Four kinds of note
Praise notes mention something specific and are the ones worth using most. Challenge notes set a small task for the day, like being kind to someone without being asked or tidying one thing. Nonsense notes report on the reindeer or the workshop and exist purely to be funny. Question notes ask the children something and leave space for a reply.
The question notes are the ones families keep going with longest, because a note that gets answered becomes a conversation rather than a performance.
Use fewer than you think
Thirty notes is a bank to choose from, not a schedule. Three or four across the month, used on days when something has actually happened, works far better than a daily note that becomes an obligation by the eighth of December.
The exception is the challenge notes, which do suit a run of consecutive days if the children have got into them.
Size and printing
Six to a page gives notes about 90mm by 70mm, which is right next to a small elf. There is also a twelve to a page option for tiny notes, which look better in a doll-sized setting but need a steadier hand to read.
Print on 160gsm card. A paper note curls and looks dropped rather than left.
Questions
- How many elf notes do I get?
- Thirty messages in four types: specific praise, small daily challenges, nonsense reports from the North Pole and questions that leave room for the children to reply.
- Should I leave a note every day?
- No. Three or four across the month on days when something has actually happened works better than a daily note that becomes a chore by the second week.
- How big are the printed notes?
- About 90mm by 70mm at six to a page, which suits a small elf. A twelve to a page option gives smaller notes that look better in a doll-sized scene.
- Can I write my own?
- Yes. Print the blank version with the same borders and sizes and write your own, or type your text into the template before printing.