Mirror Drawing Counter
How it's done
Your elf perches on the bathroom counter tonight, clutching a dry erase marker as if they have been busy overnight. When your child brushes their teeth in the morning, they will find a silly self-portrait or a simple snowy scene drawn directly onto the bathroom mirror. This setup is perfect for kids aged three to ten because it is highly interactive without creating a headache for you. Cleanup takes seconds since a dry tissue wipes the glass clean, making it a great low-stress option. Inspired by Mrs. Ashley French.
Should be fine around pets as long as you place it out of reach.
Why this works
Bathroom scenes lean into universal kid humor (toilets, toothpaste, bubbles). They're memorable, they clean up fast, and they always get a laugh. 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 Cereal-Filled Toilet , 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 Mrs. Ashley French . Visit the original post for more photos and the full backstory.
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Elf Gone Fishing Sink
Fill the bathroom sink partway and add rubber duckies as 'fish'. Write 'going fishing' on the mirror with a dry-erase marker.
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