Our elf wanted a camping trip, but apparently the North Pole weather was a bit much. He’s pitched his tent in the living room instead! ⛺
A tea towel makes a cosy little shelter, teddy has come along for company, and there’s a paper campfire ready for stories. His postcard says “Camping indoors”, which sounds like a very sensible holiday plan.
This easy elf idea is made from household bits. It looks especially sweet tucked into a quiet corner beside the sofa.
What you’ll need:
- One official Elf on the Shelf doll (paid link)
- One clean tea towel
- A blunt cardboard tube or sturdy folded card strip
- Two low stacks of lightweight books
- A small teddy and scrap fabric for its blanket
- Brown paper for pretend logs
- Red and orange tissue paper (paid link) for pretend flames
- Paper and a pen for the postcard
Setup:
Build two low, steady book stacks and rest the cardboard tube across them. Drape the tea towel over the top so the sides fall into a tent shape, leaving an entrance at one end. Fold spare fabric into a little groundsheet. Sit your elf just outside the entrance, supported by the tent edge or a book, and put teddy beside him with a scrap-fabric blanket. Roll a few short brown paper tubes into logs and tuck paper flame shapes between them. This is a pretend campfire, so it needs no candle or heat. Add the postcard in his mittens and let ordinary room lighting do the rest. You can move the whole camp onto a tray if you’d like an easy morning clear-up.
Make it cheaply:
Use a napkin or small pillowcase if there’s no spare tea towel. A thick folded strip of cereal-box card can replace the tube. Draw flames on an old envelope and skip the blanket if teddy is already wearing clothes. Everything can go back into normal use once the camping trip is over.
For another scene, try knitting a scarf for Santa or the egg-box treasure hunt.
