The Most FUN Elf On the Shelf Scavenger Hunt - FREE Printable

Updated: December 14, 2022

If you love Elf on the Shelf, you might be wondering how else you can make the Elf part of your holiday celebrations.

Incorporating your Elf into a scavenger hunt is a wonderful way to combine two super fun activities into one ultimate holiday experience. Obviously, an Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt naturally makes sense for young children, but it could also be spiced up and used as the theme for adults or an employee team building activity.

If you are ready to learn more about the way to make the most fun Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt, you need to keep reading.

What is an Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt?

An Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt is where you either use the Elf as the theme for the items to be found or you use the actual Elf itself as the thing everyone is searching for.

You can plan an entire holiday-themed scavenger hunt and add your Elf on the Shelf content to the clues, games, and riddles that you decide to use for the event. Think of this like a scavenger hunt for the holidays with an extra dose of holiday fun.

How to do an Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt

For any scavenger hunt, you just need to choose the style of clues (riddles, list of items to find, etc.) that you want to use for your adventure and then pick locations, hiding spots, and the rules of the game.

Depending on the ages of your audience, you may want to mix up the level of difficulty of clues or even run concurrent hunts for different age groups. Once you have your list set, hand out the list to the eager participants and set them off for their adventure. It may also be effective to set a start time and time limit and include prizes.

If your hunt will be designed for children, using a paper checklist or printout of the clues will likely make the most sense. If you're planning a more significant event or catering to adults, you may want to consider a scavenger hunt app like Scavify which will handle the organization, tracking, and logistics of your hunt.

Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt Clues and Ideas

1.       Idea #1: Multiple Elves

If you have multiple participants (i.e. multiple children or teams of adults) and want to make the Elf on the Shelf hunt really fun, use more than one Elf on a Shelf to hide. This way each person or team has the opportunity to find an Elf rather than there being just one. This is especially important if this is for your littles ones who would each love to find their own elf. Each Elf can have different clues associated or different hiding spots.

2.       Idea #2: Find the Missing Elf!

Oh no! The Elf on the Shelf is missing! Solve the clues and riddles to find him! Each clue can be a stop on the trail to find the missing elf. Lead children around the house or adults around the town to find the missing elf and help him get back to work.

3.       Idea #3: Help the Elf on the Shelf

Your scavenger hunt doesn't always have to be centered around finding the elf either. If your Elf on the Shelf has been missing some of the activity that has been going on in your house, you can help! You can set up a list of clues to find the surveillance items that he needs to keep watch over the kids and the rest of the family. Hide things like cameras, note-taking materials, and more with your clues, and have your teams race back to the Elf to deliver the goods and win the race!

1. Get ready for fun! Find your first clue where your stockings are hung!
2. Chestnuts are roasting near an open fire! Check the fireplace room for your next clue.
3. Rudolph is my friend back at the north pole. Find some reindeer for your next clue.
4. While you've been out I've been helping decorate the Christmas tree. Find your next clue right beneath the tree.
5. Do you want to build a snowman? Find the next clue where we keep the carrots that we'll use for a snowman's nose.
6. O Christmas tree! I fell asleep under the tree. Come find me.
7. We wish you a merry Christmas! Find your next clue where we listen to Christmas tunes this time of the year.
8. You've been doing so well traveling this mystery lane, I've left you a candy cane by the Christmas train.
9. Oh, the weather outside is frightful! Find your next clue where the warm cocoa supplies are located.
10. In my spare time, I've been practicing to help the drummer boys. Find a drum and you'll find your next clue.
11. Santa sent me first class for this very important mission. Find the sleigh I used to get here for your next clue.

Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt Printable

This printable will help you to organize your Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt with ease for young ones. Use this as a starting point and create your own clever clues. There is no shortage of really fun ways to make the most of the Elf on the Shelf game during the holiday season, and scavenger hunting pairs well with scavenger hunts of all kinds.

Elf on the Shelf Can be A Great Scavenger Hunting Theme

If you and your family or your coworkers love the Elf on the Shelf during the holidays, they will love working through a scavenger hunt with the help of the Elf himself! There are many ways to combine the Elf on the Shelf tradition with the fun of a scavenger hunt. Your teams might be friends and family, coworkers, or even students, but all of them will have a great time with this scavenger hunt theme.

Scavenger hunts are a great way to help teams to build their cohesive working skills, and they can also bring people close together. There are so many benefits to working on shared projects like scavenger hunts, and people love to pool their skills and share in the joy of discovery that is possible when working together on this kind of fun event.