Sensible Backpacks for Elementary Girls

Backpacks are everywhere in the stores and online this time of year. It's easy for elementary girls to get caught up in all the brilliant hues, to focus on what's pretty and popular instead of on what suits their needs. This selection of backpacks will meet the requirements of both parents and girls. They are attractive enough to please my nine-year-old's critical eye, yet they meet Mama's standards for quality and good fit.

You will notice the backpacks we chose are not the usual fare. These bags are more sophisticated than the Disney Princess backpacks so popular in the early years of elementary school, and were chosen for their versatility as well as their ability to grow with your girl. They will see her from school to extra-curricular activities, from sleep-overs to camp, and from year to year as she makes her way through school.

DaKine Prom Pack
This backpack really caught my daughter's eye. It has a spacious main compartment with a padded computer sleeve that fits most 14-inch laptops. It can also serve as storage for a slim binder or some spiral bound notebooks. The front and side compartments include an organizer pocket, an insulated pocket and a plush lined pocket for carrying your girl's glasses. There is also a water bottle pocket. Several patterns are available. My daughter is particularly fond of the charcoal and rainbow pattern with its soft pastels, while I quite like the blooms on teal.

Volcom Schooly V Girl's Backpack
This medium capacity, lightweight polyester backpack is suitable for girls right through the end of elementary school. The "white" pattern my daughter and I found is actually a bright combination of black and white, with the reds of sunset and the lush greens of plant life thrown into the mix. There are two larger compartments, padded shoulder straps, and a front organizer compartment with a zippered pocket and storage for pencils. This pack makes a great school book bag for a girl with more mature tastes, and will transition wonderfully with an older elementary girl as she moves into high school.

JanSport Classic Merit Backpack
This lightweight polyester pack comes out on the top of my list for elementary girls. It has two main storage compartments, one of which has a padded computer sleeve that will accommodate a 17-inch laptop. At the front of the backpack are two utility pockets to keep smaller items organized. The pack has a fully padded back, padded ergonomic shoulder straps, and side compression straps to manage the weight of the bag's contents. Several patterns are available. Both my daughter and I like the calypso blue butterfly on white, but the blue hounds tooth of the navy weave pattern would certainly show the dirt less. This is a backpack that could certainly last several years if well cared for, and it offers a number of features that your girl will find useful through high school or even college.

No matter what backpack your elementary girl ends up choosing for this back to school season, teach her to use it properly. Backpacks should be packed with the heaviest items on the bottom, and never carried over only one shoulder. Teach your daughter to take advantage of side compression straps and compartments to distribute weight evenly throughout the pack, and to keep the load as light as possible. Elementary girls and boys should never carry more than 10 to 15 percent of their body weight in a backpack. If the load is heavier, talk to teachers about reducing it.

Sources:
Dr. Robert Evans, "Backpack ergonomics." torontochiropractor.ca