Nothing screams “it’s nearly Christmas” like the Elf on the Shelf, right?! This is something that can be incorporated into your classroom life – December is always going to be an exciting time for students and you can really help encourage this excitement by adding some fun to your classroom.
The Elf on the Shelf is a new and fun tradition that excites a lot of kids, and this is something that can be a part of their learning environment as well as their home environment.
Elves should be able to bring their festive cheer to the classroom as well as to the home.
Here, we have the best ways that you can include the Elf on the Shelf as part of your classroom. And, these ways are guaranteed to engage and excite students – it is an excellent way to spread festive cheer.
Preparation Is Key
The thing with the Elf on the Shelf is that it requires maintenance and upkeep, and in order to do this you will need to try and schedule some extra preparation time so that you do not spoil the pure magic of the Elf on the Shelf.
This is something that will make your routine that much easier – and this will naturally keep you as organized as possible.
The ideas that we have compiled for bringing the Elf on the Shelf to your classroom are relatively easy to implement, but you must be sure to factor in enough time to make amendments so that the kids do not catch you in the act.
We suggest that you write out your Elf on the Shelf plan, and give yourself sufficient time each morning to get the elf prepared.
We recommend jotting this in your diary – this could be something that you do before the kids come to school, or you could alter the Elf on the Shelf ready for the next day when the kids have gone home from school.
It is up to you whatever will suit your schedule the best – but these are the time frames that we recommend considering.
Attempting To Camouflage The Elf
A fun suggestion is to camouflage the Elf on the Shelf in amongst classroom Christmas decorations. If you have a Christmas tree in your classroom, then you can find a way to hide the Elf on the Shelf amongst the decorations.
A really fun suggestion is to hide the Elf on the Shelf behind something especially obvious so that it draws the attention of the kids.
For instance, you can use a huge festive bow, or you could use a huge festive flower as a means of not so subtly hiding your Elf on the Shelf.
This will be an especially fun one for the kids to try and find – it could prove slightly challenging, but then sometimes the most obvious hiding places are the most challenging.
Having Fun With Fairy Lights
You can include your Elf on the Shelf as part of the process of decorating your classroom in time for Christmas.
You could set up fairy lights around your classroom whiteboard, as this is a central and focal feature of the classroom. When you do this, you can use the Elf on the Shelf getting caught up in the process as the feature.
You can have your Elf on the Shelf tangled at the bottom of the fairy lights, almost as a way of alluding to the fact that the elf has tried to decorate the classroom and has gotten tangled up in the process.
Have Your Elf On The Shelf Foraging Christmas Candies
You know how much kids enjoy Christmas chocolate, but it does not just have to be the kids who get into the stash.
You can set up the Elf on the Shelf in such a way that it looks as though it has dug into a stash of Christmas candies.
You can scatter candy wrappers around the elf to make it look as though it has been especially ravenous, and you could even smear chocolate on the Elf on the Shelf’s cheeks. This will certainly entertain the kids.
Using The Elf On The Shelf To Give Rewards
You can leave notes that have been handwritten by the Elf on the Shelf, this will be a means of encouraging the kids.
This is something that works especially well if you find that your kids need some motivation, or if you find that the class has worked especially hard at something.
The reward or treat that the Elf on the Shelf leaves on behalf of Santa could be chocolate, or it could just be a piece of stationary or something festive. Whatever you think will most excite and encourage the class.
The Flying Elf On The Shelf
The Elf on the Shelf is known for being naughty and rebellious, and the fun that you can have entangling the elf with your classroom decorations will spread joy to the kids.
You can use a paper chain as a way of getting your Elf on the Shelf to seemingly fly around the classroom.
Undoubtedly this will be something that the kids will find highly entertaining and exciting – but you can really use anything to make the Elf on the Shelf fly somewhere in the classroom.
For instance, you could use ribbon as a means of suspending the Elf on the Shelf from somewhere in the class.
Whatever method you use – just make sure that it is secure enough so that the Elf on the Shelf doesn’t fall down in the middle of the lesson. That might ruin the magic somewhat.
The Elf On The Shelf Loves Making Snow Angels
You might be unsure as to how you can create a snowy scene in your classroom, but there are a few fun methods that you can use as a means of doing this.
For instance, you can use white mini marshmallows as a way of creating an angel outline around the Elf on the Shelf.
Alternatively, you could use flour as a way of creating a snow-like surface. You can then use the elf as a means of making an authentic angel outline.
Both options prove to be especially fun and entertaining for the class. If you are to use mini marshmallows, this could even transform into a snowball fight after the snow angel scene – very entertaining indeed.
Use The Elf On The Shelf To Encourage Crafting
If you are keen to encourage the kids to be super festive, and you are planning on rewarding them with a Christmas lesson then you can use the Elf on the Shelf to do this.
You can create an exemplar paper snowflake and this will be something that the class can take inspiration from.
You can position the Elf on the Shelf in such a way that it looks like it is holding the paper snowflake. This can act as a way of inspiring the class, and this can be a way of suggesting that this is a special treat from Santa himself.
Encourage The Class With The Elf On The Shelf
You can use the Elf on the Shelf as a prompt for the class to get into the lesson you have planned. For instance, you can have the elf playing with certain stationary pieces or toys such as LEGO bricks.
You can use the elf as a means of encouragement and excitement – the festive period is always fun, but it can be a huge distraction as far as educational studies are concerned.
It can be really easy during this time of year for kids to become distracted by the upcoming celebrations and the end of the academic term – but this is where you can be clever in the way that you use the Elf on the Shelf.
Make Reading Fun With The Elf On The Shelf
You can use the Elf on the Shelf as a means of making learning fun. For example, you can write a note from the elf depicting that Santa has gifted the class a new book to read.
This will undoubtedly excite the class – and this will make them especially keen to sit and listen to you reading to them.
Using the Elf on the Shelf as a means of engaging with and getting the students’ attention will help motivate them to carry on learning right up until the end of term.
In Conclusion
Overall, it’s pretty clear that there are some fun and exciting ways of incorporating the Elf on the Shelf as part of your classroom fun.
The Elf on the Shelf is a great way to get the class excited for the festive season, but this is something that you can also be especially clever with.
You can use the Elf on the Shelf as a means of motivating the class to carry on learning amongst the festive excitement.
During the festive time of year, all the excitement and the anticipation will be a big distraction for younger kids, but the Elf on the Shelf can be a great way to keep spirits high – and also to make sure that the festivities do not overshadow the importance of learning.
Hi, my name is Helena Waters and I was a teacher for 40 years before retiring last year.
During my time as a teacher I dedicated the majority of it to making classrooms as fun as possible, with educational parties, fun activities, and low cost entertainment that made the children excited about learning.
I taught children of all ages, from preschoolers to high school students. Now, with the pandemic having uprooted everything that children once knew about school and learning, I think that the need for my ideas is bigger than ever.
That is why I created School Sparks, a place in which I can write down and share all of my ideas on how to get students excited about going to school again. I hope that you’ll find some useful within a school setting, even at home too!
