How to Make an Elf Game With Construction Paper

Cut strips of construction paper 1 inch by 5 inches, each a different color. Fold each strip in half and then fold a 1/2 inch on each end outward to create a shape that can stand on its own as a playing piece. Decorate 1-inch circles with faces using the markers, then glue a each circle to the top of one of the standing shapes to form an elf. Cut tall skinny triangles as elf hats and glue a hat to the top of each head.

Cut colorful squares of construction paper 1 and 1/2 inches to a side and glue them in a meandering path on a large piece of cardboard to make the spaces on the game board. Let kids create some "special" spaces using stickers, small drawings or construction paper circles and triangles. Write "Start" at one end of the path and draw a picture of the North Pole or Santa's Workshop at the other end.

Cut larger squares of construction paper for use as cards and on the front of each card write a number from one to five with a plus sign or a minus sign in front of it. Some cards may also have instructions like "Skip your next turn," "Take an extra turn" or "Move forward to the next square that matches your elf's color."

Place one elf per player at the starting position. Take turns rolling two dice and moving the number of spaces indicated. When you land on a "special" space, draw a card and move forward or backward according to the number on the card, or follow the card's instructions. If desired, different types of special spaces can have different effects. For example, circular spaces can be "sticky" spaces, meaning that an elf who lands on one can't move on until he rolls a 6. Triangle spaces could be "teleports" that cause the elf who lands there to switch places with her nearest opponent.