5 of the cutest backpacks and lunch boxes to give you a head start on back to school

With lots of kids heading back to school in early August, and September really not that far behind, it's not too soon to start thinking about back to school. Especially when they're some of the most adorable backpacks and lunch boxes you'll see, and at an extra special discount too. We've been longtime fans of mom-run business Apple Park and their eco-friendly gifts and gear for babies kids, featuring them on our site almost exactly six years ago (wow!), and now we're so thrilled to welcome them as a sponsor. Their ridiculously cute back to school goodies, including backpacks, lunchpacks, and snackpacks, are huge parent favorites, all thoughtfully made from PET durable canvas that saves up to 27 water bottles from the landfill. So cool. And, they've recently added big kid-sized backpacks to the mix to accommodate bigger folders and binders, so your elementary-age kids can wear their favorite animal on their back, too. Here, our 5 favorites from Apple Park to help get you all set for back to school. This way, you can get back to enjoying the last part of summer with at least one thing (or more) checked off your list.

Don't miss the exclusive discount below! 

The purple owl big kid backpack is perfect for your kindergarten or first grader that needs a little more room than they did in pre-k, with an inside pocket and an outer zip pouch. And get this: these eco-friendly backpacks are dishwasher and washing machine safe (so smart!).

Reusable snack bags can save you so much money, and help save the environment, which is why we love them so much. You can pack this raccoon snackpack with a sandwich, snacks, or even school supplies.

And those of you who love to coordinate lunchbags and backpacks, will love that Apple Park offers just that. You can match up that fun raccoon snackpack with a lunchpack and a backpack, so there's absolutely no confusion without names or labels.

You can be sure your child won't be losing this bat lunchpack in the sea of bags at school. It's fully insulated, plus features an inner mesh pocket for an ice pack, with plenty of room for your favorite lunch box containers.

The little kid backpacks, like this penguin, are sized for your toddlers and preschoolers headed to nursery school and pre-k this fall. There's plenty of room for snacks for school, and all the coloring pages that are sure to come home with them.

Special discount for Cool Mom Picks readers: Save 20% on your Apple Park purchase with code CMP20 through 8/8/2016. They've got lots of other cool items too, from baby gifts and toys to pajamas, blankets, and more.

Thanks so much to our sponsor Apple Park for making such wonderful eco-friendly products that really make a difference in saving the earth, and make our kids smile too.