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

[ChrisLei]

for a character bookbag for school?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Once my girls went into 2nd grade, it was like...NO WAY!

 

[Christine]

My son hasn't carried one in years (he's just going into 6th grade now). I would say that 1st grade is probably the last time for it.

 

[cheyita]

When your child is no longer comfortable carrying one.

Just take a trip into your local Hot Topic store to see that there are plenty of teenagers who buy shirts and bags with the likes of Hello Kitty and Strawberry Shortcake and other characters. Heck - look how many of US have Disney character shirts and such! LOL!

This is an issue here, as my 5th grader went through issues with this back in 2nd grade. Not a backpack - but her folders, notebooks, etc. She has always loved Pooh Bear, but became embarassed to let anyone know that because many kids thought it was "babyish." I didn't push her, but I continued to reassure her that it's OK to like Winnie the Pooh and if she keeps her eyes and ears open, she will discover that other kids her age still enjoy it right along with her.

She slowly discovered other kids who had "babyish" items or admitted to liking Pooh. Now in 5th grade, she proudly picked out Pooh-related folders for this year.

 

[kbkids]

DD was fine with her Hello Kitty cheerleader back pack in second grade - but this year, she just wanted a plain pink one.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

By the time they get to second grade they seem to care what the other kids think. They don't want to look like a "baby". My youngest is a first grader. They still use character backpacks. Second grade not so much.

 

[Serena]

I just saw someone carrying a Sponge Bob backpack at my dd's highschool.

 

[Southern4sure]

Both boys wanted non character book bags by 3rd grade. But let your child decide. The trend now with girls in highschool is character book bags.....

 

[janette]

My 12yo 6th Grader is carring a Jack Sparrow / Pirates bag from Hot Topic that she loves. Not sure when they get too big.

 

[tar heel]

I agree that it would second or third grade, but they can start carrying them again in highs school.

 

[mrsmom]

My 4th grade is carrying a star wars backpack and has a spiderman one too.
Kim

 

[shortbun]

Funny you should ask. My son went from carrying plain in 3rd to carrying Elmo in 4th for fun. His friends think he's a hoot, especially the girls! They're going into 5th grade this year and we were looking for Barney but couldn't find one. We ordered Lands End. As said by others, my little pony and hello kitty are pretty popular with a certain teen set. My god daughter is 21and wears my little pony tshirts all the time.

I'd say 2nd grade would be the last "real" character lunch bags/back packs and maybe 3rd for girls. Hang onto them though as they may return to favor.

 

[disneymama73]

My 2nd grader has a Tink backpack. I've seen a lot of older kids with character bags, so I'm not sure. It probably depends on the kid.

 

[BabyTigger99]

For first grade this year, DS is carrying a camoflage one. DSD is alternating between an Air Force one and a Tink one (Tink is an over the shoulder bag, not an actual back pack).

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

When they tell you they don't want one.

 

[okeydokey]

My third grade daughter is using her Kim Possible bag from last year (we try not to replace them each year if we can help is). She seems fine with it and I haven't seen any instances of kids making fun of others with character bags (I am a school volunteer). It seems sad to me that kids want to grow up so quickly. I know a dad who thinks his first grader is too old to play with dolls. Personally, I say let them be children for as long as possible.

 

[ChrisLei]

Thanks for all your responses! My daughter is in 2nd grade and we bought her a Tinkerbell one from the Disney store. Alot of her friends are opting for plain ones, so I thought maybe I am not hip with the times. But my DH also stated, let her carry it for as long as she wants one. I was curious what many kids her age are carrying....

Thanks again!

 

[pandamom]

My 3rd grade dd picked a my little pony (w/brushable hair) backpack this year and my 1st grade dd picked a crazy frog one (w/sound chip).

 

[ChrisLei]

My third grade daughter is using her Kim Possible bag from last year (we try not to replace them each year if we can help is). She seems fine with it and I haven't seen any instances of kids making fun of others with character bags (I am a school volunteer). It seems sad to me that kids want to grow up so quickly. I know a dad who thinks his first grader is too old to play with dolls. Personally, I say let them be children for as long as possible.

Awww that is so sad. They are only kids once. And for such a short time I might add. My daughter has many friends, many of who dont play with dolls. Those are more into the electronic games. My daughter makes sure she has tons of playdates with the ones that do play with them because she has so much fun playing dolls with others her age. (Which at the moment she is having a playdate with one of them, LOL)

Last year my MIL tried to say that she was too old for dolls. I had to tell her that when Leilani feels she is too old for dolls, that is when we will stop buying her them. In the meantime I love my girly girl! (I played with them till I was 12! And was really sad when I had to let them go )

 

[Becky2005]

Around here it's 3rd grade...more or less. Depends on the character though.

I think boys can get away with character backpacks a little longer than the girls here. I know a Power Ranger or Yu-gi-oh one in 4th grade for the boys probably wouldn't have anyone bat an eye but a Barbie one for a girl would NOT be cool.

Or if it's a "hot" one at the time...for example any of the CARS ones I think would pass.

This year I said forget it and got LL Bean backpacks for the kids because I was tired of all the other ones falling apart before the year is over. My 4th grader has a geicko & my 1st grader has a shark.

Although I've heard once they get older (like HS or so), then it's back to the character backpacks, I haven't seen it here but I don't have a High schooler either.