Bagging the right bag for nursery or pre-school

Bags. Big ones, small ones, ones with reins, ones with pockets, ones that hold A4 folders and ones that don’t 🤯 Choosing a child's backpack is as much of a minefield as picking out a shiny new designer handbag. (If you're that way inclined....) Whether they're getting ready for nursery, preschool or are off to school full time, here’s our pick of top totes.

TINY HOLDERS FOR NURSERY OR CHILDMINDERS

If you are packing your nipper off to nursery or a childminder, it can be a real eye-opener when you gather all of the essentials they need to take with them. As well as a packed lunch bag, they're likely to need their own nappies, wipes and, crucially, change of clothes. We love the roomy Sunnylife Animal Neoprene Backpack as it's big enough for all of their stuff, but magic enough for them to want to wear. If they're toddling by themselves already, the addition of reins on the Babymel Mini Kids Backpack is perfect. It’s also great for weekends, when they want the independence to run off while you sneakily keep them close. Once they've won your trust, the rein is totally detachable. Awesome.

Sunnylife Animal Neoprene backpack — Sunnylife Animal Neoprene Backpack

MIDI HOLDERS FOR PRESCHOOL

Between the ages of 2 and 3, most will head off to preschool for the first time cue the tissues. As well as their nappy changing gear, spare pants if they are potty-trained and extra clothes, they’ll need a bag that is large enough for the bounty of art projects that they bring home. For preschoolers bags, it’s the little details that makes a good bag a great bag. We are talking about the adjustable shoulder and sternum straps, which ensure a secure fit, magnetic closures that little hands can figure out and easy to hold handles. We are crushin’ on the recycled plastic bags by Engel.

MAXI HOLDERS FOR SCHOOL

Graduating to 'big' school means needing something with capacity for the whole day - including lunch boxes, PE kit and wellies for forest school sessions. We love the Liewood Allan Backpack that's made of recycled polyester and the Done By Deer Kids Backpack Elphee backpack and gymbag designs for being water repellent, so you won’t be left with soggy contents after school runs in the rain, plus their reflective Elphee decorations are great for those darker days. If you scoot to school and are looking for a way to share the load - these Micro Scooters Lunch Bags attach to the handlebars but convert into a mini-backpack for them to carry in with them.

Done By Deer Kids Backpack Elphee & Gymbag Elphee

So there we go guys, a definitive guide on what bags they’ll need from when they’re tiny to big school kids. We won’t tell if you decide to borrow it too... Honest 😉.