Elf on the shelf idea: hot air balloon

Looking for fun and funny elf on the shelf ideas? Here’s how to set up an easy hot air balloon for your Elf on the Shelf!

Setting up the Elf on the Shelf can be a LOT of work. Let’s keep it easy by using things you already have on hand that won’t take half an hour to put together!

Today I want to share an Elf set up that was a huge hit with my kids – the elf hot air balloon!

I will say that this is slightly more work than my other easy set ups. It’s not hard by any means, but you do have to take a few minutes to get the balance correct.

That being said, it uses simple household items, is fairly quick, and is super cute!

Elf on the Shelf Hot Air Balloon

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 15 minutes

What you need:

• Elf on the Shelf
• Latex balloon
• String or twine
• Scissors
• Disposable cup
• Clear tape
• Optional: hole punch

What you do:

1. Blow up your balloon and tie it off. We have done this with a regular sized balloon (the red, pictured) and a mini balloon (the green, pictured). Either works, just depends on your space!
2. Prep your cup which is the basket for the elf to ride in. You will need either 2 or 4 holes just under the rim. Do 2 across from each other or 4 across from each other in an X pattern for extra balance. You can use a hole punch or scissors to poke the holes.
3. Thread the string through the hole in the cup.
4. Bring the ends of the string upward and tie them together at the top. If you look at the images below, you can see on the green balloon we tied 1 end to the hole in the cup and the other ends together on top above the balloons. On the red balloon, each side has it’s own string, looped in half through the hole, and tied at the top. This let us have 4 strings around the balloon for extra security.
5. Optional but suggested: use clear tape to attach string to balloon. This will keep it sturdy.
6. Hang from the top loop from a light fixture.
7. Put the elf inside the cup. Position him carefully, leaning against the strings for balance.

Enjoy! We love this one!

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