Plus, the coolest supplies to get kids excited for back to school.
Gearing up for back to school starts with one of these great kids’ backpacks. Not only are they cute but they’re also functional for lugging lunches, water bottles and library books. But the right backpack has to do more than carry all your kid’s essentials—it also needs to be comfortable. So what should you look for to ensure a good fit?
Choose a bag that is properly proportioned to your kid. Most preschoolers don’t need a full-size backpack so look for something smaller that they can carry on their own. Most elementary school kids will need a backpack big enough to hold their lunch, water bottle, books and a folder. Your best bet is to take your kid shopping so they can try on different bags to check the size and to make sure it suits their style. (So resist the temptation to buy a bigger bag that’ll last a few years; it can cause back and neck pain.)
Other things to keep in mind: The bag should have wide padded shoulder straps for adequate support; a padded back for comfort; water-resistant material that’s durable and lightweight; and for extra safety in the winter, reflective straps that help your kid stay visible.
Now let’s start shopping!
1. Stephen Joseph Unicorn All Over Print Backpack
Photo: Mastermind Toys
$50, mastermindtoys.com
2. Wonder Co. Camo Shark Backpack
Photo: Indigo
$40, indigo.ca
3. Jetstream Children’s Backpack
Photo: Walmart
$30, walmart.ca
4. Pep Rally Dino Wild & Co. Backpack
Photo: Staples
$27, staples.ca
5. Gap Recycled Rainbow Junior Backpack
Photo: Gap
$60, gapcanada.ca
6. Herschel Into the Sea Heritage Backpack
Photo: Herschel
$45, herschel.ca
7. H&M Patterned Backpack
Photo: H&M
$20, hm.ca
8. MEC Cub Daypack
Photo: MEC
$40, mec.ca
9. Coco Village Venice Backpack and Pencil Case
Photo: Coco Village
$80, cocovillage.com
10. Adidas X Lego Classic Backpack
Photo: Adidas
$60, adidas.ca
11. L.L.Bean Blue Flowers Original Book Pack®
Photo: L.L. Bean
$65, llbean.ca
12. Skip Hop Zoo Clark the Crocodile Backpack
Photo: Skip Hop
$30, cartersoshkosh.ca
13. Tracker Watermelon Backpack
Photo: Tracker
$30, shopbentley.com
14. Stephen Joseph Space All Over Print Backpack
Photo: Mastermind Toys
$50, mastermindtoys.com
15. Pottery Barn Mackenzie Aqua Sunshine Glow-in-the-Dark Backpacks
Photo: Pottery Barn Kids
from $70, potterybarnkids.ca
16. Burton Ballad Blue Summit Jumble Backpack
Photo: Burton
$70, burton.com
17. Pep Rally Butterfly Be Cool Be Free Backpack
Photo: Staples
$27, staples.ca
18. So Young Under the Sea Backpack
Photo: So Young
$47, soyoung.ca
19. Fjallraven Kånken Me Mini Customizable Backpack
Photo: Fjallraven
$150, fjallraven.com
20. Skip Hop Strawberry Spark Style Backpack
Photo: Indigo
$36, indigo.ca
21. Faber-Castell Jumbo Grip Neon Colour Pencil
Photo: Faber-Castell
$15, fabercastellshopcanada.ca
22. Staples Rainbow Push and Pop Bubbles Pencil Pouch
Photo: Staples
$16, staples.ca
23. Mastermind Toys Foodie Stationery Set
Photo: Mastermind Toys
$15, mastermindtoys.com
24. OOLY Happy Pack Comic Attack
Photo: OOLY
$20, well.ca
25. Lego Dots Hard Pencil Case
Photo: Lego
$13, lego.com
26. OOLY Dainty Donuts Vanilla Scented Erasers
Photo: OOLY
27. Crayola Clicks Retractable Markers
Photo: Crayola
$13, deserres.ca
28. Mastermind Toys Blue Space Bookmark
Photo: Mastermind Toys
