Your elf's arrival is a big event in your home. Most of the time the elf arrives with a special note and even a gift for the child. Fun pencils for school, an ornament for the tree, or some candy all work well as presents. Have the elf remind children that they aren't to touch him in order to preserve his magic.

If your elf has an adventurous personality, use that to show him ziplining inside your home. Tie some fishing line or twine from the Christmas tree to a wall on the other end of the room, and hook your elf's hands around the string. Show him ziplining from the tree to the designated spot. A candy cane makes a creative zip line hook to add a little festive twist.

Showing your elf using the potty is a sure way to get a laugh out of your kids. First, you must decide what your elf's waste product will be. Chocolate chips resemble the poop emoji, so they will work well. Set up your elf in a squatting position, over a jar or bowl or even freestanding, and place a line of chocolate chips underneath. You can even put your elf's hand over his mouth so he looks embarrassed getting "caught in the act."

Many Elf on the Shelf ideas position the elf with your child's other toys. These ideas are fun, as you can place the elf and a doll taking a ride in a doll's car or hosting a birthday party for another toy. The possibilites can be endless.

The kitchen provides many opportunities for your elf to play around. Elf snow angels are fun and easy to make. Simply scatter some flour on the counter and make the snow angel shape. Then, lay your elf in the midst of the mess. The next day, set your elf up in a "bubble bath" made from mini marshmallows in a bowl so he can get cleaned up.

If you have a prominently displayed family picture in your home, let your elf do a little mischief to it. Maybe he could stick clown noses on each face using small red pom-poms and removable adhesive. Only use this idea if the picture is safely behind a glass barrier. Pose your elf near the defaced portrait for your kids to find.

If you have a cable or satellite television service, check to see if they have an elf channel. The elf channel shows a picture of an elf on the TV with a caption that reads "Help! I hit the wrong button on the remote! How do I get out of here!" If you don't have an elf channel, you can find a video of this online and project it onto your television screen. Make sure you hide the actual elf before turning this on. This idea only works if you wake before your kids.

If you forget to move the elf one night, you may wake up in a panic. Prepare some lazy elf notes before you start your elf tradition to give yourself a backup plan. A lazy elf idea is often an injury or illness that your elf catches. You leave a note near the elf indicating that by order of the North Pole, he needs to rest until he feels better. This move can buy you a few days before you have to remember to move the elf again.