36 easy, funny ideas — one for every night until Christmas. Pick one, take one photo of your elf, and get a night-camera video of the mischief for your kids to find in the morning.
Coming to iPhone and Android this November
Every December parents look up Elf on the Shelf ideas late at night, build tiny scenes out of flour and toilet paper — and clean them up before breakfast. Elf Nights does that part for you.
The app picks tonight’s idea. You take one photo of your own elf, right where it sits. About two minutes later you have a short “caught on camera” video: your elf wakes up, gets into trouble and tidies everything away before morning. The elf is exactly where you left it — and the video is the proof.
Already planned for you, every night until Christmas.
Your own elf, right where it sits. Takes 10 seconds.
A night-camera video of your elf, ready in about 2 minutes.
Each idea tells you where to put your elf and which tiny clue to leave for the morning. Set them up by hand — or let Elf Nights film the whole thing from one photo.
The first morning sets the tone. Works for a brand-new elf and for one coming back from the North Pole.
A flash of sparkles — and your elf drops in, straight from the North Pole!
Where: Somewhere your kids look first thing in the morning — the kitchen table, a shelf by the door.
Morning clue: A sprinkle of glitter or a few paper snowflakes in the elf’s spot — “straight from the North Pole”.
No props, no prep. Put the elf anywhere with a little free space — the cookie, the snow and the sock only exist in the video.
Runs in with a giant cookie and gobbles it up — not a crumb left.
Where: A table or counter with empty space on the left — that’s where the elf runs in.
Morning clue: A few cookie crumbs and a tiny bite-sized piece of cookie in the elf’s spot.
Catches a snowflake on its tongue — then it all melts away.
Where: Near a window or the tree looks magical — but anywhere works.
Morning clue: A pinch of sugar or a few paper snowflakes in the elf’s spot.
Climbs into a giant sock and hops like a kangaroo — until it tumbles over!
Where: The floor or a low shelf with some free space.
Morning clue: One of your child’s socks inside out, lying in the elf’s spot.
Spots the camera, sneaks right up to it and covers the lens with its hand!
Where: Anywhere — an open spot in the middle of the photo, not too far away.
Morning clue: A tiny fingerprint smudge on the corner of a mirror or window nearby (a dab of hand cream).
Blows a giant soap bubble — and floats away inside it!
Where: Anywhere with open space above — the bubble floats up.
Morning clue: A tiny bottle of soap bubbles hidden nearby, out of the shot.
Blows a giant bubble gum bubble, floats up on it — and POP!
Where: Anywhere with open space above.
Morning clue: A gum wrapper in the elf’s spot (no gum — just the wrapper).
Hides under a napkin and plays ghost — booo! Then trips over it.
Where: Anywhere with some free space.
Morning clue: A crumpled white napkin just out of the shot, where the elf tossed it.
One tiny kernel goes POP — into a piece of popcorn bigger than the elf!
Where: A coffee table or any table with some free space.
Morning clue: Two or three popcorn kernels in the elf’s spot.
A toot in a jar, a stinky shoe and a banana-peel hat — the ones kids retell at breakfast.
Oops — a sparkly green toot! Caught in a jar before anyone could smell it.
Where: Anywhere with a bit of space — a shelf, a table, a windowsill.
Morning clue: A small jar with the lid on and a pinch of green glitter inside, hidden nearby. Label it “DO NOT OPEN”.
Takes one sniff of a grown-up’s sneaker… and faints! Wakes up holding its nose.
Where: The shoe bench or floor right next to a pair of grown-up shoes — the shoes in the shot.
Morning clue: A clothespin or a tissue next to the shoes — the elf had to hold its nose.
Dives head first into the trash — and pops out wearing a banana peel!
Where: The floor right next to the trash can — the whole can in the shot, not hidden in a cupboard.
Morning clue: A banana peel on the floor next to the trash can.
Climbs into the washing machine for a spin — and comes out dizzy (don’t try this at home!)
Where: A front-loading washing machine — the round door in the shot.
Morning clue: One odd sock sticking out of the washer door.
Ties on a cape, flies like a superhero… and SPLAT — straight into the window!
Where: A windowsill or a table right next to the window — the glass in the shot.
Morning clue: A small red napkin “cape” tucked behind the curtain — and maybe a tiny nose print on the glass.
Lifts a candy-cane barbell, wobbles, falls flat — then eats the weights!
Where: A table or counter with some free space.
Morning clue: A candy-cane wrapper and one marshmallow with a tiny bite out of it.
It is late and the kids are asleep. These quick ideas use what is already in the room: the sofa, the tree, a teddy, a plain wall.
Bounces higher and higher on the sofa — then a backflip and a perfect landing!
Where: The sofa — the cushions in the shot.
Morning clue: One cushion knocked out of place, like after a big backflip.
Climbs the Christmas tree, slips — and ends up hanging by one foot!
Where: Right next to the Christmas tree — the lower branches in the shot.
Morning clue: One ornament hanging a little crooked, like someone grabbed it on the way down.
Asks your child’s teddy to dance — and they twirl until they topple over!
Where: Right next to your child’s teddy or any soft toy — the teddy in the shot.
Morning clue: The teddy tipped over on its side — still dizzy from the dance.
Folds a paper plane, flies a loop around the room — and crash-lands!
Where: A desk, shelf or table with some free space.
Morning clue: A small folded paper airplane crash-landed in the elf’s spot.
Makes shadow animals on the wall… until the shadow dragon comes alive!
Where: A table or shelf by a plain wall — the wall in the shot.
Morning clue: A small flashlight left in the elf’s spot.
Sneaks through a maze of red lasers like a real spy!
Where: A long shelf, sideboard or table with lots of free space.
Morning clue: A strand of red yarn zig-zagged between a few books nearby — the “laser maze”.
Flour, cocoa, pepper and one very long noodle.
Spills the flour, flops down and makes a flour angel — then sweeps it all up.
Where: The kitchen counter with some free space.
Morning clue: A small flour angel in the elf’s spot — sprinkle a little flour and draw the wings with your finger.
Dunks its whole head in your cocoa — and pops out with a chocolate mustache!
Where: A table or counter with a mug on it — the mug in the shot.
Morning clue: A tiny chocolate smudge on the rim of the mug (a dab of cocoa or Nutella).
Sneaks into the fridge — and tumbles out frozen, with icicles on its hat!
Where: The kitchen counter or floor right next to the fridge — the fridge door in the shot.
Morning clue: A couple of ice cubes melting in a small dish in the elf’s spot.
Takes a big brave bite of lemon… and its whole face scrunches up!
Where: The kitchen counter or table with some free space.
Morning clue: A lemon peel with a tiny bite mark in the elf’s spot.
One sniff of pepper — and a sneeze so big it blasts the elf across the room!
Where: The kitchen counter with some free space.
Morning clue: A few grains of pepper and a tissue in the elf’s spot — bless you!
Slurps one spaghetti noodle… that just. never. ends!
Where: The middle of the dining table, with free space around.
Morning clue: One long uncooked spaghetti noodle in the elf’s spot.
A wild drum solo on the pots and pans — then a guilty “shhh”!
Where: The kitchen counter with some free space.
Morning clue: Two chopsticks and an upside-down saucepan lid left on the counter.
Leans in for just a tiny lick… and falls face-first into the cupcake!
Where: The kitchen counter or a table with some free space.
Morning clue: An empty cupcake wrapper and a few sprinkles in the elf’s spot.
Toilet paper, toothpaste and a hair dryer on full blast.
Wraps itself up like a mummy — then the evidence vanishes.
Where: Anywhere with some free space — a shelf, a table, the bathroom counter.
Morning clue: One loose end of toilet paper trailing from the roll in the bathroom.
Brushes its teeth so hard the foam grows into a Santa beard — ho ho ho!
Where: The bathroom counter — the toothbrush cup and toothpaste in the shot.
Morning clue: A blob of toothpaste foam on the edge of the sink and the toothpaste cap left off.
Draws a lipstick heart on the mirror — then wipes away the evidence.
Where: A bathroom counter or dresser right next to a mirror — the mirror in the shot.
Morning clue: A tiny lipstick heart in the corner of the mirror (it wipes off easily).
Spots its own reflection — and challenges it to a boxing match!
Where: A dresser or bathroom counter next to a mirror — the mirror in the shot.
Morning clue: A tiny paper boxing glove (or a cotton ball) by the mirror — the rematch is tomorrow.
Switches on the hair dryer — whoosh! There goes the hat!
Where: A bathroom or bedroom counter with a hair dryer on it — the hair dryer in the shot.
Morning clue: The elf’s hat (or a tiny paper hat) blown to the other side of the counter.
Reads the newspaper on the toilet, leans back… SPLASH! Shakes off like a wet puppy.
Where: The toilet, lid up — the whole toilet in the shot.
Morning clue: A crumpled sheet of newspaper on the bathroom floor and a few drops of water on the bath mat.
The last night, usually Christmas Eve: a proper farewell until next year.
A wave, a glowing kiss — and your elf flies home as a shooting star.
Where: The elf’s favorite spot from this year.
Morning clue: A goodbye note in the empty spot and a sprinkle of gold glitter — “See you next year!”.
Tonight’s idea is already picked.
Coming to iPhone and Android this NovemberIt is a Christmas tradition that started with a 2005 children’s book. A scout elf watches the family during the day, flies to the North Pole every night to report to Santa and comes back to a new spot before the kids wake up. Finding the elf each morning is the game.
Most elves arrive between late November and December 1 — many families pick the day after Thanksgiving or the first day of December. The elf flies home on Christmas Eve. Elf Nights has an arrival idea for the first morning and a goodbye idea for the last night.
The magic is as real as your family makes it. Elves are famously good at never being seen moving — which is why a night-camera video is the proof kids ask for.
The easiest ideas need nothing but the elf: Cookie thief, Snow indoors, Sock race, Lights, camera… nope!, Bubble ride. Put the elf anywhere with some free space and you are done. See the easy ideas.
By tradition a touched elf can lose a little of its magic. Families fix it with a sprinkle of cinnamon next to the elf, a sorry note to Santa or a Christmas carol. Elf Nights also has a ready note from the elf for this exact morning: the magic is back and it flies again tonight.
It happens to everyone. The classic excuse: Santa asked the elf to keep an extra-close eye on this room. The app writes that note for you in a second, signed by your elf.
Yes — any elf toy or plush you already have. You photograph your own elf in your own home, and the video is made from that photo.
The first video is free. After that, videos come in one-time packs — in the US, 10 videos for $9.99 or 24 for $21.99. There is no subscription, and videos you bought do not expire. Terms of Use.
There is no account and there are no ads in the app. The photo of your elf is used to make the video and is deleted from our servers after 14 days. Privacy Policy.
Elf Nights is coming to iPhone and Android in November 2026.
