Wheeled Backpack vs Wheeled Suitcase for Preschooler

I was able to get my daughter a wheeled suitcase from JCPenney on clearance last April for $12. It's ugly, but she loves it. You can also get some cheap wheeled suitcases at Target for $19.99. We also have a wheeled backpack that she uses for school. She calls them both her suitcases, but knows that if we go on a big trip, we take her suitcase. We travel by plane at least 5-6 a year, so it's worth having the bigger suitcase. It also makes my daughter feel good to have her own suitcase. I would go suitcase over backpack, but I wouldn't get anything nicer than the cheap ones at Target. My sister got a cheap one for her daughter at Target 3 years ago, and it's held up pretty well. She uses it about 6 times a year for various vacations and trips to grandmas.

What about one of these:
http://www.melissaanddoug.com/trunki
They are made specifically for children and aren't that expensive. You could try signing up for email from the site and see if they email you a coupon. I am fairly certain I got a 20% off coupon when I did that. I've also seen them go on sale once or twice. Very high reviews, supposed to be super durable and supposedly kids can ride on them safely (not 100% sure I buy that but okay). He might really dig the "tiger" one for his African safari trip! If it were me, I'd buy him that and get some maps/literature about Africa and stuff the suitcase with things he will need for his "trip" - cheap binoculars, a camera (disposable or a kid camera), sunscreen (you can take it away later) but just something really cute and fun! I know there is a drive through "safair" near VA Tech (don't know how far that is for you). Maybe tickets for something like that until you can do the real trip! LOL Good luck - sounds like you have a boy like mine - VERY active imagination!

E.:

Have you ever tried to put one of the wheeled backpacks on your back to carry it? The bars that support the back and the wheels are stationary - there is no give. I would NOT buy one for my child. I have one for travel and only use it sparingly.

I would invest in a good bag NOW...there are great weekender bags that you can get that will work for his safari plans! :) It's always good to dream and have goals!!!

Wheeled. Backpack
DEFINITELY.
From LL Bean. www.llbean.com
Lifetime warranty. If at any time it breaks etc., they will send you a new one for free.
BOTH my kids, have their wheelie back packs.
For several years now. It is just like new.
It is WELL worth the price.

Backpacks, can be VERY heavy... especially for a young child to carry on their back or shoulder.
Even they, can get injured.
Hence, wheeled backpacks are more practical.

Cheap-o backpacks... do not last. And the wheels are useless.

And, 'suitcases' really change a ton and in style too.
So, what you buy 'now'.... will be, in a few years or by the time he is a Teen... be really 'old fashioned' and HE will want to choose his own, suitcase. I have a suitcase that I had in college. And, no way would I use it now. The whole security locks and colors and style... is really not up to date.

For now, a wheeled backpack, is useful and practical. A wheeled, one.
The reason I say wheeled back-packs is: because it can ALSO be used, for school. AND going to Grandparents.

** My kids, do NOT carry their wheeled-back packs on their back.
It has wheels. They pull it along. There has never been any reason, they have had to carry it on their back.
I have seen some kids carry it... but really, I myself tell those kids, its too heavy for their back. And as Cheryl O. said, it is VERY uncomfortable for wheelie back-packs to be carried on your back. It is not meant to be carried that way. Although the shoulder straps are there.

One thing to consider....elementary schools have policies on what age kids can have a wheeled backpack. At our school you can have one starting in second grade. That said...we had a kids sized wheeled case (needed a bigger one - he likes to take toys, books, blankets, animals and of course clothes when we travel so we needed the larger size) and the leg broke. I just picked it up at Target so investing in one with a guarantee would be nice.

When my girls turned 6 and 4 I decided I was not carrying their stuff through the airport anymore (we fly about once a year). My mom bought them wheeled suitcases from Walmart. They're cute - navy blue with pink butterflies. And they're light - my girls have never had trouble wheeling them, even when full of clothes. I think they were pretty inexpensive ($25?) and what was even cooler the suitcases came with shoulder bags and little toiletry bags. The shoulder bags are actually not that much smaller than the suitcases, and my kids have trouble carrying them so we don't use them much. But the toiletry bags are great - the girls keep "travel" toothbrushes, tooth paste, hair bands and hair brushes in there, and just the toiletry bags into their wheeled suitcases when we travel. We've loved these bags (and this mama has only carried her OWN stuff for several years now!)

I agree looking at JC Penny and Target. Do you have a JC Penny outlet? I've gotten a few suitcases there for very cheap! They didn't have kids ones but they have small carry on size in solid colors like red and blue, which might appeal to him. Target also has cute ones that have characters on them, and probably plain ones too for a reasonable price. Another place is also Burlington Coat Factory, they have a nice selection and would probably have kids ones too.

I'd stick with a suitcase if that's what he really wants and I'm sure you'll use it eventually, even if he just goes for a sleepover at Grandma's he'll want to use it, plus you know he's going to pack it up for his trip to Africa, even if it's just a pretend trip!

We went on a trip last spring and I bought our grand daughter a cute Disney princess wheeled pilots case from Walmart.(they had Cars and Spiderman ones too) It wasnt more than $30 if I remember and it came with a free pillow pet at the time. I packed her clothes in it, with plenty of space for a 5 day trip. She was thrilled to pull it out to the car, from the car to the hotel room, and back in the house when we returned. She has wheeled it around the house a few times pretending shes on a trip. Shes in preschool and does not take anything back and forth so it isnt an item for that but would work if it had to. For daytime when she wants to carry things to somewhere, she has a variety of tote bags and purses that she can stuff full of whatever and just carry. Im not real fond of the wheeled bags or back packs for how dirty they are after wheeling them in the rain or mud or grass to and from school. But I have also seen kids take off their backpacks and drop them in the dirt too..lol For going to gramas over night, Id just toss stuff into a plastic bag and send him. But sounds like he wants a bag to pull, so check out the kids pilot cases. Its cute, round, zippered, and was just the right size for a 4 year old.

I would get a wheeled Pullman bag, not a backpack. Backpacks are narrow and deep, it's like carrying a deep purse all the small stuff ends up at the bottom and you have to dig and dig to find it. A suitcase is so much easier to use and to find things in and to keep neat.

A Sidenote wheeled backpacks are not allowed in schools, so he couldn't use as a double duty school bag/weekender.