Clown Nose Family Photo

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Living Room Difficulty ●●●○○ Messiness ●●○○○ Ages 3–10

How it's done

Position your elf in the living room holding a small clown nose or a makeshift cutout near a prominent framed family photo. Using clear tape, secure a red pom-pom to the nose of every person in the picture. This setup works best if you have a photo that is easily accessible and not behind thick glass. It takes about ten minutes to assemble and the cleanup is as simple as peeling off the tape in the morning. This activity is a hit with kids ages 3 to 10. Inspired by Elf on the Shelf (official).

You'll need

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Pets in the house?

Should be fine around pets as long as you place it out of reach.

Why this works

Living-room scenes are the most photogenic. The Christmas tree, the couch, the mantel all frame the elf beautifully for the family photo you'll actually take (and maybe post). This mid-difficulty scene trades a little more setup time for a bigger 'wow' moment when your kids walk in.

Variations

  • Bigger-kid twist: For an older crowd that sees through simple scenes, step up to Canvas Self Portrait Art , same room, cleverer setup.

If it doesn't go to plan

If the elf ends up too well-hidden and the kids can't find it, nudge them with a vague hint ("Looks like our elf went somewhere cozy"), the discovery is the point.

Inspired by Elf on the Shelf (official) . Visit the original post for more photos and the full backstory.

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