Best Smart Watches for Kids Australia 2026: Spacetalk vs Apple vs Garmin
The moment usually arrives around Year 3 or 4: your child wants to walk to a friend’s house, catch…
9 min read, compares 4 products
School Essentials
Compare 19 popular school backpacks side-by-side to find the right fit for your child and budget. Our independent comparison lets you check prices, features and specs at a glance across Kmart, Big W, Smiggle, Spencil and Montii Co.
Top picks in School Essentials
approx. RRP $54.95
Read review →
approx. RRP $89
Read review →
approx. RRP $120
Read review →
approx. RRP $60
Read review →
Buying guides and reviews 3
See all guides →Start here: our in-depth, head-to-head guides for this category.
Best Kids Raincoat Australia 2026: Waterproof That Actually Works (Winter Ready)
If you’ve ever sent your little one off to school on a drizzly Sydney morning only to have them…
10 min read, compares 6 products
Best Kids Headphones Australia 2026: Volume Limiting That Actually Works (Hearing-Safe)
If you’ve ever watched your child crank up the volume on their tablet until you could hear Bluey from…
10 min read, compares 7 products
Tick any to compare side-by-side.
Montii Comum. Approved
Montii Co Ergonomic Backpack
★ Best ergonomic design
PlanetBoxmum. Approved
PlanetBox Rover
★ Best premium lunchboxSpencilmum. Approved
Spencil Ergonomic Backpack
★ Best for heavy loadsPottery Barn Kidsmum. Approved
Classic Personalised Backpack + Lunchbox Set
★ Best personalised set
Sistemamum. Approved
Sistema Bento Lunch Box
★ Best value all-rounder
Smash
Smash Bento Box
Best simple bentoThermosmum. Approved
Thermos FUNtainer Lunch Kit
★ Best for hot days
Lunchbots
Lunchbots Trio
Best for portion controlPuro Sound Labsmum. Approved
Puro Sound Labs BT2200
★ Best overall headphones
JLab
JLab JBuddies Studio BT
Best mid-range wireless
Belkin
Belkin SoundForm Mini
Best wired value
Sony
Sony MDRZX110APL Kids
Best simple wiredGarmin
Garmin Bounce
Best for active kidsOnanoff
Onanoff BuddyPhones Explore+
Best for volume controlOnanoff
Onanoff BuddyPhones School+
Best for school useSpacetalkmum. Approved
Spacetalk Adventure 2
★ Best for independent commutingSpacetalk
Spacetalk Loop2
Best for younger kidsApple
Apple Watch SE
Best for Apple familiesNo products match these filters.
Also price-tracked 72
Stocked at two or more retailers we track, so you can compare prices. We have not reviewed these, so they carry no mum. Approved badge. Showing the 72 with the strongest price coverage, of 103 we track in this category.
BEABA
Beaba Formula And Snack Container, Sage Green/Cotton
Mushie
Mushie Training Cup & Straw
Beaba
Beaba Formula And Snack Container
Beaba
Beaba Stainless Steel Straw Cup 250ml
Skip Hop
Skip Hop Stainless Steel Canteen Bottle Green
OXO Tot
OXO Tot Adventure Water Bottle, Dusk
Done by Deer
Done by deer Metal Bottle Croco Green
Mushie
Mushie Snack Cup
Mininor
Mininor Straw Bottle Tritan 220ml, WILLOW GREEN
Mininor
Mininor Straw Bottle Tritan 220ml, ROSE
OXO Tot
OXO Tot Adventure Water Bottle, Opal
OXO Tot
OXO Tot Transitions 9oz Straw Cup, Blossom
OXO Tot
OXO Tot Transitions 9oz Straw Cup, Dusk
OXO Tot
OXO Tot Transitions 9oz Straw Cup, Opal
BEABA
Beaba Formula and Snack Container, Mineral Grey/Blue
Done By Deer
Done By Deer To Go Lunch Bowl Green
Skip Hop
Skip Hop Zoo Insulated Food Jar Fox
B.Box
B.box SPORT SPOUT BOTTLE 450ML, Chill Out
B.Box
B.box SPORT SPOUT BOTTLE 450ML, Blush Crush
b.box
b.box Snackbox
Done By Deer
Done By Deer Baby Food Container 3-Pack Croco Green
Skip Hop
Skip Hop Zoo Snack Cup-Fox
B.Box
B.Box Snackbox, Blush Crush
The Somewhere Co.
Mini Bento Lunch Box, Sun Dash
Haakaa
Haakaa Silicone Sip-N-Snack Cup
b.box
b.box Lunchbox
Mushie
Mushie Sippy Cup
Done By Deer
Done By Deer Straw Bottle
The Somewhere Co.
Mini Lunch Case, Sun Dash
The Somewhere Co.
Mini Lunch Case, Berry Patch
Subo
Subo Food Bottle, Mint
Subo
Subo Food Bottle, Pink
Subo
Subo Food Bottle, Duck Egg Blue
Done By Deer
Done By Deer To Go 2-Way Snack Container Birdee Sand
Pigeon
Pigeon Startouch Toddler Cup
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mr. Triceratops
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mrs. Rabbit
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mr. Dragon
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mrs. Butterfly
bbox
BBox Mini Lunchbox, Flamingo Fizz
bbox
BBox Mini Lunchbox, Sugar Plum
bbox
Harry Potter by b.box, Insulated Lunch Bag
bbox
BBox Flexi Insulated Lunch Bag, Basic Black
bbox
Harry Potter by b.box, 600mL Tritan Drink Bottle
bbox
Silicone Bento Tray Lunch Box
bbox
BBox Snack Tubs
bbox
Bluey by b.box, Insulated Lunch Bag
bbox
Harry Potter by b.box Mini Lunch Box
bbox
Bluey by b.box Mini Lunch Box
bbox
BBox 690mL Insulated Flip Top Bottle, Sea Glass
bbox
Harry Potter by b.box Lunch Box
bbox
Bluey by b.box Lunch Box
bbox
BBox Mini Lunch Box, Night Vision
bbox
BBox Insulated Food Jar, Emerald Forest
bbox
BBox Insulated Food Bar, Blue Slate
bbox
BBox Insulated Food Jar, Blush Brush
Suavinex
Suavinex Wonderland Thermos, Blue Turquoise
Suavinex
Suavinex Wonderland Thermos, Liberty
Suavinex
Suavinex Wonderland Thermos, Pink
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mr. Shark
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mrs. Unicorn
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mr. Fox
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mr. Penguin
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mr. Dino
Trixie
Trixie Bottle 350ml, Mrs. Elephant
bbox
BBox Lunch Box
bbox
BBox Insulated Flip Top 1 Litre Bottle, Shadow
bbox
BBox Flexi Insulated Lunch Bag, Deep Blue
bbox
BBox Insulated Flip Top 1 Litre Bottle, Batman
bbox
BBox Insulated Flip Top 1 Litre Bottle, Pink Paradise
bbox
BBox Insulated Flip Top 1 Litre Bottle, Midnight
Hegen
Hegen PCTO 330ml Drinking Bottle PPSU (24 Months +)
No tracked products match these filters.
How to choose school essentials in Australia
When choosing school essentials, durability and ease of cleaning should top your list, especially for lunch boxes and bags that cop daily wear. Look for BPA-free containers that seal properly (nothing worse than leaking yoghurt in a backpack), and check that drink bottles fit in your chosen lunch bag. For headphones, volume-limiting features are crucial for protecting young ears, and Australian safety standards (AS/NZS) apply to many products, so keep an eye out for compliance marks. Budget matters too. Kmart and Big W offer solid basics that survive the school year without breaking the bank, while brands like Smiggle and Bbox sit at higher price points with extra features and designs kids love. Consider whether your child needs character themes that might date quickly, or neutral options that work across multiple years. Adjustable straps, padded backs and water-resistant fabrics make backpacks more comfortable and practical for Australian conditions.
How we compare. mum.com.au reviews are independent. We research every product and compare them honestly. A ✓ Verified price is one we’ve checked live at the named retailer; approx. RRP is an indicative recommended price from our research, not a live retailer price. Always check the retailer for the latest price.