How to Use Elf on the Shelf in the Classroom for Engaging Holiday Writing Activities

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I love adding a little thematic flair to my Daily 5 activities. 

With Christmas just around the corner, now is the perfect time to add a little holiday cheer to your literacy block.

Adding a touch of thematic fun to literacy activities not only sparks joy and creativity but also increases engagement - which can feel hard to come by during December! 

What’s my favorite way to add some Christmas spirit to my writing centers? 

Elf on the Shelf!

Your students are going to love the idea of bringing Elf on the Shelf into the classroom. (To order your own elf, CLICK HERE)

Yes, you can PRODUCTIVELY bring Elf on the Shelf into your classroom routine.  It’s the perfect way to boost engagement, encourage creativity, and inspire meaningful learning experiences.

With some careful planning and purposeful activities this holiday tradition can be productive and fun for both you and your students! 

The Importance of Engaging Holiday Writing Activities

Keeping students engaged during the holiday season is no easy feat.

With all of the classroom disruptions (i.e. holiday parties and practicing for holiday concerts) and overall excitement of the upcoming holiday, it can almost feel like we are fighting for our student’s attention. 

And it’s exhausting…

And this is where having go-to holiday activities is so important. 

Holiday writing activities, in particular ones inspired by Elf on the Shelf, are a great way to encourage creativity and keep students motivated during this busy (and distracting) time of the year. 

Not only are these fun because they embrace the excitement of the season (and the thrill of having the Elf visiting your classroom), but they also offer meaningful opportunities for students to practice their writing skills. 

Ideas for Bringing Elf on the Shelf into the Classroom

With so many holiday-themed writing activities, Elf on the Shelf has by far been my (and my students) favorite!

Sometimes, holiday writing activities can get repetitive and lose their luster after a couple of days…But not with Elf on the Shelf!

With all the antics that our classroom elf (ours was named Winkey) gets into, there was always something happening to keep my students engaged.

With a little planning ahead and integrating activities like creative writing and storytelling, you can bring a little holiday cheer to your Daily 5 literacy activities while also ensuring that this holiday tradition is both fun and productive for your students!

Documenting the Elf’s Adventures

Keeping a daily journal documenting your classroom elf’s activities is a fun and engaging holiday writing activity.

You could choose to capture daily pictures of your classroom elf’s activities and create a class scrapbook where your students help you write the day's entry, which is a great way to engage even the youngest of learners in the writing process.

Students could also keep their own journal depicting what your classroom Elf on the Shelf is doing each day.  Perfect for bell ringers, early finishers, or a Work on Writing center activity, these journal entries are a great and engaging way for your students to practice their writing and observation skills. 

Another fun twist is to build excitement with a visual timeline of your elf's adventures!

Moving the Elf Every Day

When it comes to bringing Elf on the Shelf into your classroom, the most important thing is making sure the elf moves every day. 

My best tip for ensuring that your classroom elf continues to get themself into silly situations is to map out simple, low-prep ideas where your elf will “move” to each day.  (You can even enlist creative members from your PLC to help you with this!)

You can even consider tying your classroom elf’s activities to your curriculum, such as setting it up reading your shared read (Oh no! It’s reading ahead!) or having your elf check off a recent word work activity. 

Seeing my students' faces when they discovered the elf’s new spot every morning was the BEST! 

Not only did they have fun seeing what Winkey was up to the night before, my students also enjoyed journaling and predicting what Winkey was going to do next! This was the perfect end-of-day activity or a fun option for students to write about during their Work on Writing center. 

Encouraging Writing with Letters

To be honest - this was purely my students’ idea!

My students loved our classroom elf’s adventures so much that they started writing letters to Winkey.  Their letters ranged anywhere from writing a response to what he did, what they hoped he would do next, to things that were happening in my student’s lives outside of school.  (Seeing their Christmas lists was always the sweetest!)

This letter-writing extension is a great way to weave in some much-needed letter-writing practice in a low-pressure, engaging way. 

You can also consider setting up a special area for your elf’s mailbox, adding a little bit of holiday magic to their day. 

Check out this sweet mailbox my students made for our classroom elf!

Why Bring Elf on the Shelf into Your Classroom?

Feeling excited to bring Elf on the Self into your classroom and Daily 5 literacy activities to add some festive flair - while also keeping your students engaged? 

With a little preparation, this festive activity can seamlessly blend into your Daily 5 or classroom routine, fostering creativity, joy, and creative learning opportunities.

For more ideas and resources to bring a little holiday magic into your classroom this holiday season, check out my Classroom Elf Journal!

This print-and-go resource is the perfect way to document your classroom elf’s activities while also squeezing in some engaging writing practice.

More Work on Writing Resources 

I love utilizing the Daily 5 framework in my literacy block.  It’s just the right amount of independence and choice to keep my students engaged.

And over on my YouTube channel, I break down how I introduce each of the Daily 5 centers to my students.

For more on how to successfully and easily implement Work on Writing into your classroom, check out this YouTube video. 

CLICK HERE to watch this video about introducing Work on Writing