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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
Tania Leslau

Best light up backpacks 2024: Fun designs for kids

If you want to curry favour with your child, buy them a light-up backpack.

Ideal for both tech-savvy children and budding creatives, LED backpacks can be customised to suit any pre-teen age, gender and personality. From girlish florals to futuristic robots and more, there are ample designs to adorn your child's back as they trot off to school.

While the decorative features may be endless, light-adorned backpacks are surprisingly hard to get your hands on. They are far from being a mainstream choice in the realm of kid accessories. Many parents tend to opt for more practical staples, such as mini Herschel’s, Smiggle’s finest or Fjällräven if they are feeling partially trendy. Yet, LED backpacks come complete with all the features to ensure it's a well-rounded choice for your youngster to use on a daily basis.

Comfort-forward, breathable fabrics are enhanced by spacious interiors fitted with pockets and waterproof elements that promise a worthy purchase. Most options further include USB chargers to power the bag and a downloadable app for your phone, where parents and offspring can customise prints and GIF animations on the exterior of the backpack. A wildly wholesome activity to do with your youngster. 

(Pexels)

Plus, they aren’t solely aesthetic. Light-up backpacks ensure your child is visible when walking at night or crossing roads. The vibrant bolts of colour emerging from their illuminated backs will help drivers and passersby spot them with ease, not to mention spark accessory envy among their lightless school peers.

Finding the motivation to roll out of bed, slip into a starched school uniform and begrudgingly plod to school before the sun rises is not the most joyous of routines, whether you’re eight or eighteen. Brighten up their day and treat them to a luminescent backpack that will exercise their creativity and position them as the artistic kingpin of the playground.

Shop now

Kono Casual Backpack 15.6 inch Laptop Rucksack

This stand-out backpack sparks conversation. Kono’s rucksack is suitable for all ages and will easily house a laptop, books, P.E. kit and more. An anime design on the exterior has glow-in-the-dark properties, making the accessory a non-electrical piece for easy wear. How does it work? The bag will absorb light during the daytime and will subsequently glow for four to six hours.

Strap on using the ergonomic handles and they’ll jet off to school in style.

Buy now £23.99, Amazon

Kocan LED Colour Screen Customisable Backpack

From picturesque mountain vistas to simple smileys, there are endless graphics to pepper your little one’s back thanks to Kocan. Download the app onto your phone and pair it with the bag to publish text, images and animations that are bound to enthral your child.

The piece is as practical as it is pretty. Padded straps support your child's back and shoulders, while mesh detailing offers ventilation across the body. Waterproof PU leather combats the rain when the British drizzle sets in.

Buy now £65.24, Amazon

Temu 1PC Led Backpack With Programmable Full Colour Screen

Write lyrics, spray graffiti and send messages to friends or onlookers with Temu’s programmable backpack. Choose from black, blue and pink backdrops to frame a dazzling graphic of your choice. Create a woodland filled with rabbits or a campsite setting complete with flames. Whatever the scene, it’s set to intrigue.

Inside the bag, you’ll find a spacious main compartment fitted with a USB cable, a pencil case space, a tablet bag, a file holder and more. Tuck in your belongings, zip up, and go.

Buy now £80.09, Temu

Crelander Laptop Backpack

Non-techy parents will appreciate the simplicity of Crelander’s light-up backpack. Once the app has been paired with the crafty piece, you can select a prepared text, image or GIF that will magically appear on the bag’s screen. Alternatively, create your own icon with your child to add a personal touch to their everyday attire.

The waterproof exterior will keep the rain away, while the capacious interior can be filled as they please. Pixel lovers will adore this user-friendly staple, which makes for a unique gift for experimental kids.

Buy now £112.00, Amazon

Divoom Pixoo Pixel Art Laptop Backpack

Divoom’s Instagram-popular bag is a budding graphic designer’s dream. Create real-time drawings using the Divoom app displayed on the backpack and impress with your artistic skills. The app is compatible with iOS and Android systems and can be downloaded from the Google Store or App Store.

A more high-tech piece which may require parental guidance, this child and adult-friendly item showcases a handy laptop sleeve for commuters and soft padding for youngsters. Spend quality time together and customise your very own pixel art or download other artworks on the app.

Buy now £139.99, Amazon

Temu Waterproof Sling Bag With LED Display

Enjoy some funky graphics on a smaller scale with Temu’s super sling bag to use during downtime. As with the backpack versions, this bum bag design can display any pixel art of your making or choosing. Write words, draw sea critters or recreate your favourite Pokémon for all to see and marvel at. Nonchalantly wear across the back or front and cue the compliments.

Buy now £49.98, Temu

Etsy Led Display Rucksack

School style is a breeze with this LED display backpack in tow. Assemble books in the generous two-litre main compartment and organise stationary like a pro thanks to the multitude of extra pockets. Forget lugging hefty bags around, this one is a lightweight pick weighing just 1kg, meaning they can sashay to school with ease. A waterproof Oxford fabric exterior protects both the bag and its contents, while the customisable graphics make the number an unbeatable school sidekick.

Buy now £60.00, Etsy

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