Back to school is one of those times of year when you feel really torn in two. One on hand it’s great to have my kids around all summer long. We can go on daily adventures, explore places we’ve never seen, and spend a lot of quality time together that I feel we miss out on during the busy school year. On the other hand, my kids tend to get restless when they are pulled out of their routine, and by the middle of August, they’ve started to talk about and look forward to going back to school again.
For me, back to school time is when the stress starts. I like to take the aggravation out of back to school supply shopping by doing one major shop for all of their school supplies online, but I leave choosing their backpacks up to them. It’s a fun tradition we’ve done every year since they were little and just starting school, and I think it makes going back to school a little more exciting because backpacks have become much more than a bag that holds books: they’re a really cool must-have accessory for all kids.
We tend to like character backpacks in my house, but because my oldest kids are 12 and 13, we’ve ventured into backpacks that are so cool that I’d like to borrow them from time to time. I may just have to get my own. After you see what’s new this year, you might want to get your own too.
Here’s a look at trendy and practical backpacks your kids (and you) swill love:
Character backpacks
From the time my kids started school, they’ve had their favourite characters, and with 3 boys and one girl I’ve had backpacks featuring everyone from superheroes to Disney Princesses or Minnie Mouse. We’re huge Disney fans, so I’m glad they can have the character of their choice on a very durable, practical backpack like the Heys Marvel Avengers 16” backpack or the Heys Disney Minnie Mouse backpack.
The character might be what makes your child choose a backpack, but it’s your job to make sure the backpack is going to do the job for an entire school year. What I love about the Heys backpacks is that they have foam padded shoulders straps so they don’t bite into their shoulders or neck if the kids are wearing one, they have side pouches for storing water bottles, and they are 16” so you can fit in everything they need to bring home every night.
Bring home a little Roxy
I love the Roxy brand, not just for my daughter but for myself. I’ve picked up Roxy sweaters, bathing suits, and last year we purchased our first Roxy backpack. It was so durable and cute we’re still using it to this day, but because we pick new backpacks each year, my daughter is going to choose the Roxy Drive Out day pack for this school year.
Just like all Roxy backpacks, the Drive Out day pack has a ton of space for everything your child needs to bring to school during the day. The Drive Out day pack has a padded laptop sleeve if they need to bring a computer to school, double compartments for books or lunch, and comfy shoulder straps.
Who doesn’t want a DC backpack?
If you have a child in the school system right now, you’ll have heard of the DC brand. The iconic brand features everything from skate shoes to clothing and the coolest backpacks, so it’s no wonder that my boys are asking for DC backpacks this year.
Take the DC Wolfbred backpack for example—it has a padded laptop sleeve so you can bring along a computer or tablet to school, plus a main compartment for books, lunches, or water bottles. Although they hold a lot, the padded shoulder straps even out the weight and make it comfortable to carry.
How do you choose just one Burton backpack?
Burton is an iconic snowboard brand that’s branched out into apparel and backpacks, and because they’ve really got that cool factor going, they’re a must-have for a lot of kids.
You can find Burton backpacks in traditional colours and styles like the Burton Emphasis Youth backpack or the cool retro style of the Burton Kettle backpack, but I was pretty thrilled to see that Burton has branched out and created character backpacks that are the perfect blend of Burton and Disney style.
There’s the Burton Gromlet 9’ Laptop Backpack with the Frozen print. You get a great backpack with a small sleeve to hold a laptop and all of your gear. You can get more Olaf on the Burton Youth Emphasis 11’ Laptop backpack.
But my favourite Burton backpack has to be the Burton Youth Day Hiker 11’ Laptop backpack with the comic-styled Marvel print. I love the print on this backpack so much I just may need to get it for myself, and it will hold a laptop and all of the gear needed for a day out. It even has straps to hold a snowboard vertically if you want to use it as a backpack for school and a bag for hitting the snow on the weekend.
Send them back to school in style
Jansport is a great backpack brand that’s been around for a long time, and year after year they come out with great styles kids love. Take the Jansport Digital Floral backpack for example—it’s got a great flower print and spaces for your child’s phone, tablet, or just school projects. The Jansport Digital Network Messenger bag is a favourite for a lot of girls, because you get that trendy over the shoulder style with enough space for a laptop, books, and more.
It really hits home that back to school is almost upon us when it’s time to choose a new backpack, but it’s a fun process my kids look forward to every year. Just sit down with your kids and take a look at all of the cool backpacks on Bestbuy.ca. There’s a style and brand of backpacks for everyone.
Main image from chiropractic.on.ca
