I can't recommend these backpacks enough. I started buying them for my daughters when they were in preschool. Every year I bought them a new one even though I didn't need to, just because their tastes changed. They are now in college, and I still have the backpacks from all of those years. These days we use them for things like day trips and to store things like winter scarves and gloves or for my youngest daughter's Barbie collection - they have taken some serious abuse over the years and are still almost like new. I'm amazed. I'll never buy a backpack from anywhere else. Ever.
I bought this for my 5 yr old grandson last fall. Could not be happier with the quality and the price. The zipper never got stuck and was easy to zip. It held up well all the school year (he took it to school everyday). The size is just right for him. It is in such good shape that he will be able to use it again this school year. I plan to buy one for his younger brother for pre-school. Thank you LL Bean!
I got this for my kindergartner, and it is VERY sturdy. However, it is just a smidge too small to fit his homework folder in. Be aware of this if your child has to carry home a folder each day and go with the next larger size, the original book pack. We are keeping it for vacations and day trips, as it is comfortable for him to wear. I expect we will have this for a long time, if it wears as well as the bigger ones my older kids have.
I ordered this last week for my two-year-old niece, who has recently started daycare. Since her mom (my sister) also has a baby who attends, I figured it could make life a little easier if the toddler could carry her own stuff! I ordered the "School of Fish" pattern because it fits with my niece's personality, and had it monogrammed because my sister asked that it have her name on it.
The shipping was incredibly fast. I ordered this stuff on Friday, and both items I ordered--this and something for me--arrived the following Tuesday. The backpack was delivered to upstate Vermont, and mine to central New Hampshire. My sister just sent a picture of it. It's super cute, and my niece was very excited to get it in the mail! It looks big enough to hold a change of clothes and some diapers, which is exactly what she needs it for. She'll need an upgrade once she starts school, but for now, this fits.
