Toddler Activities: Santa's Pack

By Deborah Pace Rowley

"Santa's Pack" is another story that has been told and retold in the Pace family since I was small. Like "The Turkey with the Terrible Temper" it has been rewritten countless times and new illustrations have been added each time the old ones have worn out. I wish I could give the author of this sweet story credit and hope that somehow through the magic of the internet the original writer can be found.

I love this story because it teaches the importance of traditions. It builds on a toddler's growing understanding about holidays and colors and how one holiday leads to another throughout the year. But most of all, this story is just plain fun! The elves somehow manage to get the best of Santa Claus each time he brings a new pack for them to fill. Your toddler will love adding the contents to each pack at the appropriate time in the story and can even put up the correct color pack to begin with.

You can find the text of the story here. The free printable illustrations can be found here or by clicking on the sample illustration below. Make sure you laminate the illustrations for extra durability. Magnets would work great if using this story on a magnet board. You can also cut a slit in each pack above the black gather lines so that the contents will slip down just slightly inside the pack. We hope you will enjoy telling your toddler the story of "Santa's Pack" as much as we have.