TikTok 'Kiddie backpack' trend sweeping high schools with nostalgia

A new trend sweeping TikTok has high schoolers ditching their oversized, trendy backpacks for something a little more… well… childish.

The so-called "kiddie backpack" trend sees high school seniors rocking backpacks with the same characters they adored as children, like Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob, and Spider-Man.

"Since it's our last year, we don't really care," said Henry Garcia. "We're holding on to that little something that we used to have as little kids."

But is this TikTok trend just a lighthearted flashback, or evidence of something deeper? According to developmental psychologist Nava Silton, it could be both. 

"I think that these are students who have some anxiety about the future, and it's really nice to have a throwback to a time that was familiar and creative and fun. So it gives them that opportunity to go back in time a little bit, appreciate those familiar characters, and feel a sense of calm," said Silton.

According to Silton, while the trend is all fun and games, parents should still pay close attention to their children.

"I understand it can break some societal norms and make kids feel comfortable and hark back to their past in a fun way. But if kids are really, really fixated on the past, if they're super anxious about the future and it really impacts their daily life, they can't function in daily life because of that anxiety and fear for the future, that's when I would get more a bit more concern and ensure that I consulted with a mental health professional," Silton said.