Welcome to the land of Elf on the Shelf! I’m guessing this might be your first experience with the Elf on the Shelf since you are searching for 2018 Elf on the Shelf ideas for toddlers.
I bet you didn’t realize how lucky you were last year when Elf on the Shelf poses were the last thing on your mind.
Just kidding. Sort of.
You very well might LOVE the Elf on the Shelf tradition. Maybe you’ve been waiting impatiently for your toddler to be old enough to appreciate some Elf on the Shelf antics.
Don’t be scared away by the moms that you’ve heard complaining about this Christmas tradition.
If you are prepared ahead of time, I promise, the smile on your toddler’s face each morning will make you LOVE this tradition.
P.S.- My Elf on the Shelf Calendar and Planner can help you to be super organized so that you can have fun with it.
Here’s the deal.
Your toddler is completely oblivious and doesn’t even KNOW what the Elf on the Shelf is yet. Don’t fret though, your toddler isn’t too young to get the gist of the Elf on the Shelf. Last year, my youngest was 2 and I think she actually enjoyed finding the elf each morning even more than her 5 year old sister. And that’s saying A LOT.
Back to the obliviousness. Take advantage of this, mama!
You might be tempted by Pinterest to do elaborate things with your elf. RESIST. You will burn yourself out, and you won’t enjoy it. Unless you’re supermom, then carry on!
And frankly, your toddler isn’t going to care how much time you the elf has or hasn’t put into it. Your toddler would be completely and utterly thrilled if your elf moved from shelf to shelf each night.
This post contains affiliate links.
Quick Navigation
Elf On The Shelf Ideas For First Arrival
If you’re introducing your elf to your toddler for the first time, my Elf on the Shelf arrival letter would be the perfect start.
Here are some ideas for your elf on the shelf’s first arrival to make it extra special and exciting for your toddler:
- Have the elf bring a gift (Christmas pajamas or a new book are always my favorites)
- Simply pose the Elf with the official Elf on the Shelf book- this way your toddler can learn about the tradition!
Remember, your toddler is easy to please. Keep your elf’s arrival and all of your elf’s antics simple.
How To Get An Elf On The Shelf
Step 1- If you haven’t already purchased your elf, you can do so quickly and discreetly through Amazon. You can snag a girl elf or boy elf.
Get Started With Elf On The Shelf- For Toddlers
Step 2- Think about what your toddler LOVES and try to incorporate some of those things.
Some ideas:
- favorite game
- favorite book
- Tupperware
- favorite toys
- favorite foods
Step 3- Consider making your elf bendable so that you can easily position your elf without him falling over and being uncooperative.
Step 4- Check out my clean Elf on the Shelf ideas for toddlers.
Elf On The Shelf Ideas For Toddlers
- scribbling in a cardboard box (because what toddler doesn’t love to do that!)
2. fishing for goldfish (every toddler’s favorite food!)
3. reenacting your toddler’s favorite book (shown: Goldilocks and the Three Bears– my toddler is going to die laughing when she sees this one!)
4. wearing a “candy” necklace made out of cereal
5. brushing his teeth with whipped cream (a great way to get in a quick little lesson on oral hygiene!)
6. blowing his nose surrounded by crumpled up tissues (the tissue, AKA the toddler’s biggest nemesis)
7. sticking out of mommy’s purse
8. reading your toddler’s favorite book to other toys or stuffed animals
9. making a mess with toilet paper in the bathroom- toilet paper hammock, anyone?
10. posed with some cookie ingredients on the day that you plan to bake Christmas cookies
11. taking a picture of your toddler’s stuffed animals– so cute, right?
12. playing doctor with another toy- does your toddler ask you to play doctor 327 times a day? (Asking for a friend– If your toddler doesn’t yet have a doctor kit, it’s a GREAT Christmas gift)
13. having a tea party with some toy friends
14. in something made of Duplos– think simple, like a square shaped thing that your toddler’s imagination will run wild with
15. holding the television remote
16. in your toddler’s stocking- I know this one sounds overly simple, but both of my kid’s thought this one was hilarious
17. stuck in a whisk
18. hiding in a diaper- okay, this one would be funny for anyone, not just toddlers
19. reaching into your toddler’s piggy bank
20. playing Candyland, Operation or one of the best toddler board games Zingo.
Check out my entire list of the best board games for toddlers.
21. replacing the E in your toddler’s flashcards: E is for Elf!
22. in a homemade fort with a flashlight
23. in your toddler’s snow glove
24. drawing a Christmas scene on your toddler’s art easel
25. eating cereal with sprinkles
26. sleeping in daddy’s shoe- I quickly made the sleep mask out of some black felt (side note: my husband’s not an old man, though his shoes say otherwise)
27. riding on (or in!) a truck, tractor, barbie car, etc- I’m not sure if our elf’s ever going to be the same after this one
What Elf on the Shelf ideas for toddlers are you going to be doing this year?
Leave a Reply