Innovation on demand is difficult.

Many parents woke up in panic from time to time because they forgot to put their elves on the shelf before going to bed the night before. This year, you might want some simple Elf on the Shelf ideas in your back pocket in case it happens again. As long as their elves are not in the same position as yesterday, your children will not care if their elves are not decorated with fun props.

Even if you haven't forgotten to pose as your scout, sometimes you just want a quick and easy idea because it's late and you are tired. Or maybe you want to set the standard lower so that your kids don't expect their elves to have extraordinary adventures every night. Or maybe the kids spend a whole day testing Santa on the entire "naughty list", and they are simply not worth the time and creativity to put on Pinterest's worthy stage.

For whatever reason, here is a simple list of Elf on the Shelf ideas for you to use when you are short of time or lack of brain power. None of these scenes require more than one prop, and any required props may be easily found around the house.

To reproduce this idea, you need a front-mounted washer or dryer with a window. If there is no window on your appliance, then please let the elf try to climb out or about to fall into the washing machine. Don’t forget to hang up "Help me!" also signed

Even Santa's best elves are naughty, which means they are not afraid of getting into trouble. Make your elf look like it's climbing a bookcase, climbing a wall or the top of a cabinet. Basically, anything you remind your children not to climb is fair game for elf.

Slippers, a box of tissues, a can of cotton balls, and even a loaf of bread are comfortable places for the elf to curl up and sleep. Choose a place, let the elf lie down, cover it with a paper towel as a blanket, and it's over. If you have an extra few minutes, find something small (it can be just a piece of toilet paper) to cover its eyes like a sleeping mask-but this is completely optional.

By opening the door of the cupboard or pantry, it made her look like she was looking for a midnight snack, she watched eagerly (even grabbed the snack). You can also ask her to sit there with snacks or wrapping paper scattered around in her hand.

Even elves need to relax from time to time. Choose your favorite place, relax in the house, put your elf there, and make it look like he is just resting at night. If you really want to promote this idea, you can also give him a comfortable pillow or blanket like Twitter user SteveThorlbyCoy did, or give him some fresh popcorn.

Find your child's favorite books and stack them. Choose an elf spread out on the floor and let her appear while "reading" it. You can also let her sit somewhere (such as on a counter or table) and the book is supported and opened in front of her.

Let your elf sit next to the cookie jar, crawl out of your kid’s leftover Halloween candy, or hug a pint of ice cream in the fridge. Whatever you choose, just make it look like the elf is really addicted to sugar (and ready to give your child a bite of what you use as a prop).

If your stockings are already hung up, let your elf pop out of one sock, or seem to swing from one to the other. You can also put the stockings on the floor and let your elf hang on the hook. He seems to have a good time playing all night, and you don't have to spend more than three minutes (at most) to arrange him.

If your child has a toy tea set (or any kitchen toy), place a cup (and teapot, if you wish) next to the elf to make it look like he is drinking tea overnight. You can let him sit at the family dining table or drink tea in a reading chair to make him look outstanding.

Just like your car keys or your child’s shoes, things hidden in the line of sight are usually the hardest to find. You can imitate Twitter user BethanyMel13 and let your elf sit on your Christmas tree, or you can let him sit on the windowsill. Just place the elf in a place that seems too obvious to notice immediately.

Maybe the elf is playing "Baby Shark" in a loop, or she is having FaceTiming with Santa Claus (when the children are not "good" enough, this is a good story). It is not difficult to figure out why your elf is playing on a family tablet overnight. If you want to reward points, plan that when kids log on to the tablet, it will open games or funny videos.

Take a picture book, a few crayons and your elf. Open the picture book to the uncolored page (or tear off the next page), put a few crayons around it, and then support the elf like holding a elf. If you want to really promote this idea, you can color some pages, but it also works for some doodles.

If you have children, you may have a lot of toys, and your elf is easy to enter, just like the elf of Twitter user ProVVinx did. Take some Lego bricks and make it look like an elf has built a tower, let him do jigsaw puzzles, or make him look like he is playing a video game.

If your child hangs up their backpack at night, ask the elf to zip up and peek at them. You can say that she is reading their books, checking their homework, or just curious about what they bring to school. In any case, coming up with a simple story will be the hardest part of the idea. It's best to do this on the weekend, because the kids don't actually need their backpacks that day.

Do children eat the same cereal in the kitchen every morning? Take the box out, sprinkle a few pieces on the counter or table, and then lean the elf against it. Your child will love to share favorite foods with the elf, and may want to have breakfast "with her" (may give you a few minutes of calm time for coffee).

This elf looks a bit like a potty, but you can't help but appreciate the creativity of these parents. Pick up your child’s favorite board game and set it up to make it look like an elf is playing a late night game. Keep it simple by choosing games that don't require much preparation, such as Trouble or Candy Land.

Next time you pick up your favorite takeaway coffee, ask the barista for a second cup of coffee and take it home. Write your elf's name on the cup and support a doll next to it. It's fast, easy, and an excuse to have a cup of hot coffee the next time you go out (this is for kids after all).

For this Elf on the Shelf idea, all you need is a dry erase marker and a good photo. You can judge whether the elves are naughty by drawing the faces in this photo on your family’s faces, or by drawing some hearts, smiles and beautiful flowers to judge whether the elves are cute. Either way, this setting will not take more than a few minutes.

Many children like to play "The Floor Is Lava" as soon as they have a chance, so why doesn't your elf feel the same about this game? You only need some painter's tape and a hazard sign as a warning of unsafe feet (either print something like this or simply write it on a piece of paper). Adding other toys to the scene is optional, but not required.

When it comes to Elf on the Shelf season, a bag of mini marshmallows helps a lot. Recreate this scene by filling a glass bowl with marshmallows, and then "submerge" your elf in it to relax (including a small bath toy that doesn't cause harm). Another similar idea is to fill an earthen jar with marshmallows to create a jacuzzi for your elf.