Inside Tbomb and Snapper's Backpacks

I am always being asked about the kids' backpacks. While they are homeschooled, keeping their backpacks together and ready to go is one of my biggest aids and something I recommend to other families. If your kids do "go to school," having a separate backpack for car trips or running errands won't hurt and may just save your sanity.

We have tried several different backpacks but always go back to the Lil' Go by Thirty-One gifts. It is a perfect size and has simple features, which is definitely a winner!

When we go anywhere, we take the backpacks. Everything they need is inside. All I have to do is toss in a folder with worksheets for a school day and we are good today. They even have a desk inside!

All Together:

They both have: 

1. Desk
2. Sunglasses
3. MP3 player and earbuds
4. Mini first aid kit
5. Crackers

Snapper also has her doll carrier and a hair brush. 

The Desks: 

They both have: 

1. Dry erase notepad (these case as part of a stationery set)
2. Small alphabet workbook
3. Spiral Notebook (these came as part of a stationary set, and are a little smaller than most)
4. Dry erase flash cards
5. Small coloring book
6. Pouch with: Stencils, dry erase pencil, pencil, dry erase eraser, multi-color pen, triangle crayons so they do not roll, and a color-wonder marker
7. A few color-wonder drawing sheets

Everything fits nicely inside the desk and it is easy to put away for them. The desk is actually one of the plastic cases that Crayola sets come in (the blue is from the color wonder kit and the pink is from the glitter kit). 

The Outside & How it WORKS

On the outside, they both have a keychain they picked out with an "if lost label" that has my google voice number on it. 

There is a small carabiner with a sock mate on it. This may seem strange, but it is perfect for keeping up with a jacket that has been taken off, a stuffed animal, or other soft items that they may carry around. Tbomb has even hung spiderman from it. 

On the top of the backpack, attached to the handle is a large carabiner. This is one of the handiest things I have discovered. With this carabiner, I can hang their backpacks anywhere. I first started doing this to hang them on the stroller when Snapper was still using one. Then, I found that I could hang their backpacks on the back of the car seat (on that handle) and they can reach what they want without having their bags in their laps or fighting over extra seat space! 

When it is time to go, we grab backpacks, throw in the water bottle, sometimes grab an extra snack or lunch, scoop up Snapper's doll and Tbomb's action figure and we are out the door. They are keeping up with their own stuff and I'm not wondering if I have forgotten something. Everything is there and ready to go. 

For a longer day (full of appointments or a long drive) or vacations, it is really simple. We just throw in tablets, possibly a few extra toys, and we are set to go.