Free Printable Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt

We’re always hunting for new free Elf on the Shelf printables! Kids love this easy scavenger hunt.

The Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt is my kids’ favorite every year.

Handwritten note from child to their Elf on the Shelf named Jingle.

Yesterday, my daughter wrote this note to Jingle, our Elf.

Obviously, it’s time to create a new treasure hunt for them!

It’s a pain to be constantly coming up with new ideas, right? Especially ones without a mess or an elaborate setup.

The free printable elf scavenger hunt has just three pages. (Print them out on white cardstock if you have it.)

The first sheet is for you to set up somewhere obvious for the kids to find.

Note from Elf on the Shelf about a big scavenger hunt on the counter with a family's living room in the background.

The other two sheets are the clues, which will eventually lead them to your Elf’s hiding spot.

Two sheets of Elf on the Shelf clues for a scavenger hunt.

Cut the sheets into individual clues.

sheet of Elf on the Shelf clues for a scavenger hunt in a paper cutter.

I really like even spacing around my printables, so I designed them like that. You shouldn’t have to trim anything and should still have an even border.

sheet of Elf on the Shelf clues for a scavenger hunt in a paper cutter - cut

Lay out all of the clues.

Remove any clues that don’t fit.

Note: I’ve tried to make the clues as neutral as possible; instead of “dad’s office chair” the clue says “Workin’ 9 to 5… Check under an office chair.” (The photos show my original clues for my family.)

Rearrange the clues in the order you want.

My favorite order is one where they are running to different floors and/or rooms every clue. For example, they have to go from the playroom in the basement to the treadmill in the attic.

small paper clues laid out on a kitchen table with a pencil and post-it notes.

However, I do NOT want to make multiple trips from the basement to the attic. Here’s how you place the clues quickly in one trip.

Cut several Post-it notes into strips. (You’ll be tossing them later.)

Write a word that describes the first clue (tree) on the Post-It. Stick the note to the second clue.

Write a word that describes the second clue (toothbrush) and stick it to the third clue.

two Elf on the Shelf clues for a scavenger hunt, with sticky note on the right one

Repeat the process for all of the clues.

When you’re done, each clue should have the name of the location where the previous clue was found.

paper clues laid out on a kitchen table, with post-it notes with a location written on it.

Sort the clues into piles. I did one for each level of our house.

Gather up the free Elf on the Shelf treasure hunt clues and put them in the location listed on the Post-It note. Remove the note before you leave the clue.