It’s elves versus teddies at the Christmas football match, and our elf is making sure everyone knows who is winning! ⚽
A little pitch fits onto a tray, with cardboard goals at each end and a soft ball in the middle. He’s sitting beside the touchline with a scorecard, while teddy looks ready for a comeback.
This easy elf idea is a homemade tabletop game. The children can take over in the morning and see whether the teddies can level the score.
What you’ll need:
- One official Elf on the Shelf doll (paid link)
- A broad shallow tray or a piece of flat cardboard
- Coloured craft paper (paid link) — choose green for the pitch
- A white pencil or narrow white paper strips
- Scrap card for two little goals
- A small soft craft pom-pom (paid link) ball
- One teddy opponent and a few toy spectators
- Paper and a pen for the scorecard
- Optional team outfit: An England-style elf football shirt and shorts (paid link)
Setup:
Line the tray with green paper and draw a simple pitch: an outer rectangle, centre line, centre circle and two goal areas. Fold two small strips of card into open-front goals and tape them at opposite ends. Put the soft ball near the middle. Sit your elf against a low box beside one long edge, keeping his legs outside the pitch, and place teddy opposite. Add a scorecard reading “Elves 1 – Teddies 0” between the elf’s mittens. A few little toys can watch from behind a goal. For the morning game, roll or gently nudge the ball towards the cardboard goals; the tray helps keep it from disappearing under the furniture.
For a dressed-up team captain, put the shirt and shorts over your elf’s red suit, then seat him at the touchline as before. The outfit is optional; the homemade pitch, little ball and scorecard are what make this a game the children can join.
Make it cheaply:
Draw the pitch straight onto spare cardboard if you don’t have green paper. Fold goals from an old envelope and use a little crumpled paper ball. Any two small toys can represent the teams, and the spectators are optional. The scorecard is the finishing touch that makes the elf look especially pleased with himself.
For another scene, try bottle-cap curling or the Christmas mini-golf course.
