Get all the elf on the shelf printables you need for free! Including Elf adoption and arrival letter, Elf goodbye letter, elf notes and more!
If you have young children, then you probably hear all about some Elf that comes to your house from the North Pole and moves around every night until Christmas.
The Elf on The Shelf trend was just starting when my big kids were little but was in full swing with my youngest and it is a pretty fun Christmas tradition this time of year.
It takes more work on the parent’s part than our Santa Cam ornament, that’s why I wanted to give you some free elf on the shelf printables to take some of the stress out of the fun elf.
What Is a Elf on the Shelf?
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An Elf on the Shelf is one of Santa’s scout elves that comes to live at a child’s house to watch how they are behaving every holiday season. Some elves arrive the day after Thanksgiving and others show up on the first day of December.
Then they report the behavior back to Santa at the North Pole every night and then return back to the house. (Great idea or creepy, you decide…)
This is why the Elf moves every night and kids love to search for their Elf the next morning. There is magic to the elf so kiddos are not allowed to touch the elf or it loses its powers.
The elf helps to keep the child on the nice list since most kids will know the elf is watching and use their best manners!
Since elves are elves, they sometimes get into trouble. For creative parents, their elf can create quite the turmoil and end up in crutches, upside in trees, wrapped in toilet paper, taped to a rocket ship, you name it! There are so many fun and crazy elf on the shelf ideas out there (even Swiftie Elfie ideas).
There are boy elves and girl elves and each comes with its own book to read with your children. You can read all about the elves and even find elf clothes at elfontheshelf.com or Amazon.
An Elf on the Shelf start kit and these free elf printables would be a great gift to elf your neighbors with if they have little ones!
To make the Elf on the Shelf experience even more fun for kids, I have elf on the shelf free printables for you today.
What’s Included in the Elf on the Shelf Printables Kit
The first of the free elf on shelf printables are for getting started with a brand new elf for the first time. These are elf printables to have when you open the box with your son or daughter.
There is an elf adoption certificate where you can fill in the elf’s name (once your child chooses a name), your family name, and the date you received the elf.
Then there is an Elf surveillance printable sign to hang on your window so everyone knows that an official elf watches over the home so they must enter on their best behavior.
Also in case you have a mischievous elf or an elf that gets sick, there is an Elf Health Certificate that can be filled out to ensure your best elf is able to fulfill his duties!
And just for the parents, there is a printable calendar for all your elf ideas. This will help you track of where your elf has appeared and the printable cards you already used.
You can also add your great easy ideas as they pop in your head! Using our free Elf on Shelf scavenger hunt clues will help too!
Next are a few Elf on a Shelf letters in the printable kit…
Elf of a Shelf Letters
Elf on the Shelf Arrival Letter
If your family already owns a little Elf, then you might need an elf arrival letter each season. Simply fill in your child’s name on this free Elf arrival letter template. An elf’s arrival can range from the day after Thanksgiving to December 1st.
Place this elf on a shelf welcome letter near your elf the first day it shows up, usually on December 1st. He can be holding it rolled up, or hanging by it upside down, you can get creative or not!
We know have a set of elf I’m back letters with different elves on them!
Elf Goodbye Letter
Then everyone elf needs to say goodbye at the end of the Christmas season. You can leave the elf goodbye letter in an obvious place the night the elf leaves for good, which is usually Christmas Eve.
Add your child’s (or children’s) name on the dotted line at the top of the Elf on the Shelf goodbye letter and sign it from the Elf’s name.
When the elf returns to the North Pole for the year, remember where you hide him! If you are getting old like us, sometimes finding the elf at the end of November is the most stressful time of the year, lol!
North Pole Official Letter
Another elf in a shelf letter that needs to be filled out and sent back to the North Pole is the official letter or report card to Santa. There are a few ways to use the elf report cards.
Your elf can be sitting on it or have it somewhere close by on the morning of Christmas Eve all filled out so the kids can see what it says before she takes it with her that night.
Or you can have one out by the elf every day and fill it in sometime during the day before your child goes to bed. Then you can say “The Elf filled out your report card for the day!” and they can look at it before it goes.
Obviously, this can go one of two days… If it’s a good report on your child each day they will be thrilled but if there is a bad report in there you might get a meltdown or your child ripping up the elf report, so play this however you think is best for your sanity!
Then there is an official notice from headquarters about your child that the Elf can bring back at any time. This might be an easier way to let your child know they moved to the naughty list than the report card. But again, you don’t need to use all of these Elf on the Shelf free printables 2023.
Elf on the Shelf Printable Cards
To make finding the Elf a little more exciting (and easy on you!), you can download and print out these free Elf on the Shelf notes (find 32 more elf on shelf notes here) to put next to their favorite Elf or have them holding them to give your child some encouragement and feedback.
These free cute Elf note cards will ask your child to do some good deeds or to help the Elf in some way.
The printable Elf notes say such things as “read me a Christmas story please” or “Santa would love to hear you say Please and Thank You”. Just cute little easy Elf sayings to keep the game exciting and fun for everyone in the family!
Then there is one last printable which is Santa Cam surveillance team badges. Print this out and you can either leave them around outside or in stores with candy canes, where kids find and think an elf has been there and left their badge.
Such a fun way to spread holiday cheer!
Or Mom or Dad or teacher or any family members can wear them as part of the surveillance team! A great way to display them is to cut them out and put them in lanyards.
Or give elf badges as party favors or with holiday treats! You decide!
Make sure to grab our free Elf on the Shelf printable props, Elf rules printable, and Elf camping accessories to use this time of year!
Elf on The Shelf Printables PDF Download
As with all my free printables, these are for personal use only! Please no selling or redistributing of PDF files or digital downloads. Thank you!
If you like free Christmas printables and fun things, make sure to check out our free Christmas coloring sheets, holiday activity worksheets, and nativity packet.
And for more Elf fun, learn how to make a cute Elf on the shelf craft (with free template!)
All of these free Elf printables are in color, but you can print them out on a black and white printer too!
I hope these free printable elf pages help to give you new ideas on what to do with the plush Elf. What are some of your fun ideas when it comes to the magical Elf??
If you need inspiration, make sure to browse through our list of last-minute elf on the shelf ideas.
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Thanks for stopping by and have a creative day!
