Graffiti Framed Photos

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

How it's done

Your elf has been busy overnight using dry-erase markers to give everyone in the family photos some hilarious new looks. Kids will walk into the living room to find glasses, mustaches, or silly eyebrows drawn directly onto the glass of your picture frames. This setup takes about five minutes to pull together and wipes off completely with a damp cloth in the morning. It is a perfect, low-effort hit for children between three and ten years old. This quick scene was Inspired by Mommy Poppins.

You'll need

  • picture frame
  • dry-erase markers

affiliate Cart icons link to Amazon search.

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). Difficulty 2 means it uses items you already own and takes about five minutes, quick but visibly intentional.

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 Mommy Poppins . Visit the original post for more photos and the full backstory.

Need an idea for tomorrow?

Tell us about your house and kids, we'll pick 5 more ideas personalized for you.

Try the generator →

Also: See all Living Room ideas · Browse the full guide

More Living Room ideas

More ideas using dry-erase markers

Other quick ideas

Related guides from Elf Planner

More ideas, templates, and rescue plays from our writing.