Heavy School
Bags
Children and bag weights
 The bag should not weigh more than 10% of
the childs’ weight.
 Thus a 50kg child should only carry 5kgs
maximum!
 The bag weight needs to be against the
spine, and not hanging from the spine.
Weights of stationary
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Small text book :
Medium Text book :
Large text book :
Exam pad :
72pg :
96pg :
192pg :
288pg :
Ring file :
Lever arch file:
School bag :
400g
800g
1.2kg
320g
200g
300g
470g
760g
250g
450g
1.3kg
6.45 kg
Thus the child
would need to
weigh 64.5kg to
carry one of each
item! And the lunch
and pencil bag are
not yet included!
Different subjects book weights
Light subject
Total
weight
72pg :200g
Medium
Heavy
subject
subject
192pg: 470g 288pg: 760g
Small text book:
400g
Medium text Large text
book: 800g book: 1.2kg
File/notes:250g
File: 250g
File: 450g
850g
1.53kg
2.410kg
4.79kgs
Mix them up, result the same
Total
weight
72pg :200g
288pg: 760g 192pg: 470g
Large text book:
1.2kg
Medium text Small text
book: 800g book: 400g
File/notes:250g
File: 250g
File: 450g
1.65kgs
1.81kgs
1.32kgs
4.79kgs
Time tables and subjects
 Most timetables allow for 5 – 6 subjects per
day.
 Thus a child has to carry for 5 – 6 subjects
every day.
 Each teacher insists that all the books for that
subject are at class……. Let us see what that
means for the child’s back!
Weight of the bag for a day!
2 heavy subjects
2 medium subjects
2 light subjects
2.41kg x 2
1.53kg x 2
0.85kg x 2
8.73kg
1 heavy subject
2 medium subjects
2 light subjects
2.41kg x 1
1.53kg x 2
0.85kg x 2
6.32kg
2 heavy subjects
1 medium subject
2 light subjects
2.41kg x 2
1.53kg x 1
0.85kg x 2
8.05kg
2 heavy subjects
2 medium subjects
1 light subject
2.41kg x 2
1.53kg x 2
0.85kg x 1
7.88kg
6 heavy
2.41kg x 6
14.46kg
Add lunch and pencils!
School bag
@ 1.3kg
Lunch/pencil bag @
0.5kg
8.73kg
10.03kg
10.53kg
6.32kg
7.62kg
8.12kg
8.05kg
9.35kg
9.85kg
7.88kg
9.18kg
9.68kg
14.46kg
15.76kg
16.26kg
What should they carry?
Weight of
child
Weight that
should be
carried - 10%
Actual weight
of bag
Weight of
child needed!
Percentage of
childs weight
40kg
4kg
10.53kg
105.3kg
26.32%
40kg
4kg
8.12kg
81.2kg
20.3%
40kg
4kg
9.85kg
98.5kg
24.63%
40kg
4kg
9.68kg
96.8kg
24.2%
40kg
4kg
16.26kg
162.6kg
40.65%
And for an older child….
Weight of child
Weight that
should be
carried - 10%
Actual weight of
bag
Weight of child
needed!
Percentage of
child’s weight
60kg
6kg
10.53kg
105.3kg
17.55 %
60kg
6kg
8.12kg
81.2kg
13.53%
60kg
6kg
9.85kg
98.5kg
16.41%
60kg
6kg
9.68kg
96.8kg
16.13
60kg
6kg
16.26kg
162.6kg
27.1%
In a nutshell……..
 Most children are carrying 3 – 30 % more
than is healthy for them.
 The long term effects will only be felt when
they have left school!
 Even the best bag in the world needs
parents, teachers and schools to help solve
this issue.
The solution!
 Parents need to contribute.
 Teachers need to contribute
 Children need to do their bit too!
Teachers/Schools
 Install lockers, in a convenient place for the children to
access between lessons. It should not take more than 2 minutes for
the child to reach the locker.
 Teach the children how to use the lockers. Take only the
books you need until the next break.
 Allow time for the children to use the locker.
 Use thinner books. Why make them carry a 288pg? Use 72 or 96 pg,
and bring a new book when the first one is full!
 Plan your week and share this plan with the children. Do
not change the plan on the day so that the children are in
trouble for not having their books there! If you say you are
doing literature on Weds, then do literature on Weds. Then all the children
need only bring literature books, saving a lot of weight on their backs.
Parents
 Buy the best bag you can afford.
It should have
an internal frame to keep the weight of the books against the
spine, and not hanging from the spine. This also protects the
books!
 Encourage/teach your child to use the
lockers.
 Encourage/teach your child to unpack and
repack everyday so as not to carry
unnecessary books and clutter with them.
 Speak to your school to use thinner books,
install lockers etc.
Children
 Unpack and repack your bag daily.
 Carry your bag using BOTH shoulder straps.
 Speak to your teachers if you are carrying too
many books, to find a solution.
 Use your locker effectively. Take only as
many books as you need until your next
break!