First off, I want to shoutout all the parents who are true Elf on the Shelf superstars!
Your dedication to creativity and fun truly amazes me, but I have to be honest – I am not a fan of the messes that tend to come along with the sneaky little elves.
I still wanted my kiddos to enjoy the joy and magic an Elf on the Shelf brings, but I also wanted them to experience the power of gratitude, generosity and kindness that is so often felt during the holiday season. So, I improvised.
Last year, we started a tradition to teach my son and daughter the importance of kindness and being good Samaritans. Our elves arrive in December with a challenge: to complete the Kindness Cards.
Each day, my elves hide in a new spot (which makes it super fun for the kids to try and find!) and each day, they have a new Kindness Card with a task for the kids to complete. Some of the tasks are simple, like sharing toys, and other tasks require a little more effort, like making care packages for those in need. It’s incredibly heartwarming to see the pride and joy my son and daughter have when they complete their Kindness Card and do something positive for another person.
The main goal of this is to teach my children to perform acts of kindness and foster a sense of compassion for others. It’s a fun and different take on the typical Elf on the Shelf and we have a lot of fun completing the tasks together as a family!
Interested in implementing this into your holiday traditions?! We have included a fun and free printable with the Kindness Cards we are using at our house this year.
Click here to get it!
Even if you don’t have an Elf on the Shelf, you can still use these cards in other creative ways. Maybe put them all in a jar and let the kids draw a new card each day!
Merry Christmas, Momma. You’re doing great!
-Jade, RL Team Member