Elf on the Shelf Xmas Game - How to Play

"Elf on the Shelf" is a popular Christmas tradition in which a small toy elf is placed in a different location in a home each day, as if it has moved around overnight. A scavenger hunt using "Elf on the Shelf" can be a fun and festive activity for children during the holiday season. 

How you can play Elf on the Shelf:

1. Set up the "Elf on the Shelf" in a central location, such as on the mantel or on a shelf.
2. Each day, move the elf to a new location in the house, hiding it in a place where it will be difficult but not impossible to find.
3. Give the children a list of clues or riddles to help them find the elf's new location. The clues should be specific enough to give the children a good idea of where to look, but not too easy to solve.
4. Have the children work together to solve the clues and find the elf.
5. Once the children have found the elf, they can move it to a new location for the next day's scavenger hunt.

You can also mix things up by adding other elements to the scavenger hunt, such as small treats or small gifts that the children can find along the way. 

Ideas for "Elf on the Shelf" into your scavenger hunt:

• Include multiple elves in the scavenger hunt. You can hide multiple elves in different locations around the house and give the children clues to help them find all of them.
• Use "Elf on the Shelf" to lead the children to other holiday-themed items that they need to find. For example, you could hide a small ornament or a candy cane in a location that the children can only reach by finding the elf first.
  
  
  
• Make the scavenger hunt more challenging by setting up obstacles or puzzles that the children need to solve in order to find the elf. For example, you could hide the elf behind a secret door that can only be opened by solving a riddle.
• Incorporate holiday-themed activities into the scavenger hunt. For example, you could have the children make a craft or play a game as part of the scavenger hunt.
• Make the scavenger hunt a competition by dividing the children into teams and keeping track of the points they earn for finding the elf and completing other tasks. The team with the most points at the end wins.

 Extra Tips for "Elf on the Shelf" Game:

• Create a treasure hunt theme for your scavenger hunt. You could hide small holiday-themed trinkets or treats throughout the house, and give the children clues to help them find them. The elf could be the "treasure keeper" who holds the key to finding the next clue or treasure.
• Make the scavenger hunt more interactive by having the elf leave messages or notes for the children to find. For example, you could hide a note from the elf in a location that gives the children a hint about where to find the next clue.
• Use the scavenger hunt as an opportunity to teach the children about holiday traditions from around the world. For example, you could hide small items that represent different holiday traditions, such as a kinara for Kwanzaa or a menorah for Hanukkah, and give the children clues to help them learn about these traditions as they search for the elf.
• Turn the scavenger hunt into a "scavenger hunt race" by setting a time limit for finding the elf and other items. The children can work together to find as many items as possible within the time limit.
• Create a holiday-themed scavenger hunt by incorporating elements of your favorite holiday movies or stories into the hunt. For example, you could hide small items that represent different scenes or characters from "A Christmas Carol" or "The Grinch," and give the children clues to help them identify these items as they search for the elf.