Most children enjoy the idea of picking out a new school backpack. For many younger children their decision will be driven by who the most popular cartoon or movie character is at the time. Manufacturers of school backpacks have cashed in on the popularity of popular culture and crafted bags that bear the likeness of what or who is hot at the moment.

For parents, their criteria when it comes to choosing school backpacks is often much different from their child’s. Parents want value for their dollar and so they often lean towards bags that are of neutral color. This is a wise, albeit unpopular choice with children, because the child will never outgrow the style.

The age of the child will usually be a determining factor is what school backpacks a parent should be looking at. For a small child who is only attending school on a limited basis, they need a very simple type of bag. Perhaps something that will hold an extra pair of shoes and a snack. The bag should be lightweight and easy for the child to handle. Many parents get into the habit of carrying their child’s backpack for them, but that’s not wise. Children love feeling responsible so get them school backpacks that they can easily carry.

If the child is older, you’ll need to be looking at bags that can hold more things. Binders and textbooks can take up quite a bit of room so a backpack that is larger and has strong carrying straps is essential.

College age children will most likely be drawn to school backpacks that can accommodate a laptop computer. In this case the strength of the bag is very important as you don’t want the bag to fall apart resulting in your computer crashing to the ground.