Trending
Backpacks can be fashionable and functional, but they can also be too heavy -- weighed down by digital devices, musical instruments, sports equipment and more. Some kids carry home a laptop or tablet and textbooks, too.
It's good to be prepared, but kids who walk to school or participate in extracurricular activities may be lugging more than their bodies can handle. Lockers and classroom storage aren't available everywhere -- and a child carrying too much weight might not be ready to learn.
As families begin back-to-school shopping, here's how to know if your child's backpack is too heavy, and how to lighten their load.
The modern school backpack has evolved, but it hasn't necessarily gotten lighter. Whether students have textbooks, digital devices or both, they often are accompanied by notebooks, water bottles, lunch containers, workout clothes and more. Individually, those items may not seem heavy, but together they can add unnecessary strain to children's bodies.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, signs a backpack may be too heavy include a child leaning forward to support its weight or having difficulty walking. Straps should not dig into shoulders.
Don't wait for a child to express discomfort or pain to lighten the load, experts say.
Dr. Sadika Kendi, a physician who chairs the academy's injury-prevention efforts, says back injuries are uncommon but possible, particularly if a child falls while carrying a heavy backpack.
"It's worse if, for example, they trip and fall and they have a huge, heavy backpack on their back. Then that's just more weight that could increase the severity of an injury," she said.
Although 10% to 15% of a child's body weight is often cited as a backpack guideline, there isn't enough evidence to establish a one-size-fits-all approach, Kendi said. Because children vary in size, strength, physical development and daily routines, caregivers should consider their child's individual needs and, in general, keep backpacks as light as possible.
After families receive back-to-school checklists for classroom materials, they should take an audit of what a child really must carry every day.
Samantha Ness, a history teacher in Phoenix, said parents should focus on making sure children have basic supplies rather than getting caught up in trendy, decorative or expensive items. Her students have access to classroom textbooks but are still expected to carry a laptop and charger each day. As technology becomes more central to schoolwork, some students have stopped bringing paper, she said. They rely instead on their devices, which can also become distractions.
"When considering the things going into their backpacks, how is it going to help them be successful in the classroom?" said Ness, who has been teaching for about 10 years.
In Fairfax County, Virginia, the school district is bringing back math textbooks after a backlash against technology.
That was a win for the group Fairfax County Parents for Intentional Technology, but it also means hard decisions about weight in backpacks.
Parents should think carefully about whether a child really needs to carry both books and a laptop every day, said mom Alix Fetch, a spokesperson for the parents group. For example, a student might not always need their laptop at home. Parents of elementary school students in Fairfax County can now opt out of having the device come home in backpacks. For older students, block scheduling means they don't need every textbook every day.
Fetch said her 7-year-old typically carries lunch, a water bottle and occasionally a folder with homework or notes from the teacher. Even that can feel burdensome, she said, particularly when students move between classrooms for activities such as art or music. And the inside of the bag can still be messy.
"Kids are still kids. There's food in their backpack and water, and they're scrunching up papers," Fetch said.