Easy Curly Braids for Kids Who Hate Hair Time: 8 Quick Ideas

If your child cries at the sight of a brush, you already know the problem behind hairstyles for kids who hate hair brushing. The morning turns into a battle, the curls knot overnight, and every brush stroke hurts. Braids fix the battle itself, because braided hair does not knot the way loose curls do, so there is less to brush in the morning and less to cry about. That is the whole idea behind these Curly Braids for Kids who hate hair brushing: eight quick, loose, gentle braids that keep curls tidy without pulling tight.

The 8 styles below are grouped by the moment you need them: three for school mornings that take under 5 minutes, three for play days that stay put until bedtime, and two for picture day and parties. Every one is loose and gentle, none of them pulls tight, and none of them needs a salon visit or a long sit still.

How to Make Hair Time Painless

Before the styles, the method. Spray detangler on damp curls first, then comb with a wide tooth comb from the ends up, never from the roots down. Never brush dry curls, because dry curls snag and hurt. Let your child choose between two styles, so hair time feels like her choice, not a chore. Distract with a song or a show while you braid, and keep your hands loose and quick. If mornings are rushed, braid the night before, so the morning is only a quick check and a clip. And never pull tight. A braid should feel comfortable the second it is finished. If it hurts, it is too tight, so loosen it or take it out and start again. The same loose and quick logic works for grown ups too, and our 10 curly braided hairstyles for busy moms uses it for mornings when you have only a few minutes for yourself.

School Mornings, Under 5 Minutes

These three are the fastest in the list, made for mornings when the school bus is coming and patience is short. Each one takes 3 to 5 minutes, and each one keeps the front neat while the curls stay free. For more quick school morning ideas, our 12 easy hairstyles for long curly hair for school has styles that work for older kids too.

Easy Curly Braids for Kids

1. Two Tiny Front Braids with Butterfly Clips

Two small three strand braids at the temples, pinned back with butterfly clips, while the rest of the curls stay down. Take a small section at one temple, braid it in three or four crosses, and clip it back with a butterfly clip. Do the same on the other side. The braids hold the front neat, the curls below stay free and soft, and the clips give your child something pretty to look at in the mirror. It takes about 3 minutes, and it is the gentlest style on this list, because the braids are tiny and the tension is almost nothing. Let your child pick the clip colours, and she will ask for this one again tomorrow.

2. Criss Cross Braids (Braided X Pigtails)

Two small braids from the front crossed over each other at the back, like an X, with the ends left loose or tied. Braid a small section from each temple, bring the two braids to the back of the head, cross one over the other, and tie the ends together with a soft elastic. The X shape holds the front neat all morning, and the crossed braids look far fancier than the effort suggests. It takes about 5 minutes. The ends can stay loose with the curls, or you can tie them into two little pigtails if your child likes them bouncy.

3. One Little Dutch Braid Accent

A single small Dutch braid along the centre part, with the rest of the curls worn down and a bow at the end. Start at the front hairline, braid a narrow section back along the centre part, crossing the strands under each other as you go, and tie it with a bow where you want it to stop. This is one little accent braid, the rest of the curls stay down, which is what makes it different from a full Dutch braid that takes the whole head. It takes about 4 minutes, and it is perfect for a child who wants one pretty braid and nothing more.

Play Days, Stays Put All Day

These three are built to survive recess, running, and rolling around, and still look neat at pickup. Each one takes 8 to 10 minutes, and each one holds because the braids are anchored well, not because they are pulled tight. The same 10 minute logic works for grown ups, and our 10 curly braided hairstyles for busy moms uses it for busy mornings.

4. Two Braided Pigtails with Bows

Two classic three strand pigtail braids, tied at the sides, finished with bows and curly ends. Part the hair down the middle, braid each side from behind the ear down, and tie each braid with a bow, leaving the last few inches of curl loose. These are pigtails, tied at the sides with bows, not loose braids down the back, so they stay out of the way while your child plays. It takes about 8 minutes. Use soft elastics, not tight bands, and let the curly ends bounce free.

5. French Braid Pigtails

Two French braids, one per side, with the ends worn loose as pigtails. Part the hair down the middle, then French braid each side from the front hairline to the nape, adding small sections as you go, and tie each braid off, leaving the ends loose. French crosses over, and the ends stay loose as pigtails, not joined into one ponytail, which is what sets these apart from the double French braids in our busy moms list. They also differ from double Dutch braids, where the strands cross under instead of over. It takes about 10 minutes, the longest on this list, and it is worth it on a day when the braids need to last from morning to bedtime.

6. Bubble Braid Pigtails

Two bubble braids, one per side, with colourful elastics. Tie the hair into two pigtails, then tie a small elastic every few inches down each tail and gently pull each section wider to form a bubble. These are two bubble pigtails, one per side, not one braid down the back, so they bounce when your child runs and they never pull at the hairline. It takes about 8 minutes. Let your child pick the elastic colours, and the bubbles become the fun part of the morning.

Picture Day and Parties

These two are a little fancier, for the school photo, a birthday, or a family party, and they still take under 10 minutes. Keep the braids loose and soft, because a relaxed child photographs better than a child who is wincing.

7. Two Mini Braided Buns with Curls Down

The top half braided into two small buns, with the bottom curls left free. Part off the top half of the hair, split it in two, braid each half into a small bun, and pin each bun in place. The bottom curls stay down and frame the face. This is half up only, braided not twisted, the bottom curls stay free, which is what sets it apart from full head braided buns that take all the hair up, and from half up space buns that are twisted rather than braided. It takes about 8 minutes, and it photographs beautifully because the curls below stay soft.

8. Side Ponytail Braid

Hair tied into a low side ponytail first, then the tail braided, finished with a ribbon. Gather all the curls to one side, tie them into a low ponytail with a soft elastic, then braid the tail in a simple three strand braid and tie the end with a ribbon. The trick is the order: tie the ponytail first, then braid the tail, which makes this style far easier than braiding loose hair on a wriggly child, and different from a loose side braid that sweeps the hair over with no ponytail first. It takes about 8 minutes, and the ribbon makes it party ready.

How to Keep Kids’ Braids Gentle

Braids stay gentle when you protect them at night and take them out with care. Before bed, undo the day braids and put the curls in one loose braid, so the hair does not knot overnight. A satin pillowcase helps too, because cotton dries curls and roughs up the edges. Use soft snag free elastics only, never tight bands, and never use a rubber band on a child. In the morning, take braids out gently with a little detangler, and comb from the ends up. If your child says a braid hurts, stop. Loosen it or take it out and try a looser one. A braid that hurts is too tight, and no style is worth tears. These are day styles, so take them out at night and let the curls rest. Keep a small kit by the mirror, so hair time never turns into a hunt for supplies. A spray bottle of water, a bottle of detangler, a wide tooth comb, and a pot of soft elastics are all you need. When everything is in one place, the whole routine takes less time, and your child learns that hair time has a beginning and an end.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I braid a child who will not sit still?

Braid in front of a mirror with a show on, and keep the style to one your hands can finish in a few minutes. Let your child hold a toy or a brush, and give her a choice between two styles so she feels in charge. If she wriggles away, stop and try again later. A quick braid done happily beats a perfect braid done in tears.

What do I do if my child says a braid hurts?

Take it out right away. A braid should never hurt. Undo it gently with a little detangler, check the hairline for redness or pulling, and redo the style looser, with less tension at the front. If the same style keeps hurting, switch to a looser one, like the two tiny front braids, which barely pull at all.

How long do kids’ braids last?

These are day styles, so they last from morning to bedtime. Take them out at night, detangle gently, and braid again in the morning. A loose braid before bed keeps the curls from knotting overnight, so the next morning starts easier.

Can I do these on short or toddler hair?

Yes, most of them. The two tiny front braids, the Dutch braid accent, and the criss cross braids need only a short length. The pigtails and the bubble braids need enough length to tie, so on very short hair, stop the braid early and pin the tail under. For toddlers, keep it to one or two tiny braids and stop the moment your child says no.

How do I get knots out without tears?

Spray detangler on damp curls first, then comb with a wide tooth comb from the ends up, working out one small section at a time. Never brush dry curls, and never pull a comb through a big knot from the roots down. If a knot will not budge, add more detangler and work it loose with your fingers first.

Let Tomorrow Be Tear Free

Start with the easiest one tonight, and let your child choose it. If the morning goes smoothly once, it will go smoothly again, because your child will remember that hair time did not hurt. And if school mornings are still rushed, our 12 easy hairstyles for long curly hair for school has more quick ideas for older kids, while our 7 easy curly braids for busy moms has the same quick logic for your own hair when you have only a few minutes.