When we began shopping for my daughter's first school backpack, I checked out a few options online. I read an article somewhere where a Mom said her kid goes through several back packs per school year. She was buying inexpensive backpacks with the latest character at her local discount store. After some quick math, you realize that you could end up spending more money on these poor quality items in one school year, than you would if you bought one quality bag, especially if you grab one on sale.
The next thing I realized is that most backpacks that you find at major retailers only come in one size. These bags are sized for older kids and adults. If you have a younger child with a smaller frame, it will look larger than them and will hold more stuff than they should physically carry. You occasionally see smaller preschool sized bags, but the in between sizes are harder to find. Several retailers make quality back packs sized appropriately for elementary and middle school kids such as
Lands' End, LL Bean, Pottery Barn and other specialty stores.
 |
(c) Rene Shonerd.
All Rights Reserved. |
Last summer, after viewing a few online that I thought my daughter might like, we visited the local Sears store to check out their selection of Lands' End backpacks. She liked the aqua one we saw online, but they only carried it in the larger size. Even she agreed, it was too big. We settled on a smaller white one with a pink and orange polka dot pattern.
The design of the bag itself is basic and fully functional with everything you would need in a school bag. It has two zipper compartments. A bigger one in back to hold her folders, a change of clothes, or even her lunch bag. The smaller area in the front of the bag is useful for smaller item like crayons and playdate cards. The bag has a strap with a snap closure across the front which is useful to to clip on another bag, as well as a smaller loop near the top. Another must-have feature is the mesh water bottle holder on the side. In my opinion, the most critical feature in a backpack is the straps. This bag has nice wide straps with padding; the length of the straps can be adjusted to fit your kid as they grow.
My daughter used the bag everyday for school last year. She also used it everyday for camp this summer. As you can see, most of the fabric on the bag is white and it still looks clean. I'm very pleased that it has held up beautifully for an entire year. Since it is not yet showing signs of wear, I bet it will make it through at least another year and will be replaced only when she tires of this pattern.
For the 2013 Back to School season, Lands' End has all new, redesigned, best backpacks in class. Below are two examples of the different styles. Find the right backpack and lunchbox for any size kid --
shop today.
Plus, receive free shipping on your orders over $50.
France- French children enjoy a 3 or 4-course meal that is made from high-quality ingredients, and are mostly made from scratch. The children all sit in the same eating area, the cafeteria. An interesting fact is that there are no vending machines in schools, because they’re banned due to the high sugar and fat content of the treats they carry. Typical school lunches here can have a variety of dishes and ingredients, such as grilled fish, salad, red beans, seasonal vegetables, garlic sausage, fruit salads and chocolate flan (just to name a few). Another perk is that the food is served on plates and eaten with real silverware!
Little Passports, is one of Uniform Mom's partners. They develop fun and exciting children’s subscriptions that deliver the world to your child's doorstep. Imaginary penpals Sam and Sofia travel the world on their scooter, visiting a new country each month and send a package in the mail to your child. Packages arrive full of goodies including a letter, souvenirs, activities and online games!
