Hairstyles For Kids

8 Easy Hairstyles for Kids (Plus Tips for Squirmy Kids)

Bygulfdecorideas

Styling a young kid’s hair comes with a constraint most adult hairstyle guides skip entirely: how long they’ll actually sit still. The 8 styles below are picked specifically for young children — quick to do, forgiving of a wiggly kid, and using nothing sharper or hotter than a comb and hair ties.

In This Guide

8 Hairstyles for Young Kids

1. Basic Ponytail or Pigtails

Time: under a minute. The single fastest, most forgiving option for both girls and boys with longer hair — no technique to get wrong, just gather and secure.

2. Space Buns

Time: 2 minutes. Two even sections gathered into buns on top of the head. A step up in cuteness from pigtails with barely more effort or sitting-still time required.

3. Simple Braid

Time: 2-3 minutes. One standard three-strand braid down the back or to one side. The easiest braid to learn and forgiving of small mistakes since a slightly uneven braid still looks intentional on a young kid.

4. French Braid Pigtails

Time: 5-8 minutes. Two French braids from the front hairline down into pigtails. Takes longer and needs a bit of practice, but holds up through an entire school or play day without loosening.

5. Buzz Cut or Crew Cut (Boys)

Time: zero daily styling. For boys with short hair, a buzz cut or crew cut needs nothing beyond a towel-dry. See our low-maintenance boys’ haircuts guide for more options in this range.

6. Twist-Out or Braid-Out (Curly/Coily Hair)

Time: done the night before, no morning effort. Small twists or braids set overnight and taken out in the morning leave defined curls with zero active styling time on a school morning.

7. Headband or Clip Half-Up

Time: under a minute. The front section is pulled back with a headband or clip, rest left down. Works for both boys and girls with hair long enough to fall past the eyes.

8. Bantu Knots

Time: 5-10 minutes. Small sections wound into knots close to the scalp. A protective option for curly and coily hair that also doubles as an overnight set for defined curls the next day.

4 Tips for Styling a Young Child’s Hair

  • Do styling during a screen or show. A few minutes of a favorite video buys enough stillness for most of the styles above, especially braids that need continuous sectioning.
  • Use a wide-tooth comb, not a brush, on wet or curly hair. A brush is more likely to snag and cause the tugging that makes kids dread hair time in the first place.
  • Keep a detangling spray on hand. A light leave-in or detangling spray makes combing noticeably less painful, especially for curly or coily hair prone to knots.
  • Let older kids choose the style. A child who picks their own hairstyle from a couple of options tends to sit still more willingly than one who feels it’s being done to them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the fastest hairstyle for a squirmy toddler?

A basic ponytail or pigtails — no braiding technique needed, just gather and secure, which usually takes under a minute even with a wiggling child.

How can hair styling be made less painful for kids with curly hair?

A detangling spray applied before combing, a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush, and combing from the ends upward rather than starting at the roots all reduce the tugging that makes hair time painful.

At what age can kids start learning to braid their own hair?

Most children can start practicing basic three-strand braids around age 7-9, though this varies by fine motor development — starting on a doll or their own ponytail first often helps before attempting it on their full head.

Do overnight styles like twist-outs work on young kids?

Yes — twists or braids set the night before and taken out in the morning are one of the lowest-effort options for curly or coily hair since there’s no active morning styling time needed.

What hairstyle holds up best through a full day of school and recess?

French braid pigtails and Bantu knots hold the longest without loosening, since the braided or wound structure resists the movement and friction of active play better than a loose ponytail.

Final Thoughts

For daily school mornings, stick to the fastest options — a basic ponytail, space buns, or a headband half-up all take under two minutes. Save French braid pigtails or Bantu knots for days with a bit more time, or set them the night before to skip the morning rush entirely. For teens ready for more independence styling their own hair, see our guide to cute hairstyles for teens.

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