Our elf followed the Christmas sat-nav… and somehow ended up in a candy-cane maze! 🍬
He’s sitting at the start with a very unhelpful “Sat-nav failed” note. The exit is in plain sight, but a few red-and-white turns stand between him and the way out. Somebody may have to give him directions.
This funny elf idea is a tidy tray setup using wrapped candy canes or homemade paper ones. The maze can be as small and simple as you like; even three wrong turns give him a problem to solve.
What you’ll need:
- One official Elf on the Shelf doll (paid link)
- Wrapped candy canes or red-and-white paper cane shapes
- A broad shallow tray or a clear tabletop
- Paper for a green base and an exit sign
- A pen, tape and a small note for the elf
- Optional lightweight white card (paid link) if you need some for the homemade pieces
Setup:
Line the tray with paper and arrange the canes flat as low maze boundaries. Leave wide gaps and one clear winding route from the start to the exit. You don’t need a complicated puzzle: a few short barriers with alternate openings work well. Sit your elf at the entrance with his legs resting on the tray and tape the “Sat-nav failed” note lightly against his mittens. Add an “EXIT” marker at the far end. Ask the children to trace a route with a finger before they move any of the canes. Keep wrapped sweets wrapped so they’re easy to put away afterwards.
Make it cheaply:
Draw candy-cane stripes on paper strips and bend or cut the ends into hooks. Card from a cereal box makes sturdier barriers, while plain pencil lines can make a maze without any sweets at all. Use the tray lid or a large piece of cardboard if there’s no spare tray.
For another little adventure, try the living-room zipwire or the shoe train.
