Toddler Backpacks

There's real pride in the first bag a toddler carries themselves. A toddler backpack turns the walk into daycare into something they're part of rather than something happening to them, and it gets the drink bottle and the spare undies out of your arms at the same time.

Sizing a Bag to a Small Back

The usual mistake is buying too big, on the reasoning that they'll grow into it. A bag that reaches past a toddler's bottom pulls them backwards and gets abandoned within a week. Look for something that sits between the shoulders and the waist, with padded straps wide enough not to dig in and short enough to adjust properly. 

Keep the load light, which for this age means a drink bottle, a snack, a change of clothes and a comforter, and nothing heavier. The point at this stage isn't carrying capacity, it's independence, so a bag they can put on and take off without help beats a bigger one every time.

What Makes a Daycare Bag Work

Zips your child can operate themselves matter more than anything else, so look for large pulls and a zip that runs smoothly rather than catching. A wide opening lets an educator see what's inside without unpacking the lot. Wipeable fabric is worth having, because something will leak. 

A side pocket sized for a drink bottle saves it rolling around with the spare clothes, and a name label sewn in beats a marker that washes off. Most childcare centres ask for a bag that hangs on a hook, so check there's a decent loop at the top. A distinctive print helps too, since a two-year-old finding their own bag in a row of twenty is a small daily win.

Backpacks, Nappy Bags and Safety Harnesses

Three different things get grouped together here, and it's worth knowing which you're after. A toddler backpack is for your child to wear and carry their own things in. A changing backpack is a nappy bag for you, worn on your back so both hands stay free, with insulated bottle pockets and a change mat inside. 

A safety harness is a separate piece again, worn by a toddler who bolts, giving you a gentle hold in a car park or an airport. Some parents use a harness alongside a backpack rather than looking for one product that does both, which tends to work better than a combined design.

Backpack Brands Toddlers Want to Wear

IZIMINI is the Australian name with the widest run of prints here, in a simple lightweight shape sized for the daycare years.Trixie takes the character route from Belgium, with animal-shaped bags that toddlers choose for themselves and then refuse to swap. 

Skip Hop brings its practical American design to little kid backpacks built for preschool.Bugaboo covers the parent side with changing backpacks, andDreambaby makes the safety harnesses. These are just some of the brands we carry.

Packing It for the Day

A bag needs filling before it's any use. A drink bottle they can open, lunch that survives being carried, a hat for outside play and a spare set of clothes cover most centres' requirements. A backpack with a few of those tucked inside also makes a good present for a first birthday or a first day. 

Our baby travel gear range covers getting out of the house more broadly, and these are the categories that go with it: 

• Nappy Bags
• Drink Bottles & Cups
• Food Storage & Lunchboxes
• Insulated Bags
• Sun Hats
• Shoes & Socks
• Comforters
• Gifts

Let them pick their own in person atAlexandria orMiranda, or order online and we'll send it out.