Build a Zipline for Your Elf on the Shelf

We never did Elf on the Shelf with my daughter, but her classrooms in elementary school had an elf, and I could see this being a fun group project you could do in a classroom tinkering session or you could do it at home.

Challenge the kids to see how they can build a zipline to transport the elf (or another small doll if they aren’t allowed to touch the elf) from one place to another.

If the elf moves around it can start the day in a high place and the kids can figure out how he or she might get down.

There’s Just One Mommy has all the details and ideas for materials the kids might use to build their zipline, so you can offer them those sorts of things to start or have them find their own materials to use.

[Photo: There’s Just One Mommy.]

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Elf on the Shelf Ideas for the Classroom

Not all of us live where there is a lot of snow in the winter (or even where it is winter as I write this, but it can still be fun to learn about snow, what it is and why it falls, so let’s get into it!

First, let’s talk snowflake science with The Homeschool Scientist. They have a free prinatble snowflake science less that’s more than 60 pages long and good for multiple grade levels. The blog post linked here includes some fun snow facts, information about how snowflakes form and why they are both six-sided and (probably) all different.

Expressive Monkey has a great post about how snowflakes are formed and why they have six arms, and also shows some of the pictures taken by W. A. Bentley in the 1920s (more on him below).

You can also grab a free snow facts worksheet with space for kids to draw their own unique snowflakes from Education.com. Simple Living Creative Learning also has a paid snow study resource set that includes things like different types of snowflakes, the snow cycle, symmetry drawing with snowflakes, tips for snow safety, snow-related vocabulary and more.

Homeschool Superfreak has another great page for learning about snowflakes, which includes information about Snowflake Bentley, a great book to read (and person to learn about). It includes lesson plan ideas and links to activities.

Speaking of activities, if you happen to have snow around you can make snow ice cream or maple candy, paint on snow or with snow, or do some snow science experiments. If you get a ton of snow you could maybe even build an igloo or snow structure.

If you don’t get snow you can learn about how animals keep warm in the snow and cold temperatures with this experiment from I Can Teach My Child. Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls can help you learn why big paws (or snowshoes) make it easier to walk in the snow. Or make a snowstorm in a jar like this one from MomBrite.

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