5 Fun Elf Ideas for the Classroom and a Freebie

Elf activities have become very common in the classroom with the invention of the Elf on the Shelf. Here are 5 fun elf ideas for the classroom I love to do during the month of December. 

Kindness Elf

I know many people use an Elf on the Shelf in their classroom. For years I have used my Kindness Elf.  I don’t use her as a threat for good behavior, instead, she is used for spreading kindness in our building. From the day she arrives, she comes with a note and a task that the students complete for a staff member or in our classroom. There is a fun little rhyming note that explains what they have to do each day. Since time is limited, it is often a quick note that is written or signed and given to the staff member.
I have also included activities for them to work on teamwork, activities for their family, and activities to build their math, reading, and writing skills. There is also a little journal where students can record where the elf moved each day in the room.  Check out my kindness resources to get inspiration for building kindness in your school community.

kindness elf in the classroom

kindness elf ideas for the classroom
 
classroom elf on the shelf ideas
 
 

Memoirs of an Elf

As soon as I read this story, I knew I would be sharing it with my students for years to come. It is a holiday story written from the elf’s point of view. We work on many reading strategies with this story.  I love the contemporary twist it has with the elf taking “elf”-ies. We have been making elf headbands and taking “elf”-ies ever since I incorporated this story in my classroom. These great elf activities can be found here. 
Memories of an Elf activity
 

Pig the Elf

Another amazing elf story that I introduced last year was Pig the Elf. My students love anything that has Pig the Pug written by Aaron Blabey because he is so funny. I love how these stories bring a very teachable lesson to the classroom whether you do a literacy extension or not. The lesson alone makes this a worthwhile read-aloud. Not to mention, it will have your students just cracking up. We love doing the elf activities included in this Pig the Elf goodie packet too, especially making Pig.
Pig the Elf writing craft

Elf Day

Last year we had a special day filled with  Elf  Activities.  We called it ELF DAY.  I love doing themed days at the end of the year, so I thought I would try them right before winter break. During Elf Day, I read the stories mentioned above. I made a special banner and hung it in the room. The students wore their red and green stripes, and silly hats. I created elf centers around the room and the students work in groups to complete the centers. This was the perfect opportunity to do some running records and gather data before the end of the 2nd quarter while the students worked in groups. We usually do literacy centers in the morning and math centers in the afternoon. We also had a cute little elf snack and made an elf craft. They loved the themed day so much we will be doing a few more this year before break. 
elf theme day activities for the classroom
elf literacy activities

 

elf day games and activities
elf day snacks

Elf Adjectives & Partner Cards Freebie

The final elf activity I will be doing this year will focus on adjectives. We will web different adjectives that describe an elf. I have created duplicate adjective cards that I will use to group my students for different activities throughout the month. I copied one green set and one red set. The green set has two matching adjectives. The red set has three matching adjectives.  When I want groups of two, we will use the green cards, and when I want groups of three, we will use the red cards. Every time we are being grouped, we will review what an adjective is and then draw the cards. This fun little grouping activity will remind them of adjectives all month long. You can grab these freebies for your room right here!

elf adjectives activity
I can’t wait to have an elf-filled December with all of these elf ideas for the classroom.  I hope you can snag that freebie and enjoy this month with your students while making wonderful memories.
five elf ideas for the classroom
If you’re looking for some more fun for this time of the year be sure to check out my blog post about 5 Holiday Crafts for the Classroom.

Megan

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Hello!

I’m Megan, a first grade teacher and a mother to 7 amazing children. I love to create and collaborate with teachers. When I’m not teaching, I love spending time with my family, baking and playing tennis.

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