How to Customize a School Backpack

Backpacks can be customized.

There comes an age when children begin to grow out of the character backpacks they once used. They begin for form their own identity that they want to express every chance they get. One way to do this is to allow your child to customize his own backpack. The backpack will be unique to each child and easily identified among a group of backpacks that may be clumped together during an after-school activity.

Things You'll Need

• Plain backpack
• Permanent colored markers
• Iron-on patches
• Iron
• Charms
• BeDazzler
• Fabric paint

Instructions

1. Choose a plain colored backpack to work with. These are usually cheaper than backpacks that have designs, so you can use the extra money to buy supplies with which to decorate your backpack.

2. Write your name on the backpack with permanent markers. These come in many different colors, so you can be as artistic as you want when you write your name. You can write your name in bubble letters or use a different colored marker for each letter in your name.

3. Pick some iron-on patches that have symbols that represent your likes. For example, if you play soccer, you may want a patch that looks like a soccer ball. If you play the flute, you could use an iron-on flute patch. These patches are sold at craft stores as well as some fabric stores.

4. Attach a charm to the end of each zipper that you have on your backpack. This step may only be appealing to girls, but it can give your backpack character. There are all kinds of charms, and you can choose the ones that best reflect your character. You can find charms at any department stores with a jewelry counter.

5. Add some jewels to your backpack with a BeDazzler. If you don't have a BeDazzler, you can buy fake jewels at a craft store and glue them on with a hot glue gun.

6. Draw your own designs on your backpack with fabric paint. You don't need a paintbrush, so there is little mess involved. Just squeeze the paint out of the tube and add any symbols or designs you want. Make sure you wait for the fabric paint to dry before you use the backpack.

Tips & Warnings

• If you know how to embroider, you can sew on your own designs.

• You can also string beads on to a safety pin and then clip it to backpack.

References

• Kaboose: Create Your Own Backpack: Backpack Design
• Matador Network: 9 Ways to Customize Your Backpack