by Santa to a child's home for the month of December. The elf watches over them and reports back to Santa at the North Pole each night, until they leave on Christmas Eve. 

Each morning the elf finds a new spot that they can watch from, making it exciting for children to wake up and look for the elf each day. During their stay the elves are also known to do funny tricks and sometimes get up to lots of mischief! You could say the Elf on the Shelf is the ultimate form of bookish play that's taken on a life of it's own, bringing magic to thousands of children and sparking creativity in adults across the globe.

DIY Elf on the Shelf Swing

Do you have a little Elf friend who comes and visits your house each year around Christmas time? My girls love it when our elf, Elfie, comes to visit each year. She doesn't get up to too much mischief, but she does like to be a little bit funny, and she's known to use objects from around the house in her antics. One her most memorable tricks was when she made her own Elf on the shelf swing from an empty toilet paper roll.

Elf on the shelf swinging on a toilet paper roll swing

The girls loved waking up in the morning to find her swinging from the roof and then another morning she was swinging from our fan watching TV! They thought it was hilarious that she'd used a toilet paper roll to make her own swing. If you think your elf might have fun swinging from the roof as well, Elfie has let me in on her design plans so your elf can make one too.