Condiment Target Practice

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Kitchen Difficulty ●●●○○ Messiness ●●●○○ Ages 4–10

How it's done

Your kitchen fridge becomes a makeshift shooting range with your elf acting as the lead marksman. Tape a simple paper target to the door and place a small dot of ketchup and mustard right in the bullseye. Your kids will find the elf holding the bottles as if he just finished his aim. Since this involves food, place the condiments on a paper towel or a small plate to make the morning cleanup much faster. This scene is perfect for elementary school children who enjoy a silly visual joke. Inspired by Ashlina Kaposta.

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

The kitchen is the first room most kids visit in the morning, for cereal, for milk, for the toaster. An elf scene staged here has the highest odds of being the first thing your child spots and shouts about. 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 Buddy Four Food Groups , 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 Ashlina Kaposta, Ashlina Kaposta . Visit the original post for more photos and the full backstory.

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