How to Choose a Child's Backpack

Backpacks are an essential element in the back to school rush and picking the right backpack can help you keep your child safe from muscle, neck and back injuries. There are lots of styles, colors and materials out there, and in the excitement it's easy to forget that safety and comfort should be your major considerations.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Choose a backpack that distributes weight evenly. The safest design will have padded shoulder straps with an accompanying waist strap. The straps should be a minimum of two inches wide. This configuration will reduce the weight on your child's spine. As an alternate, choose a style with a sling design that has the pack resting on the hip with the strap on the opposite shoulder. These also distribute weight effectively, sparing the back.

2. Select a lightweight fabric that has a layer of padding on the back as a cushion and to keep the pack's contents from jabbing and poking. Fabric that breathes well is also a plus.

3. Measure the pack so that it lies a couple of inches below the line of the shoulders. The bottom of the pack should never extend more than four inches below the waist. Anything larger is too big.

4. Check the width of the backpack to be sure that it will accommodate the books that your child will be carrying.

5. Evaluate your child's need for compartments. Generally, choosing a pack with a number of compartments for tools, phone and a calculator is the best bet. Compartments should be easy to access and have reliable closures that are easy to use.

6. Determine what your child will be carrying. A full backpack should never weigh more than 15 percent of your child's weight. Evaluating how many things your child can safely carry may affect your backpack choices.

Tips & Warnings

• Teach your child how to distribute the weight evenly across her backpack, with heavier objects like books at the center and lighter objects toward the sides. Check the pack periodically to make sure that it's being packed responsibly. Backpack injuries are one of the most common causes of back problems in children. Don't be afraid to make backpack safety an issue at your house.
• Caution your child not to wear a backpack casually on one shoulder.
• Avoid oversizing your child's backpack. It's tempting to try to get a couple of seasons out of a pack by buying a larger size than your child needs. This will put unnecessary strain on growing bones and muscles, and a loose fitting pack can shift easily, causing injury.