Paper Bag Race

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

How it's done

For this setup, your elf stands at the start line of a living room racetrack, ready to jump into a brown paper bag for a race. You will need to draw numbers on a few paper bags with markers and use a small piece of tape to hold them upright. It is a quick setup that works perfectly for children ages three to ten who will enjoy finding their elf mid-competition. Cleanup is as simple as tossing the bags into the recycling bin. This concept was Inspired by What Moms Love.

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 What Moms Love . Visit the original post for more photos and the full backstory.

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