How to Cut Toddlers and Kids Hair at Home

It is not uncommon for parents to cut their toddler’s hair at home, but as they get older it becomes a much more complicated task. In times of lockdowns and social distancing, you will soon have a hair mess in your hands that need to be decently sorted. While most people aren’t skilled with hairdressing, if you can handle a pair of scissors skillfully, the rest isn’t so hard. Continue reading for all you need to learn about how to trim kids hair at home.

Should You Try to Cut Your Toddler’s Hair?

If you are too apprehensive about it, you can always take your toddler to a salon that specializes in cutting the hair of babies. Since kids move unpredictably sometimes most parents are afraid of having any sharp objects around their babies, let alone a scissor! But if you are up for it and have some confidence in your own ability then it can be done with a certain degree of safety. Hair trimmers these days come with a range of combing accessories that let you trim hair to any length you wish. Therefore if you’re too apprehensive about using scissors, hair trimmers are the safest option you have.

Tips for Cutting Child’s Hair at Home

For a first-timer cutting your child’s hair can seem tricky at first, so here are some useful tips to get it right.

1. Watch Tutorial Videos

There is nothing like a video tutorial that gives you the best idea about how to go about cutting your child’s hair. A number of parents who run their own channels offer some great advice on how to cut a child’s hair right and the pitfalls to watch out for. Videos offer a unique perspective and complete details on getting the finer aspects of the activity right. They are less confusing and offer plenty of insights into different types of hairstyles and how to choose one for your child.

2. Get the Right Tools

The right tools can mean the difference between a sharp hair cut and an embarrassment. Order hairstyling scissors online and a few varieties suited for different types of hair cut. Your kitchen or bathroom shears won’t do the job as they are designed for a different purpose. Frizzy hair for example is best handled with a serrated scissor as the blades can better grip the hair to give a straight cut. They are ideal for beginners and are also used by hairdressing students initially as they learn. You will also need broad and finer teeth comb to tame the hair and prepare them for a cut. A spray bottle, apron and hairdryer are also essential tools.

3. Keep Them Busy

Staying still is the key element to great haircuts or any haircuts! The major hurdle all parents have to face while giving their kids a hair cut is to get them to sit still. The best way to do it is to keep them distracted with something that holds their attention for a while, like your tablet or their favorite toy. Watching videos or playing games on the screen will keep them still enough for you to quickly give them a hair cut without much hassle. Avoid giving them treats such as lollipops to buy their compliance as it can get messy with some hair inevitably falling on the treat.

4. Ask the Professionals

If you’re going to have to give them a hair cut during a social distancing lockdown or in the middle of a vacation far from hairdressers, you can always consult with their regular hairdresser for tips. You would often need help with simpler and finer details that make a big difference with the chop and these can only come from a professional. When in doubt do not hesitate to ask for tips on how to get it right or how to give your kid the trendiest hair cut. You could also go on online forums and drop questions to professionals and get some cool expert advice well in advance before a haircut.

5. Allow Them to Choose

Your kids will love the haircut time and cooperate more if you allow them to express themselves and guide the process. Before you go about deciding it as them the kind of hairstyle they would like and make corrections if needed in between. If they don’t like something, do not impose what you feel is good for them. Sure many parents might not want to give the boys a Mohawk or color the hair bright, but if they love it then it is better you allow them to choose unless it goes against their school policies. If it’s during a lockdown then there’s no harm in experimenting even with the most ridiculous styles!

6. Keep the Pace Slow

You’re not a professional who can sail their way through a hair cut with their eyes closed, so take it slow. You will have parts of the haircut where you will inevitably goof something up, or worse snip the ear lobes if you rush through. Getting the hair even or to line up to snip with your scissors perfectly takes practice, therefore, go through it slowly and cautiously. That also doesn’t mean you’re going so slow that your kid gets bored and starts fidgeting. It would be perfect if you make the haircut at home a fun experience so it doesn’t become boring.

7. Begin With a Style in Mind

Once you begin cutting the hair, there is no turning back and you will only have a few options left to fix it if it doesn’t go well. Therefore start with a plan for the type of haircut you want and how to go about it. Break it down into steps and envision each one and the amount of hair that gets cut and the direction from which you begin. Since the cutting method and order varies with each hairstyle you will have to go through your video tutorials thoroughly and create a plan for how you will approach it and what you will do if things don’t go according to plan.

8. Understand the Texture

Different hair textures require modified approaches and a slightly different set of tools to get the haircut right. Serrated scissors work well for frizzy rough hair while normal shears do well for straight hair. The same applies to clippers that make quick work of smooth straight hair but tends to get jammed in rough curls. Whatever might be your kid’s hair texture, starting with moist hair is the key to manage the hair. Wet hair is easier to cut and yields well to the tools. Keep in mind however that hair expands when it is moist therefore leave behind a margin or you might end up cutting it too short.

9. Start Small

Success with cutting hair the first time depends on how carefully you approach it. Start small and keep track of your progress as it is easy to over-cut the hair if you’re chopping off big sections. Take small snips rather than big chops so even if the hair seems long at the end of you, you can always put in a little extra work and get it right. Use both clippers and scissors wherever they are necessary. While scissors are excellent for controlling the exact trim of the hair, clippers give you a more uniform cut over a broad area. Clippers also come with accessories that let you cut precisely to the length needed and get it done quickly as well.

10. Get Help

If your child won’t stay in one place, get a family member involved. Your spouse is the ideal person to be there but an older sibling might love to do it just as much. Have the child sit on their lap while they hold them securely without sudden movements. Your child might also feel safer and more comfortable sitting in someone’s lap while getting a haircut.

How to Cut Your Toddler’s Hair

Cutting your toddler’s hair really isn’t as daunting as you might have imagined. Here are six important tips to keep in mind as you go about it:

1. Prepare your saloon area

Set up your place and have all the equipment at hand. Get a secure chair for them, comb, towel and barber shears. Other scissors are not recommended for the first time as the barber’s shears are the easiest to use. Have your toddler seated on a chair and ask a family member for help if they are available.

2. Wet the hair

Wet hair is easy to cut as it gives your shears a good grip between the blades. If you don’t want to shampoo or wash their hair first, then use a spritz bottle to dampen the hair. Comb the damp hair uniformly before starting from any side. If possible allow them to play with the spritz bottle to build familiarity so they won’t get startled.

3. Take it slow

Start with snipping small bits of hair. Toddlers are quite squirmy so you have to take frequent breaks to settle them before going ahead with the cut.

4. Start from the front

Trim off the hair in the front first as it can get annoying once you have dampened and combed it. Try and quickly get through the bangs when you cut a little girl’s hair before her patience wanes. Move to the other sides with the front as the reference.

5. Make small cuts

Start by trimming it in small bits when you cut little boys hair, especially if you are keeping it short. This way you can control the hair cut and change if something doesn’t look right.

6. Make it a big deal

Get them all excited about the hair cut by making it seem like a big deal. Once done, make it a big reveal in front of the mirror and praise them for sitting still patiently throughout.

How to Cut Kids Hair

Whether you have to cut little girls curly hair or a small boy’s short hair, knowing the right basic techniques can help you approach it with ease. Here is how to go about handling different hair types and haircuts:

1. Short Hair

Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

• To cut short hair, start with sectioning it so you can get a control of how much to cut on each side. Use a comb with wide teeth and divide the hair into a four-section grid.
• Start from the top section by using a comb to pull up a thin section from the left side and trim about 1/4th of an inch while moving forwards and backwards. Repeat on the other side.
• Using the already cut sections of hair from the top as a reference, get to work trimming the back section.
• After the top and back have been cut to a satisfactory length, trim the sides to taper the hair off proportionately.

2. Medium to Long Hair

Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

• Divide the hair into top and back sections using a wide-toothed comb. Part the hair into 1-inch wide lengths from the back of one ear and move it over to the other side and clip it. Do it for both sides on the top.
• Using a fine-toothed comb straighten out the back hair and holding it between your index and middle finger apply a little tension to uniformly spread it out. Cut small sections at the end from left to right.
• Unclip the last section above and trim it exactly like the back section using the back section hair as a reference.
• Unclip each parted hair section similarly and continue trimming using the cut sections of the hair as a guide to get your final look.

3. Using a Clipper

Source: Pinterest

• It is easy to cut little boys hair with clippers especially when they have short hair. Follow the same procedure as outlined earlier to divide the hair into sections.
• Depending on long your kid wants his hair to be, use a guard that will cut the hair to the desired length. You can start with No 3 and work your way up from the sides.
• To cut a fade, change the guard to a No 2 and start trimming from the nape of the neck all the way to the bottom of the crown. Use light arc motions to get the trim perfectly.
• Remove the guard and use the clipper to clean hairlines in the end. Be sure to have the sideburns done before you get to the last step.

4. For Bangs

Source: Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

• Wet the hair and use a wide-toothed comb to even out and cut the bangs to stay even with the middle of the eyes.
• To cut triangular shaped bangs comb from a starting point of your choice and move out to the sides of the eyebrows. Always start narrow and work your way out.
• To cut bangs straight across start with an inch and a half from the forehead and part the hair horizontally. Clip the remaining hair back and cut across.

Cutting your kid’s hair might seem daunting at first but with patience and a slow pace you can get it perfect on the very first time. Watch plenty of videos and tutorials for the little tips on the finer details that matter.

Also Read:

Hair Fall in Children
Hair Conditions in Toddlers
Premature White and Grey Hair in Children