My kids will say buying a new backpack is their favorite item to buy from the school supply list. They will be in 6th, 4th and 2nd grade, so we have tried many different backpacks over the years. And thankfully my crew has adapted my motto of "practical, but fun", and I am so excited to share these practical but fun backpack options with you!
How to choose a kids backpack
There are a couple things I look for when selecting a backpack. First up is making sure you buy the right size backpack for your kid. Preschoolers need a much smaller bag than your middle schooler will!
You want enough space to fit the items they need to bring to and from school, but it should not be so large that you child can't carry their backpack. My older kids have binders, books, folders along with their lunch and snack bags so their bags are huge!
A must for my kids is on external water bottle pocket. If it does not have an external elastic water bottle holder, it's a no for me.
Style
My kids are very opinionated. But I appreciate that they are very clear about what they like and don't like. To make life easier, I always select 3 - 4 backpacks that I think will work and let them choose from there. Everybody wins!
Other things to think about
- Quality - Your kids will be rough with this bag, so your best bet is to go with a tried-and-true brand. You want a durable backpack where the zippers won't break off or seams rip open by fall.
- Organization - The older you kids get, the more stuff they need to bring to and from school. Do you kids need a laptop or tablet for school? Do they have homework binders or folders? I found that backpacks that contain several compartments work best once I started answering yes to those questions.
From preschoolers to teenagers, start your kids school year off right!
Shop the complete boys list here and my girls picks here.
