School supplies aren’t that much fun to shop for, but new backpacks and matching lunch bags for the new school year certainly are a blast to shop for! I always let my kids pick out new bags and lunchboxes for the school year because it helps them get excited for school and gives them something to look forward to for getting organized for the new school season. The best backpacks are one’s that have plenty of pockets, adjustable shoulder straps and are the perfect size to fit all of their homework. When it comes to a bag for everyday use for the entire school year, the most important factors to look out for are if they are machine washable and water resistant. This will ensure they last the whole year and my kids even use them as camp backpacks all summer!
Here are the best backpacks for the 2023-2024 school year:
Backpacks
Firstly, every kid wants a cool backpack! One that is a great size with separate compartments and a water bottle holder is the most ideal for organizational purposes. Shop by age! If your kids are high school students, stick with practicality and go for a Jansport or North Face bag that you know is a classic, good backpack with adjustable straps, front pocket and large enough main pocket for textbooks.
For instance, if you have kids in elementary school, school shopping tends to be a lot more carefree for the younger kids. Fun colors and patterns are the best part of picking out school backpacks for young kids. The best place to find backpacks is a store like Target, Dicks Sporting Goods or directly from the stores that make them. My favorite color has always been pink, so you already know the first day of school is a very pink day over here! These are a few practical and trendy backpacks to pick out this year:
Stoney Clover Backpack, Lululemon Backpack, LSF x Pottery Barn Backpack, Fjallraven Backpack, Blue Ruffle Backpack, Heart Backpack, Etsy Patch Backpack, State Bags x LSF, Strawberry Backpack, Marc Jacobs Backpack, Cheeky Plum Backpack, Calpak Backpack
Lunchboxes
Secondly, the best lunch boxes are those with either thermal insulation or a roomy main compartment that stays cool all day. We love to have our lunchboxes match our backpacks because it’s just easy and it always looks cute. But I do suggest doing some research and finding a bento box or water-resistant exterior lunch bag in case of any spillage. If I had to choose between a simple design and practicality versus a matching lunch box that only fits smaller containers, I think the practicality here will be more worth it. There are spills, items that need to stay cool or warm and you don’t want food to go bad before lunch! If you pack your school lunches, you will love these lunch boxes:
State Bags Lunchbox, Bentgo, Pottery Barn Monogrammed Lunchbox, Amazon Lunchbox, LSFxPottery Barn Lunchbox, Stoney Clover Lunchbox
Pencil Pouches
Finally, I thought I’d add in this category because some schools don’t allow your kids to take their bags from class to class. Therefore, pencil pouches are necessary for carrying some extra necessities for the classroom. Go big here for sure because it’s the only way to get pencils, calculators, erasers, markers, rulers, etc. from class to class so space is everything! Here are our favorite options for the new school year:
Stoney Clover Pouch, Sparkly Pouch, Monogrammed Pouch, Barbie Pouch, Floral Pouch, Rainbow Pouch
This post was originally published July 25th, 2023*
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