Meet Toolz! He’s Here to Share Elf on the Shelf Activities for Winter Break!

November 28, 2023

Look at who showed up at the TIA workshop. It’s Toolz, our Elf on the Shelf, or Elf on the workbench in our case! He must have heard us talking about him. He’s here to share his own special DIY Elf on the Shelf activities to do over winter break.

We are all parents here. Some of us have grown children, some have wee ones. And almost all of us have done, or are still doing “Elf on the Shelf”.

So when Toolz showed up in our work shop were were sure happy to see him. This year he wants our help getting as many kids as possible into woodworking and crafts – two things he loves!

If your kiddos are going to be home for a few weeks and you’re looking for some fun things for them to do; Toolz to the rescue! He has some great projects for your kids, and with a bonus. His ideas are projects your kids can proudly give as gifts for the holidays.

Here’s some Elf on the Shelf ideas for you.

Not only are we giving you Elf on the Shelf ideas (you’re welcome), we’ve included links to all the props we used. And here’s the big bonus, these will keep your kids busy while they are home on break from school (you’re welcome, again).

Elf on the Shelf Tools from Toolz

“I brought you some tools so you can make this birdhouse for Grandma for Christmas. I’m sure she’ll love it because you made it. Working with tools can be dangerous, but I know you’ll be careful.” ~Toolz

REXBETI 10-Piece Real Hand Tools Kids Tool Set with Tool Bag

These are not play tools. This kit is made with tools for kids 8 and up. It comes with a hammer, a wrench, two screwdrivers, pliers, scissors, tape measure, two rulers, safety glasses, and a tool bag to put it all in. Don’t think of these as play tools. These are just slightly shrunken-down versions of their parent’s tools and are great for introducing kids to construction projects.

Amazon Review: “I bought this for my son and he loves it. The tools are small for little hands but they work great and are actual tools. Would also make a good tool kit to just have in the house.”
Where to Buy: $28.99 on Amazon.

Paint Smock

“These projects could get a bit messy. Make sure to wear your paint smock, and try not to get any paint on mom’s furniture.” ~Toolz

Available in two sizes for kids ages 5-14.

Amazon Review: “Perfect for my 4year old granddaughter who loves to paint. Very colorful and protective as well. And she loves it!”
Where to Buy: $9.99-18.99 on Amazon.

Back to Elf on the Shelf Activity Guide

Elf on the Shelf Activities

Toolz shared with us his list of Elf on the Shelf activities. However, he had a little trouble with the computer, so we went and found some activity sets to make gathering your supplies a little easier.

Build a Birdhouse

Maybe Grandma would like something else constructed by her favorite grandchild? Or maybe you’ll see a kit or two that you know your kid will want to construct and keep. You could grab one or two for them to work on over their school break, and perhaps Santa could bring a few more if you see your kids is a budding carpenter.

To build from scratch, check out our TIA article How to Build a Birdhouse. Prefer to have the materials sent to your house? We like this birdhouse kit on Amazon.

Amazon Review: “We just made these with our boys (8 and 11). They only needed a little bit of help and quite enjoyed it. Can’t wait to see if we get some birds some time after we hang them in our trees. If not, they are a beautiful decorative item for our yard anyway!”
Where to Buy: $16.99 on Amazon, or
Build from Scratch: TIA article How to Build a Birdhouse.
More Options: More birdhouse kits on Amazon.

Hand-Painted Custom Ornaments

Toolz heard that Mom, Grandma, and Auntie all need some new ornaments for their trees. Let your kids gift them ornaments with their own festive flare!

There are tons of great ornament kits on Amazon, but this one is our favorite ornament painting kit.

Amazon Review: “I hate writing this review. This is a quality craft kit—the wood ornaments are beautiful. Laser cut and sanded very smooth, makes painting on them an absolute joy.”
Where to Buy: Most ornament kits range from around $8-25 on Amazon.

More Kids DIY Activities

Toolz really enjoyed the TIA article Home Improvement & Craft Tools for Kids & Adults. That gift guide has more projects he’d love to help the kids with.

Back to Elf on the Shelf Activity Guide

Elf on the Shelf Accessories

Toolz is positively flattered that you enjoyed all his tools and accessories. Lucky you, he told us where he got everything and even how to send one of his own elf friends to hang out on your shelf!

Recruit Your Own Elf

Amazon Review: “This little guy has a lot of spunk. He never stays in the same place, and we find our things moved around a lot. He doesn’t steal anything, so he isn’t malicious. Of course, he sits perfectly still when we are looking at him, but after dark is when he seems to be the most active. We’re hoping he gets a job so he can start paying his share of the bills, as we now go through milk and cookies like never before. Other than that, he’s pretty cool.”
Where to Buy: Toolz and his friends charge a one-time fee around $9-25 to continually add a little festive spirit to your home year after year.