Elf Photo Props for Kids

Elf photo props take about 30 minutes to make and turn any camera into a Christmas costume box. Kids draw elf ears, pointy hats, and funny signs on cardstock, cut them out, and tape each one to a wooden craft stick. They hold the props for photos. Best for ages 4 and up, with an adult cutting for younger kids.

What supplies do you need?

• White cardstock (2 sheets per child)
• Green and red cardstock (1 sheet of each per child)
• Markers
• Crayons
• Stickers (optional, for decorating)
• 1 pencil and 1 eraser per child
• Scissors
• Wooden craft sticks (1 per prop)
• Tape
• 1 glue stick
• Newspaper or a plastic tablecloth to cover the table
• Phone or camera (for the photo session)

How do kids make elf photo props?

1. Cover the table with newspaper or the plastic tablecloth. Lay out the cardstock, markers, crayons, stickers, and craft sticks.
2. Draw the props on the cardstock with the pencil first. Elf ears are two long leaf shapes on white cardstock. The elf hat is a triangle on green cardstock with the tip folded down and glued. Signs are rectangles on red or white cardstock with words like "Nice List" or "Santa's Helper." Kids ages 6 and up can draw their own shapes; an adult draws for younger kids.
3. Trace the pencil lines with markers and color everything in with crayons and markers. Stickers make good decorations for the hat and the signs.
4. Cut out each shape. An adult cuts for kids under 6; older kids cut with supervision.
5. Tape one wooden craft stick to the back of each prop. Use two strips of tape in an X for props that feel floppy. If you used the glue stick for the folded hat tip, let it dry before taping the stick on.
6. Hold up the props and take photos. The sticks keep little hands out of the frame, so the ears and hats look like they belong to the kids.

What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?

The prop flops on the stick. Tape the stick closer to the top of the shape and use two strips of tape in an X. Shorter sticks hold heavy shapes better than long ones.

The cut edges tear. Cardstock holds up under tape. If a prop tears anyway, tape the tear on the back and keep going; the front still photographs fine.

The ears do not match. Fold the cardstock in half, draw one ear along the fold, and cut through both layers. The pair comes out matching every time.

Markers bleed through to the table. Put newspaper under the cardstock before coloring. Cardstock is thick enough that one layer of newspaper catches any bleed-through.

Sticker letters peel off. Rub each sticker down firmly with a fingertip. For a word that must stay put, an adult can write it with a marker instead.

Pair these with our reindeer antler headband for a full Christmas dress-up photo session. For more silly faces, try the paper plate Santa face.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this for?

Ages 4 and up. Kids ages 4 and 5 color and decorate while an adult draws the shapes and does the cutting; they love holding the finished props for photos. Ages 6 to 8 draw their own simple shapes and cut with an adult nearby. Ages 9 and up handle the whole build on their own. Kids under 4 can hold a finished prop for a photo, but the cutting and small pieces make this an older-kid build.

How messy is it?

Low mess. Markers, crayons, and stickers stay on the cardstock when you put newspaper or a plastic tablecloth underneath. The only real cleanup is paper scraps from cutting, so gather them in a pile as you go. The glue stick is nearly mess-free, which is why the steps call for it instead of liquid glue.

How long does it take?

About 30 minutes: 10 minutes to draw and color, 5 to 10 minutes to cut out the shapes, and 5 minutes to tape on the craft sticks. Making more props means more time; three or four props per child is a good batch for one sitting. The photo session after can run as long as the kids want.

Is it safe?

Yes, with standard craft supervision. An adult does the cutting for kids under 6, and older kids cut with an adult nearby. Wooden craft sticks are rounded on the ends, but check each one for splinters and throw out any rough ones. Stickers are a choking hazard for children under 3, so keep the small pieces away from babies and toddlers. Keep the glue stick away from eyes.

Be safe and have fun!