Washington Post guide to backpacks
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/on-parenting/how-to-choose-a-backpack-for-your-child/2013/07/23/b1125de2-d85d-11e2-9df4-895344c13c30_story.html

Another one for LLBean Jr backpack - we used it for K and are using it for 1st grade too...

Anonymous wrote:http://www.polyvore.com/miu_black_leather_turnlock_backpack/thing?id=19149856

Lol

Can you ER it monogrammed?

We use the LL Bean Junior. Have had it for 2 years and it's held up great.

In K my DD used the largest Lands End backpack available. It had to hold her lunch , coat, extras depending on the season. This year she has a Jansport big student backpack for school.

http://www.ebags.com/product/lucky-bums/tracker-15/146825?productid=10008657

I'm not in love with the styling but it's the only bag I've found where there's a sternum strap and a waist strap to help keep the backpack securely on and the weight distributed. My kids ride their bikes to school so it's important to me that their backpacks stay on securely without pulling down on their shoulders.

Anonymous wrote:http://www.polyvore.com/miu_black_leather_turnlock_backpack/thing?id=19149856

Us too! Who sends Larla to school without leather?

We do backpack of choice for the kids. Grades K-3 it usually a character backpack. Grades 4+something long lasting.

Yes to the LL bean junior . It's the perfect size for kindergarteners and even first graders . And it holds up nicely

We got Lands End backpacks from the grandparents last year, and they will be using them again this year. Kids will be 1st grade and PreK.

Hanna Anderson

Just got my DD this:

http://www.jansport.com/shop/en/jansport-us/backpacks/big-student-tdn7

I'm about to order the same for my DS in a different color. We had Lands End and my DS's is perfect on the outside, but fell apart on the inside. My DD's is ripping on the outside. They are 2 years old. I would have gone back to Lands End for others, but we did not like how they redesigned the backpacks.

My son used his LL Bean Junior backpack from day care for kindergarten, and the size was fine. He needed something bigger this summer for camp, so we got the LL Bean Critter bag.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62855?page=junior-original-book-pack&subrnd=0

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/70468?feat=Critter-SR0&page=critter-pack


I think wide padded straps are nice, but not necessary, until they start carrying heavier loads.

What do you like about it? How do you wish it were different?


My DD is starting Kindergarten in the fall and I'm just wondering about the options out there. I know rolling is a no-go and it has to be "big" enough, but is too big a problem? She's average height for her age. Any features I should keep an eye out for?

Thanks!