The Letters to Sarah portion of Be Your Elf was designed based on Barry Fishman's principles of gamified learning, elements Professor Fishman believes good games and engaging, productive learning experiences have in common. These elements include cultivation of a sense of community, opportunities for meaningful choice, and a low risk of failure.

The Nice List portion of Be Your Elf was designed based on the principle of social proof. Social proof is, essentially, the idea that if an individual witnesses others performing an action, that individual will come to believe that said action is desirable and will feel compelled to participate.

The Sarah's Workshop portion of Be Your Elf was designed based on the theory of scaffolding. This theory puts forth the idea that with the appropriate amount of help (enough to make a difference, but not enough to prevent one from doing for themself), a person will reach maximum learning and achievement with minimal frustration.