What is a book bag?

[suzikettles]

Ds starts Primary 1 in a couple of weeks and needs:

• a school bag
  
• a PE bag
  
• a book bag
  

At least that's the 3 bags on the list of stuff that we could order from the school (I ordered him a school bag, basic backpack thing).

Is a book bag just a drawstring bag like your basic PE bag? What do they use it for? (well, books obv, but do they not just go in the school bag?)

In my day you had a satchel, and a bag made out of old curtains with a wool drawstring for your plimsolls. I know nothing of "book bags".

[uberalice]

One of these?
www.art2go-uk.com/school-book-bags-c-3.html

[RedBlanket]

book bag
The rip off uniform usually sells them with the school logo on.

Sure it doesn't say school bag or book bag? I can't imagine what you need both for especially in reception.

[LawrieMarlow]

A book bag is a bit bigger than a4 size, has a handle and usually fastens with velcro. Schools often have them with logos on. Can't really see rhe need for school bag and book bag tbh.

[LawrieMarlow]

A book bag is a bit bigger than a4 size, has a handle and usually fastens with velcro. Schools often have them with logos on. Can't really see rhe need for school bag and book bag tbh.

If you look on amazon for book bags you will see some (can't link with this phone).

[pinkyp]

Use the free one you got from your hv (the green bookstart one)

[cjbartlett]

When your child was nine months you should have got a bookstart pack that came in a book bag

[pozzled]

They're just used for the school reading book, reading record and homework. Useful for the teacher because they are smaller than backpacks, can be kept in one place in the classroom and the teacher can change books without having to search through all the crap equipment that the average school child has in their bag.

If you have ordered the school bag, stick with that, you shouldn't need both. In my school younger children tend to just have a book bag, older ones prefer a rucksack type bag.

[cjbartlett]

Crossed posts with pinky

[suzikettles]

Thanks all.

We're in Scotland so didn't get the Bookstart stuff from the HV.

I do however have any number of cloth bags of that sort of size from various conferences etc so he can use one of those if it turns out he needs it.

[AuntieMonica]

and they keep books nice and flat

it's ok to put your reading book into your back-pack until your lunchtime drink/half-eaten yoghurt leaks all over everything else [groans]

[jamdonut]

Any bag wil do (at our school) even plastic poly-pockets, as long as the book,and reading diary are returned each day in a reasonable condition, for us to check through!

[Ineedacleaneriamalazyslattern]

We're also in scotland we do get bookstart but not in a book bag.
At our dd's school they supply logo bookbags.
Reading book, reading record and any notes back and forth go in these bags. The dc leave their schoolbag with their playpiece and any other stuff on their peg and don't take it to the classroom at all. They take the bookbag because they fit in his tray.

I also never seen the point in the gym bag but bought a cheap drawstring one in the end, dd leaves her PE kit in school and it comes home periodically for washing so it is handy to have something as a pe bag so everything goes back into it after gym time and is kept together.

[Ineedacleaneriamalazyslattern]

Oh and the book bags are more water proof than a canvas bag but a plastic wallet type thing would def do the same job.

[treesinthebreeze]

As others have said, it keeps the reading book flat (less likely of damage), easy to store in child's tray/box so easy to get to when needed and (supposedly!) keeps it away from snacks/water bottles. So many of our books are damaged or runied due to leaking water bottles!

[nickelbabe]

I could send you a book bag - mine are unbleached cotton with long handles (kids put them over their necks like a satchel)
but it's got my shop logo on, so i don't know if it'd count

[Linnet]

I'm also in Scotland and our school gives the kids a clear plastic folder with a handle on at the start of term and that is used for their reading book, any homework sheets, school notes etc. My dd says theirs are dumped in a box and the teacher goes through them at some point in the day to check the homework books, change the reading book etc.
Dd2's folder ripped and we used her bookstart bag one term, which she then wrote all over with her friends.

The school next to ours has a book bag with velcro and the school logo on it, so your school must also have these if it's on the list. You should have got your bookstart packs from your local library if you didn't get them from the HV, bit to late now to ask sadly.

[blackeyedsusan]

the school office stff lokked at me as though i had 2 heads when i asked them about bookbags.. they are the one school that i have come acoss that do not sell them in the office and I have worked in quite a few.

[Seona1973]

dd's school doesnt use a bookbag or a PE bag and books, PE kit, etc just go into her school bag. The other school on the campus (it is a combined campus with a catholic school and non-denominational school on the same grounds) does use a book bag.

[ChasingSquirrels]

my kids have a bookbag (funded for every child by the PTA) and a school bag (rucksack).
Rucksack holds;

• bookbag
  
• lunch box
  
• water bottle
  
• any other stuff they decide to take.

[elphabadefiesgravity]

At dd's school reception, year 1 and year 2 have bookbags then year 3 and above have rucksacks.

Bookbags are very useful for the llittle ones, letters can be inserted, they don't take up speace and the teacher can go in them and check the contact books.

[kipperandtiger]

An ugly bit of extra expense?? Haha. I would have thought the school bag was sufficient, unless what they mean is a cheap plastic folder or nylon drawstring pouch to stop books from getting ruined if a water bottle leaked or yogurt pot got punctured.....

[Ormirian]

It's a bag...... for BOOKS!



Actually more like a little brief case. DS2 is using a third hand one.

[piprabbit]

In DDs school the book bags are stored in the child's drawer - so need to be nice and flat with minimal bulk from pockets etc.

They don't use a separate school bag - everything goes in the book bags except PT stuff (in PE bag) and lunch stuff (in lunchbag/box).

[suzikettles]

Thanks all. I think I'll hold fire on buying anything else until he starts and I can see what they're using. I've got plenty of bags/folders etc about the place that he could use if he needs to.

[Ormirian]

Same as piprabbit. No school bags until secondary school round here.