In what grade is your child too old.....

[mirandamom99]

My daughter just started 1st grade and when we went shopping for a new backpack, the plain ones seemed to be of a little better quality than the character ones. So we bought her a plain pink one and told her she could decorate it with pins or other items of her choice. She was excited to make her backpack her own and unique.

 

[jen0610]

DD8 is in 3rd grade - she picked out a matching lunch box and backpack with Bratz on it. Grandma bought it for her.

DD11 is in 5th grade - she picked out a plain old blue backpack, but did pick out a lunch box with sports equipment on it.

I just let them pick what they want, with some guidelines on size and how well it is made.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I think girls last longer than boys with the character items, and can get away with it.

My DD will always have a character something. I am sure of it. She has a Bobby Jack (the monkey) backpack and is going into 3rd grade.

My DS had a regular backpack as early as 2nd grade. He is going into 5th, and wouldn't dream of having a character on his backpack.

 

[gris gris]

LOL I almost bought one for myself yesterday at the Disney store!!! Then I had to remind myself that I'm 32 years old and really shouldn't carry around something that my 4 year old would carry

 

[Aidensmom]

I agree it depends on the child.

My son goes through a K-8 school, and I see both plain and character backpacks throughout all the grade levels.

 

[Blondy876]

My dd is heading into 2nd grade and informed me that not only did she not want a character book bag or lunch box but that she didn't want anything with a character in it. Not on clothes, pencils, notebook, headbands etc. I don't know if that is because she really feels that way or she is just being spiteful. See, she is not allowed to have anything with Bratz dolls on it. Apparently this is what most if the girls in her grade are into and she is hating her father and I for this particular rule. I think the "I don't want anything with a character" stems from not being allowed to have anything with the Bratz dolls. Sort of like what my father used to call 'cutting off your nose in spite of your face" kind of thing.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I know I had Disney items througout all of elementary school, but then as soon as middle school started, I don't remember any.

Let's see, it's only been a few years since high school, and I remember Care Bears, Powerpuff Girls, and Sesame Street characters. For some reason not a lot of Disney though. I did have a Disney notebooks and stuff, but not a backpack. I know several high school girls have a lot of Tinker Bell stuff right now.

So I'd agree with previous posters. He / she's not to old until she doesn't want it anymore, but then in high school it's okay again.

 

[CEDmom]

Character bookbags are pretty much out after kindergarten but definitely by 1st grade. Character lunchboxes are still popular through at least 2nd grade.

It's kind of sad though. I remember fondly going and picking out a lunchbox through 6th grade. Most of the time they were from TV shows.

This year DD who's going into 2nd grade insisted on a orange dinosaur one from Target. Even after I told her some kids might tease her she didn't care. I hope she doesn't have a problem with it.

 

[okeydokey]

My dd is heading into 2nd grade and informed me that not only did she not want a character book bag or lunch box but that she didn't want anything with a character in it. Not on clothes, pencils, notebook, headbands etc. I don't know if that is because she really feels that way or she is just being spiteful. See, she is not allowed to have anything with Bratz dolls on it. Apparently this is what most if the girls in her grade are into and she is hating her father and I for this particular rule. I think the "I don't want anything with a character" stems from not being allowed to have anything with the Bratz dolls. Sort of like what my father used to call 'cutting off your nose in spite of your face" kind of thing.

We have the no bratz rule at our house too. Glad I'm not the only one.

 

[Loves Disney]

It depends what the bag looks like.

For Girls

- This would be young...during the "princess" stages lol.

- This would be a bit older...not too old though considering it is still plastic.

- This would be more like beginning of the middle school.

- This would be older. Heck, I'm a senior in high school and I'd use that. lol.

I couldn't judge a scale with boys well, as I don't know what interests them at what levels.

My main point is, there will be character bags that are for young children and for older adults.

(Heh, sorry I used all Disney examples...what can I say...I think and breathe Disney lol)

 

[disykat]

I had to talk my youngest into a plain backpack at the beginning of 3rd grade. No way was I buying him a character backpack when I knew he'd spend the rest of the year crying if I made him take it to school.

I felt bad, but I still think I was right. Most kids around here carry character bags in 2nd grade, but you only see a few in 3rd. I just told him I wanted it to last a long time so he had to choose an "adult style" backpack.

 

[Becky2005]

We have the no bratz rule at our house too. Glad I'm not the only one.

Me too!

I just refuse to spend my money on those things. Much to my DD's disappointment. She has gotten somethings as gifts and I will allow those but I refuse to spend my money on them. I won't even buy them as gifts for people who like them.

I know for folders & things, that doesn't matter no matter what grade (then again, in lower grades they are TOLD what colors & how many of each folder. Last year we did realize that hey we could just add stickers to ours). I know last year in 6th grade DD had Disney Little Cuties. I don't even remember what she picked this year (but definitely no Bratz!).

 

[TheGirlin14G]

You'd be surprised at how many high schoolers still use character lunch boxes! Spongebob, Care Bears, Tinkerbell.. I'm using a little metal Curious George one from Barnes & Nobel. I also bought a Princess book cover from Walmart

In 3rd grade I think she'll be fine, as long as she wants to use it

 

[mirandamom99]

 

[mirandamom99]

My dd is heading into 2nd grade and informed me that not only did she not want a character book bag or lunch box but that she didn't want anything with a character in it. Not on clothes, pencils, notebook, headbands etc. I don't know if that is because she really feels that way or she is just being spiteful. See, she is not allowed to have anything with Bratz dolls on it. Apparently this is what most if the girls in her grade are into and she is hating her father and I for this particular rule. I think the "I don't want anything with a character" stems from not being allowed to have anything with the Bratz dolls. Sort of like what my father used to call 'cutting off your nose in spite of your face" kind of thing.

We too have banned Bratz items in our house. I am so glad we are not the only ones.

 

[JoyG]

I teach 3rd and I still see quite a few character bookbags. Now I'm curious to see if most kids bring them or not. I am going to make a point of counting them next week when we go back to school.

 

[Zandy595]

Funny that you posted this topic today... DS10 (5th grade) was just telling me about a boy in his class who has a Spiderman lunchbox. He said nobody else in his grade has a character lunchbox or backpack. DS stopped wanting character stuff after 2nd grade. In his school everyone considers grades K-2 the little kids and 3-5 the big kids, so that probably has a lot to do with it.

I think it depends on what the other kids in his/her school are doing. There are kids who want to do what "everyone else is doing" and then there are the ones who do what they want and don't care what other people think. It takes guts (or a unique sense of humor) to be the latter. I would say most kids just want to blend in though.

 

[FreshTressa]

DS wouldn't carry characters in Kindergarten.

He won't wear anything with labels now that he's in 3rd.

Weird kid

 

[Kae]

DS went plain this year 3rd grade, Had a Pooh 1st yr PS then 2nd yr PS & K Buzz & Stitch 1st & 2nd. DD had Princess for both years preschool & Tink this year for K. We do every other year also.

Kae

 

[kydisneyfans]

Our 2nd grader interchanges between Star Wars, Cars, and Spongebob. The latter 2 were free at meijer anyway.