Elf on the shelf... for a baby?

[misspontypine]

How old do you think a child needs to be to enjoy elf on the shelf? DS is 10 months (he turns 1 in december) I was thinking of starting the elf on the shelf tradition by buying a cheap elf from Ikea this year but I am not sure if maybe it will be wasted and the magic would be much greater if the elf arrived when ds was 4 or 5.

:)

We started when ds was 3. This was the first year I heard of it!
He kind of got it but it may have been more for me and dh . The first year that he really got into it was 4.

I think the fun part of moving and hiding the elf may be wasted on a 1yo but i would still get a elf but then I luffs my elf

I was thinking we could get an elf and it could sort of lurk this year.

Do you think you need to buy the official elf or would a cheap alternative be ok?

missponty just get an action figure from a toy shop and some red and green felt and make your own

I have an A Team 'Hannibal' elf .

You can glue the felt on if you don't want to sew.
(I had a Dr Who doll Christopher Eccleson before but he looked like the type of doll who'd scuttle about your house with the contents of the knife drawer )

No need for the official elf!
I bought one but only coz i had the pennies in the bank at the time and I kind of liked his creepy face - we don't use the book.
They aren't the cheapest little chaps!

"I had a Dr Who doll Christopher Eccleson before but he looked like the type of doll who'd scuttle about your house with the contents of the knife drawer"

I am so going to use a David Tennant one, he'd make a fantastic elf. A tall one though.

Ooh we have a Matt smith doll. I could make him a wee hat and coat and he could be our elf.

Maybe I could christmasify the sonic screwdriver as well?

Cheap alternative will work just as well. I say get it now, give you a year (possibly 2) to get some good ideas of what your elf can do around your home.

I got one last year for my DS, he was 14 months at the time so didnt understand it but i had fun. Also meant if elf was comfortable in one place i didnt have to think of where he would go or do next.

Plus he's in the background of some December photos so in years to come DS will know that elf was always there.

We got an elf for DD last year when she was just 3. She seemed to understand what was going on but I don't think she would have done at 2. We bought an elf on Amazon (it came from the US) - it is a cuddly toy elf so much cuter than the Elf on a Shelf. DD has already received a letter from Santa to say that it will be coming to stay again on 1st December. Mummy had better get her thinking cap on for some fun and mischief for it to get up to!

We've got one from www.theelfcompany.com He has a cute bell on his hat and is a complete hit with my children! Last year they were 11 months and 4 years and they fought over the elf! Because the elf company doesn't have the no touching rule they literally didn't put him down! My daughter was fascinated by the bell and my son loved the finding out what he had been up to in the morning. He constructed his entire train set one day so our elf could play with it because he found him with a train one morning! The best bit though is despite 24 intense days where he was not put down he still looks good as new so is obviously very good quality! He wasn't cheap but I figure unlike the cheaper ones he should still be going in 5 years time which makes him a bargain really plus he came with a rucksack to be carried around in, a letter from Father Christmas and a rhyme to explain the tradition. x