A preschool backpack is used to carry just a few things: a change of clothes, a snack, and sometimes a stuffed animal. The risk is buying one that is too big and watching it dragged along the ground.
The right size
For a child aged 3 to 5, the right size is around 25-30 cm high. As a rule of thumb, the backpack should not be wider than the child's shoulders or hang below the seat of their pants. A larger backpack doesn't "last longer": it's just heavier.
What it needs
- Padded, adjustable shoulder straps: without padding, the straps will leave marks on the shoulders in just a few minutes.
- Large zipper: a three-year-old child can only open a zipper if the pull is big enough to hold with their whole hand.
- A single compartment: too many compartments just mean something will be forgotten inside.
- Side pocket for a water bottle: it keeps liquids away from the change of clothes.
- Something to identify it: a clearly visible character or a name tag. At the preschool coat rack, there are twenty similar backpacks.
What isn't necessary
Wheels (they aren't needed at preschool and add weight), an ergonomic rigid back panel (useful from middle school onwards, when there are books), and small zippered pockets.
Soft backpack or structured backpack?
For preschool, a soft backpack is perfect: it's lightweight, can be squashed into a locker, and is easy to wash. A structured backpack makes sense from first grade onwards, when notebooks and pencil cases are introduced.
In the preschool backpacks collection, you'll find designs featuring Stitch, Minnie, Paw Patrol, Gabby's Dollhouse, Spiderman, and Minecraft; for older children, the school section offers larger backpacks with water bottle pockets.
How to wash it
By hand, with warm water and mild soap, and air-dried. In the washing machine, character prints will be damaged and the padding will become misshapen.