That's incredibly wasteful. Spend the money on a high quality backpack, make sure you wash it at least twice a year, and it will last for years. |
DP. I lost my backpack the first day of kindergarten. My parents never let me live it down. |
They get stolen. |
It’s not a big deal. They are five. Let them choose. |
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Whichever backpack you get make sure it holds more than a folder. When mine were in K they had to share cubbies. Unless their belongings other than a coat could be placed inside the backpack they were lost/mistakenly taken by other kids constantly. I’m talking about hats, gloves, scarves, boots and even lunchboxes.
We always did Jansport or llbean backpacks in fun colors. They got princess/superhero lunchboxes (or the artic zone ones from Costco). |
You leave it on the bus. You take it off waiting for the bus. You leave it on the playground before walking home. I could go on. |
Teacher here. Kids regularly walk into school without their backpack. It’s not uncommon for them to lose them. |
Long time K teacher and absolutely this on the size!!! The PB little kid backpacks are way too small to meet the needs of kindergartners. |
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We really like the large size Pottery Barn. We actually use ours for 3-5 years. My son will be on year 4 of his (Pre-K, K, 1st and now going into 2nd) and it still looks brand new (it was navy and doesn't show any dirt). I give them a good scrub down at Christmas and summer breaks. I think it was like $35 on sale.
One year DD got a Amazon off brand backpack that she liked so she used it. The whole thing basically fell apart in a year. Tears in the bottom fabric and corners, straps falling off and zippers broken. |
That's what we did, and it's a great idea! My kids' Land's End backpacks from elementary are still usable. They're in HS now and have bigger ones - Jansport. Just make sure the backpack is big enough to fit a lunch box. My daughter had a small backpack and lost her lunch box twice in KG. That's when I got her the Land's End one. |
| Be careful with Lands End. I ordered my then- K DD and 9th grader backpacks and while my eldest came in a week and she has just retired after graduation, my K child’s backpack set got back ordered and then cancelled. Horrific! I got a cheap store one that broke in 2 weeks and then ordered a PB Kids large backpack the next year. It is being retired this year for a big girl backpack from PB Teen. They hold up great! Spend the money to get a matching lunchbox too. |
Patches are as much as a cheap back pack. Let them pick and be excited over it. |
| It's amazing that your five year old DD already has an asthetic! My DS is ten and he could still couldn't care less. |
For K, why not princess or whatever is the "coolest" hyped up movie/toy/character there is? |
| Check Kid-2-Kid store in N Bethesda. They have sometimes decent school bags and more at a very good price. |