What Size Backpack Does My Child Need for Daycare, Kindy or School? (Australian Guide 2027)
Quick answer: a daycare, kindy or primary school child needs a backpack big enough to hold a lunch bag, a drink bottle and a full set of spare clothes, but no wider than their back and no lower than their waist when the straps are adjusted. A packed bag should weigh no more than about 10% of your child's body weight.
Morgy + Wills backpack size: 43 cm high x 30 cm wide x 14 cm deep, with a 20 cm high front pocket — roomy enough for a full day at kindy or school, and sized to grow with your child from daycare into primary school.
What does a kindy or school backpack need to hold?
Most Australian kindies, preschools, long day care centres and junior primary classes ask families to send the same daily basics. Size the bag around these:
- Lunch bag (or morning tea and lunch containers)
- Drink bottle — ideally in a side pocket so it stays upright
- Spare clothes — at least one full change for younger children, plus extra undies if your child is toilet training
- Hat — most Australian centres and schools have a no hat, no play rule
- Wet bag for wet or dirty clothes and swimmers
- At school: a library bag, reader folder or home reader
Bedding such as a nap mat or sheet set usually travels separately in its own bag, so it doesn't need to fit in the backpack. For the full list, see our Australian daycare and kindy packing list.
How do I know if a backpack is the right size for my child?
Try it on with the straps adjusted. A well-fitting backpack:
- Is worn on both shoulders with the straps snug, so the bag sits close to the back rather than hanging off it.
- Isn't overfilled — pack the heaviest items (like the lunch bag and drink bottle) closest to the back.
Physiotherapists commonly recommend that a child's packed bag weighs no more than about 10% of their body weight. For a typical four-year-old of around 16–18 kg, that's under 2 kg all up — easy to stay within if you pack just the daily basics.
Is a 43 cm backpack too big for kindy?
A backpack around 40–45 cm tall and 30 cm wide suits most kindy children (around ages 4–5) and primary school children, so you're not buying a new bag when they start school. For younger toddlers at daycare (around 2–3), try it on first: shorten the straps so it sits high on their back, and keep the load light. What matters most is that it sits between the shoulders and waist and isn't overloaded.
Which features actually matter at daycare, kindy and school?
- Padded, adjustable straps — comfortable on little shoulders and adjustable as they grow.
- A main compartment that fits a lunch bag plus spare clothes or a reader folder.
- A mesh side pocket so the drink bottle stays upright and easy to grab.
- A front zip pocket for small things like hair ties, sunscreen or notes from teachers.
- A top carry handle for hanging on hooks and quick grabs.
- A name tag — dozens of bags hang side by side on the hook wall.
- A wipe-clean lining for squashed fruit and leaky bottles.
- A print your child can recognise instantly, so they can find their own bag.
How do I clean a kids backpack?
Check the care label first. Morgy + Wills backpacks are wipe clean only: wipe inside and out with a damp cloth and mild soap, then dry flat in the shade. Don't machine wash, tumble dry, iron or bleach them.
The Morgy + Wills Daycare, Kindy + School Backpack
Our kids backpacks are designed by an Australian family business for children from about age 2 through primary school, and sized for a full day at daycare, kindy or school:
- 43 cm high x 30 cm wide x 14 cm deep, with a 20 cm high front zip pocket
- Padded, adjustable shoulder straps
- Spacious main compartment that fits a lunch bag, drink bottle and spare clothes
- Mesh side drink bottle pocket
- Sturdy top carry handle and attached name tag
- Wipe-clean lining
- Fun prints that are easy to spot on the hook wall — florals, dinosaurs, crocodiles, strawberries, rainbows, gingham and more
Each backpack is $69.95, with free standard shipping on orders over $180 in Australia. Pair it with a matching insulated lunch bag in the Backpack and Lunch Bag Bundle ($97.90), or add a wet bag with the Backpack, Lunch Bag and Wet Bag Bundle ($124.95).
Kids backpack FAQs
What size backpack does a 3-year-old need for daycare?
One that sits between their shoulders and waist with the straps adjusted, and holds a lunch bag, drink bottle and spare clothes. With a 43 cm bag like ours, shorten the straps so it sits high and keep the load light.
What size backpack does a 4-year-old need for kindy?
A backpack around 40–45 cm tall and about 30 cm wide suits most four- and five-year-olds. Kindy days often include a hat, a lunch bag and a full change of clothes, so look for a roomy main compartment and a separate drink bottle pocket.
What size backpack does a child need for primary school?
For the early and middle primary years, a backpack around 40–45 cm tall that fits a lunch bag, drink bottle, hat and reader folder works well. Ours is 43 x 30 x 14 cm.
How heavy should a kids backpack be?
As a guide, the packed bag should weigh no more than about 10% of your child's body weight — under 2 kg for most four-year-olds.
Will the backpack fit a lunch box?
Yes — the main compartment should fit an insulated lunch bag or lunch box plus spare clothes. Our backpacks are designed to fit our 28 x 21 x 10 cm kids lunch bag.
Can my child keep using a kindy backpack at school?
Yes — at 43 x 30 x 14 cm, our backpack is designed for school-aged children too, so it carries straight from kindy into primary school.
