Elf Academy cadets earn their jingle bells | Photos

The annual Elf Academy let’s local kids get their holiday spirit on with fun games, dancing and crafts.

By Bailey Josie • December 18, 2024 11:30 am

The fifth annual Elf Academy took place over the weekend, where close to 40 kids showed up to prove they could be Elf Cadets and one of Santa’s Special Helpers.

Between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Dec. 14, young cadets arrived at the Renton Community Center to show off their various elf skills — including stealthiness, agility, kindness, creativity and spreading holiday cheer.

Renton Recreation Coordinator Jacki Delfin said this year’s Elf Academy brought back some fun stations from last year and added a few more. “We started as a drive-thru, but the community wanted it in-person,” she said.

Different stations included a craft station, a giant snowball roll, pin-the-nose-on-the-reindeer, bow pickup, freeze dance, snowball free-throw, and the most difficult station, which tested the elf cadets’ stealthiness: Don’t Wake the Elf. With a sleepy head elf tucked into bed, the cadets have bells attached to their waists, and they must go through a small obstacle course without making a sound.

Recreation Manager Jennifer Spencer said her favorite station was the freeze dance, thanks to one high school head elf.

“I love seeing Robin dancing with the children. He has been a part of Renton Parks and Recreation since he was three, and always volunteers as an elf,” Spencer said.