First Backpack!

Ll bean original will get her through elementary school

Edit: keep in mind she will bringing back and forth more than just a folder. There will be a lunch box, sneakers, snow pants, sweatshirt, etc

I have not experienced this yet, but I would say maybe to get her real excited about this big transition, take her with you and let her pick out the backpack and lunchbox herself. She will likely need/want a new one each year anyway and this seems like it would be a fun "big girl" experience. Enjoy!

Didn't read the responses so I apologize if this is a repeat.

For the backpack, make sure regular file folders can fit into them without bending the corners. Try it out in the store if you can.

Another thing you might want to do is see if the school has any restrictions for back packs or lunch boxes before buying them. Our schools don't allow backpacks with wheels (more like rolling luggage). Some schools say no characters or ban certain symbols.

Have fun shopping!

We just picked out an inexpensive backpack each fall at Target. By the end of the year, it was ready to be "retired" anyway. Then last year, I splurged for one that was supposed to "last for years". Well, after one school year and two weeks of camp, it's dirty and old looking. I might go back to buying the cheaper ones.

Go to the store, pick out a folder, THEN go to the backpack section. Some backpacks are tiny, cute, perfect for kinder kiddos. But you can guarantee that a kinder teacher will have a folder or two for your daughter. Make sure the folder fits nicely inside the backpack w/o bending on the corners. You'll be happier imo. But I am one that can't stand folded corners and messy disorganized backpacks.

I'm a HUGE fan of Land's End! My older daughter got her first backpack from there when she went into preschool (at age 2) and used that backpack until she was going into 3rd grade! We replaced it only because she needed a bigger one for her 3rd grade books. We handed the backpack down to her cousin, who was going into preschool, and she used it this past year and will continue to do so. That thing must have been washed 50 times by now and still looks great. So of course we bought her a new backpack last year for 3rd grade, and after a year it still looks brand-new. My younger daughter has used hers for a couple of years as well. Land's End has cute lunchboxes that match the backpacks as well - all very good quality. We also use Laptop Lunches' lunch containers inside the Land's End lunchboxes: http://www.laptoplunches.com/ - this way we don't have to always use plastic baggies, and you can buy larger bulk sizes of applesauce, yogurt, etc rather than the single-serving sizes. Huge money saver for us!

Yay for kindergarten - so exciting! :)

You generally need one big enough and with enough structure to it to hold a full size 8 1/2 by 11 page of paper in a folder without dog earing the folder. At my kids school (a PK-5) they require one this large. Most of the classrooms at their school also prohibit the wheeled kind because it actually slows up the kids and certainly in PK or K they don't have enough stuff to warrant the wheels. I saw a cool one I liked in a magazine last week that is hard sided but light with a frame on the back for allowing them to put their artwork in it. I would also go with iron ons or the design in the fabric itself as little things that hang on tend to go missing and cause a lot of upset little kids at school. As for the lunchbox at that young of an age most anything works. I found that my son tended to not realize how tight he had to seal the lid to not have the thermos leak everywhere after lunch so either get one that seals completely and very easily (not sure of one like it) or send her with milk money every day or a cup for the fountain

Janspor backpacks are the only way to go. Lunch boxes, we buy a new one every year, the kids love to pick them out!

I let my kindergartner pick one out at Toys R Us or Target in their favorite character. The rule is that once you pick one, it is yours for the year, so think hard about what you want. My daughter took a lot of time to think it over before she picked hers out, and she insisted that the lunch bag matched the backpack. I think it was Hannah Montana her kindergarten year. My son is going to kindergarten this year and doesn't really care. He picked out Mario. My daughter is going into second grade this year and picked out a Lands End backpack and lunch bag. I won't invest that money into my son yet because he has lost so many things at camp this year I can see him loosing the lands end pack or lunch bag. You will see a wide variety of choices in kindergarten. As long as it can fit a few folders, you are okay. As for lunch, depends on what you pack, but I think all of them out there will work for you.

my sons all got to pick out whatever for the first couple years although we only bought new ones when the old ones were worn out. not jsut because it was a new school year. having said that the ones made out of heavy duty waterproof canvas material last a lot longer than the plasticy types. We love Jansport they are expensive but last for several years. My son usually got a new one to start highschool and it lasted pretty much the whole 4 years or longer. also they outgrow the cartoon characters pretty quickly. thermos brand is the best for lunchboxes

Lands End or L.L. Bean are the best! They don't usually cost any more than the cheap ones from WalMart or Target, BUT if something happens to them, the companies will replace them free of charge. They have very sweet backpacks and lunch boxes that will match them, and will monogram initials as well so you don't even have to worry about labeling! :)

There not going to be lugging home school books so I would just go with a character back pack.My son had a Childrens Place back pack that had several pockets for kindergarten & first grade he wanted a Batman this year so Walmart has them for $10.00 i'll get another one for him just in case they look ok it is what he wanted & since he isn't packing it with homework everday I said ok.As for the lunch bag they have so many to choose from it depends what your packing if you need a large one or smaller one for her.I bought several of them & my son just refuses to let me pack his lunches maybe this year will be different.

We buy LL Bean or Lands End...we've tried the "cheap" ones from Target or Wal-Mart - only to find we spent the same amount of money replacing it...so we spend the extra and get a good, quality one!

I would say let her pick. At that age it really doesnt matter-she isn't going to get much to bring home. It is so much fun for them to pick out one with their favorite characters. My kids always got a new one every year. Now that they don't do characters I am hoping I can stretch another year out of them.

LL Bean ones last the longest. We have gotten 5 years out of one and that includes daily throwing it on the ground outside and inside. I wash them at the end of the year and they really are like new. BUT for a little one, it might be more fun to go to the store and pick a color and picture they really like to get them excited. Make sure it is small enough to really fit her. Mostly they get one or 2 sheets of paper home every day. Lunch boxes are often sold to match the backpack theme. But you cannot go wrong with LLBean. They indicate the age range the backpack is for, so that it will hang correctly. Enjoy the last days of having your "baby" home, mine were at that age it seems like yesterday and one is going off to high school come September.

Wait until she starts. I got my son a really well made (but too small) one from gymboree. But it turned out that the Friday Folder he brought home every week was so long it wouldn't fit!
And I have always told my kids: I'm not buying you a new backpack every year, I think it's ridiculous and I hate those cheapie character ones anyway. Get a good one (jansport, lands end, ll bean, etc.) and have them pick a color you know they won't outgrow in a week. My kids' backpacks always lasted a good 3 to 4 years.
I did get them a new lunchbox pretty much every year because they just don't hold up as well.
Happy first day of kindergarten from a mom who's about to celebrate her son's first day of college!