Alternatives to Elf on the Shelf for children aged 6 and 9

[Lisa900]

My children who are 6 and 9 got a bit bored of Elf on the shelf last year, is there any other alternatives?

Not doing elf on the shelf? 😂I can't stand that little stasi elf.

Ordinary advent calendar, advent candle? Different craft/baking activities for each day of advent?

Reverse advent calendar- you put something into a box every day and at the end give it to the food bank.

Grab the opportunity to drop it! No alternative needed!

Make the advent calendars a bit more active. E.g. a challenge or puzzle for each door etc. gives something funny and exciting to do each day. But you just need to prepare it once and it's done, unlike the elf which requires daily effort.

Just say no to the elf!

I always used to have 3 tiny stocking, one each for my kids, hanging on the fireplace. Every day in December each of their elves would leave them some sort of christmas chocolate or sweet treat with a letter from each of their elves. On a Saturday they would have something different like hair clips, bath bomb, toy car type thing.

They used to love it and would write letters back to their elves. I miss those days!

Something wrong with an advent calendar and presents on the day itself?
same goes for bloody Xmas eve “boxes”. Load of old landfill tat 😂😂😂

Just don’t do it, no alternative needed! Assuming they have advent calendar’s what else would you need every day of December

Armadillo on the pillow?
Spiny anteater on the water heater?
Louse on the house?

We do the kindness elves 🥰🥰 they leave a message every day with a gift to share or an activity to do, noticing something they've done like great homework, good manners,or looking forward to do

If you’re a wee bit creative and have time…(and need to keep your kids busy!)

Cheap sketch books with a themed challenge drawn in each day - word search, drawing task, colouring (decorate the tree), maths task. Give an Xmas chocolate for each complete task.

Can usually download free colouring sheets to print or worksheets off Etsy if you don’t want to make your own.

We made our own alternative - we have a tomten who hides around the house with a tiny Christmas choc each morning. Kind of a cross between the elf and an advent calendar.

It worked great until the dc were mid primary school when everyone else had an elf and they wanted one too. So we ended up with both a tomten and The Bloody Elf!

I much prefer my tomten!