Elf on the Shelf Birthday Celebration Game, Countdown and Chair Decorating Kit! {Review}

I love the idea of having a Birthday Chair for your child.  As a mom of three it can be hard to find ways to celebrate my kid’s birthday where they get something special just for them and the idea of a birthday chair is perfect!  If you have the Elf on the Shelf:  A Birthday Tradition book (which includes a birthday outfit for your elf) then you get it, if not the story talks about having a special chair for the birthday child.  Even if you don’t have the Birthday book though, this Chair Decoration Kit is amazing.  It comes with a fabric thing you attach onto any chair by just typing some ribbon on the sides and then pieces to customize it to your child, including changing out the number of how old they are, a banner with their name and then spots to attach little notes.  Oh and there is even a pocket for your elf if you’d like and a little present!  My son woke up on his 6th birthday completely amazed by this chair!  Oh and yes you can re-use the pieces for other children as well!  I will eventually run out of the little hook and loop fasteners (like Velcro pieces) but those I can buy a pack of at my local Walmart.  I wouldn’t change anything about this kit! Oh and I didn’t even mention the best part!  It comes with a big ole’ birthday hat!  Its not a cheap cardboard one either, but rather a fabric one that I see lasting us through the three kids birthdays year after year!

The Elf on the Shelf®: Birthday Countdown and Game

This Birthday Countdown and Game includes TWO ways to celebrate birthdays North Pole-style! Each kit includes a display-ready felt wall hanging with a delightful, 28-pocket Advent-style calendar for counting down to the big day! Simply place the cupcake in the pocket that represents how many days are left until the birthday arrives, and each morning the child can move the cupcake ahead, one-by-one until the big day. When the birthday arrives, simply flip the board over to play the Birthday Game – a North Pole favorite! Children will wear a blindfold and take turns trying to place special birthday candles on the giant cupcake.

This countdown really impressed me.  First off its fabric, so it last, which I love since I want this to last through my three kids year after year.  I didn’t even realize when I first got it that it had a game on the back, huge bonus!  So the countdown side features numbers that you move this little piece that is attached (yeah for attached and not loosing it) from spot to spot to countdown.  Now I found 2 ways to countdown, either start on the first spot and count up to the date of your child’s birthday or count backwards down to their birthday.  I found it easier to start at the bottom and count up to the date of his birthday, I used a candle from the other side to put on the date of his birthday.  My son loved moving the piece each morning and it was a lot easier for him to see how many days to his birthday rather than asking me everyday.

The other side is the game which is pin the candle on the cupcake.  It comes with tons of candles so everyone can play as well as a bandana to cover their eyes.  I think this is the cutest pin the tale game I have ever seen and I love that it is for both boys and girls.  The pieces are high quality as well and I can see them lasting.

Here are the extra candle pieces and bandana you get:

I do wish though there was a better way to store the extra pieces:

Overall, I absolutely love the new Elf on the Shelf products.  If your child loves their Elf, why bring him out just at Christmas time or don’t bring him out at all if you don’t want as he is not required for either of these sets.  We don’t do any of the crazy Elf on the Shelf mischief like we do at Christmastime but rather the night before my children’s birthdays we have them write a note to the elf and ask if the elf will visit on his birthday.  It is super cute and I look at it as a reminder that their elf is always watching and reporting back to Santa!  I struggle to pick a favorite of the two products as they both have their benefits, so I guess it would be up to you to decide which your child would like better if you only wanted to get one.  I look at it though like the cost of buying these once and then being able to use it for all three of my kids year after year is a good investment.  You could always decorate a chair yourself or make your own advent-style birthday countdown, but I love that its made for me already and adorable.  I am not a crafty person usually and anyways the cost to make somethings can really add up!

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