Backpack for Tiny Kindergartener

[Anonymous]

DD is super tiny. All the backpacks I'm seeing are 14.5inches tall and will be huge on her. any recs on smaller-sized backpacks?

And what are they bringing home anyway? I imagine it'll need to be big enough to accommodate letter-sized paper (8.5x11) and a lunch box--anything else? Is more room better or compact is better?

[Anonymous]

We were told our kindergartener's backpack needed to be large to hold over-sized artworks and crafts, winter coats and sweaters in class, rain boots if needed, lunch box, library books, etc. We bought the Pottery Barn large backpack and it did look huge on DD but it worked out fine.

[Anonymous]

In my son's MCPS school, the Kindergartners hardly used their backpacks. The rare times there was artwork to bring home, most of them carried it out by hand, because they were proud of it and some of it was so huge there was no way it was going to go into any backpack.

Likewise, winter coats are worn or carried.

I am also trying to find a small backpack for my second child.

[Anonymous]

The LL Bean junior backpack worked great for K and 1st. Large enough for a regular sized folder, but not too cumbersome.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62855?feat=506219-GN2&page=junior-original-book-pack

[Anonymous]

Our elementary school stressed that kindergarteners needed full size backpacks, even if the kid was small. Most of the time there was more than enough room in there (folder and lunch box everyday), but as seasons changed sweatshirts and coats would be stuffed in, too.

[Anonymous]

The LL Bean junior works good for us too. ALL backpacks are oversized for Kidergateners -- yours won't be the only one, it's pretty cute!

[Anonymous]

Definitely get the full sized ones. This way anything she is not wearing can be stuffed in the bag. Greatly reduce the probability of her losing anything. Bigger is also easier for her to stuff things in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely get the full sized ones. This way anything she is not wearing can be stuffed in the bag. Greatly reduce the probability of her losing anything. Bigger is also easier for her to stuff things in.

this. Our Kers had a lunchbox and a folder in there, generally. Plus sometimes a sweater or sweatshirt when they got hot. But it does need to fit both.

[Anonymous]

Toys R Us has some nice fabric character ones and they often run a special for a free lunch box. Ours still looks new and fit our chid really well. It was large enough to hold everything. We got a bigger one and it was too big.

[Anonymous]

We had the LLBean Kids Discovery backpack. I was very stressed it wouldn't be large enough, but it was a great size and fit more than I expected.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/83528?feat=514240-GN3&page=discovery-glow-backpack

[Anonymous]

We got one of the smaller Pottery Barn backpacks that our rising 1st grader has for 2 years now. Never had any trouble fitting what he needed into it.

http://www.potterybarnkids.com/shop/kids/backpacks-luggage/shop-all-backpacks/

[Anonymous]

OP here. Wow, thanks so much! I think I'll go with the LL bean a PP mentioned.

[Anonymous]

My very small Kindergartner had a full sized back pack and managed just fine. I would get a full size one put some stuff in it and have her walk around the house and try it. If it doesn't work return it, but she'll be fine.

What goes in it? A folder every day (so it must fit a letter size folder), lunch box, sweatshirt in fall and spring, media center book once a week, maybe other papers being sent home.

[Anonymous]

My baby is too small to wear a backpack, but my heart melts when I see the kindergarten and 1st grade kids on our street with theirs. Everyone in our neighborhood has the Pottery Barn ones with the buckles across the back, and the girls add stuffed animals on keychains. They look buried by those things, like little pink and purple tortoises. It seems like by the time they grow into the PB ones, they "grow out" of them and want big kid North Face ones. You've been warned...

[Anonymous]

Ugh, any recommendations that aren't hideous? (NP here.) I like these: http://www.poketo.com/collections/bags/products/mini-sutton-ruckpack or something like the ever popular skip hop animal ones you see toddlers using, but in larger sizes.