Curly Braided Hairstyles for Kids: 15 Cute Ideas Parents Love

Some mornings your daughter asks for braids before you even finish her breakfast, and those are the mornings this list is for. These curly braided hairstyles for kids are the fun ones, the cute ideas parents actually love doing, grouped by the day you are living: school mornings, play days, and picture day. Every style below takes under 10 minutes, stays loose and gentle, and needs no install, no tight pulling, and no tears. If your child hates hair time, this is not that list. These curly braided hairstyles for kids are for the days when styling is a joy, not a battle, when she picks the clip and sits still because she wants to see the braid.

The 15 styles below are grouped by the day: five that work before the school bus, five that survive the playground, and five a little dressier for picture day and parties. All you need is a brush, a spray bottle, leave in conditioner, a few soft elastics, and a small dish of clips, bows and beads she can choose from. Let her pick the colour and the clip, and the morning goes twice as fast.

How to Make Braiding Easy for Kids

Before the styles, the method, because a braid built on dry tangled curls hurts, and a child who hurts once will not sit still the next time. Start on lightly damp curls, never on dry tangled curls, because dry curls snag and pull. Work a little leave in conditioner and curl cream through the lengths first, then detangle from the ends up with a wide tooth comb, never from the roots down. Braid the night before for school mornings when you can, and refresh the curls with a mist of water in the morning, so the busy morning is only a quick tidy up. Use soft snag free elastics only, never tight bands, and never use a rubber band on curly hair. Never pull tight at the hairline. A tight braid hurts, and hair pulled tight again and again can damage the hair over time, so if a braid hurts, it is too tight, and you should loosen it or start again. Let the child choose the style or the clip, because a child who chooses sits still longer, and keep a cartoon or a story going while you braid, so her hands and her mind are busy. The same loose and quick logic works for grown ups, 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 10 Minutes

These five are the ones to reach for before the bus, when you have one hand on the lunchbox and one hand on the brush. Each one takes under 10 minutes, each one stays neat through lunch, and each one is loose enough that she forgets it is there. For the full map of braids, our 15 braided hairstyles for curly hair covers everything from five minute morning braids to protective styles. For the wider school list, our 12 easy hairstyles for long curly hair for school has the non braid options too.

1. Rope Braid Pigtails

Part the hair down the middle, then take one side and split it into two sections, twist each section the same way, then twist the two sections around each other the other way, and tie the end with a soft elastic. Do the same on the other side. These are two rope twist pigtails at the sides, not one rope braid ponytail, which is why they stay put on a wriggly child and why they suit a school morning. It takes about 7 minutes. A rope twist is the easiest braid to learn, because there are only two sections to hold, and the twist holds the curls together without any pulling at the hairline.

2. Fishtail Pigtails

Part the hair down the middle, then take one side and split it into two sections, and keep moving a small piece from the outside of one section to the inside of the other, all the way down, and tie the end. Do the same on the other side. These are two fishtail braids worn as pigtails, not one fishtail worn down the back, which is what makes them school neat and keeps the hair out of her face all day. It takes about 9 minutes. The fishtail looks fancy, but it is only small pieces crossed over and over, so take your time on the first one and the second one goes twice as fast.

3. Dutch Braid into a Bubble Ponytail

Start at the front hairline and Dutch braid back along the centre part, crossing the strands under each other as you go, then stop at the crown and tie it off. Gather the rest of the curls into a ponytail, then add soft elastics down the ponytail a few inches apart, and puff out the hair between each elastic so it rounds into bubbles. A Dutch braid anchors the top, then the ponytail is sectioned into bubbles with elastics, not a plain bubble ponytail and not a bubble braid, which is what makes it fun enough for a child to ask for again. It takes about 9 minutes. Use soft elastics for the bubbles, and keep them loose, so the ponytail bounces instead of pulling.

4. One Dutch Braid into a High Puff

Start at the front hairline and Dutch braid back along the centre part, crossing the strands under, adding small sections as you go, then stop at the crown and gather the braid and the rest of the curls into a high puff, and tie it with a soft elastic. This is one Dutch braid from the front into a high puff, not two plain front braids, which is what makes it a quick eight minute style instead of a fiddly one. It takes about 8 minutes. The Dutch braid holds the front neat all morning, while the puff keeps the length up and out of the way, so it is the best pick for a day with gym class.

5. Side Ponytail with a Braid Wrap

Brush all the curls to one side and gather them into a low side ponytail, and tie it with a soft elastic. Then take a small section of hair from under the ponytail, braid it in a simple three strand braid, wrap it around the base of the ponytail to hide the elastic, and tuck the end under with a pin. This is a small braid wrapped around the base of a side ponytail, not a braid fed into the ponytail, which is what makes it look finished without any extra work. It takes about 6 minutes, the fastest on this list. The wrap hides the elastic, so the ponytail looks tidy from every angle, and the side position keeps the hair off her neck on a warm day.

Play Days, Stays Put Through Recess

These five are built to survive the playground, the swings, and dance class, and still look neat at pickup time. 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.

6. Three Mini Dutch Braids Across the Front

Part off three small sections across the front hairline, from one temple to the other, and Dutch braid each one back a short way, crossing the strands under, then tie each one off and let the ends fall loose with the curls. These are three small Dutch braids across the front, ends left loose with the curls, not one accent braid, which is what makes the front look finished while the rest of the curls stay free to bounce. It takes about 8 minutes. Keep each braid small and loose, and let her pick a different coloured elastic for each one, so the style feels like hers.

7. Five Mini Braids with Beads

Take five small sections of hair scattered through the curls, one at each temple, one at the crown, and one on each side, and braid each one in a simple three strand braid, then slide a colourful bead onto the end of each braid and tie it off. These are five small braids left loose with beads on the ends, not three braids gathered into a ponytail, which is what makes them a play day style instead of a school style. It takes about 10 minutes. The beads catch the light when she runs, and because the braids are left loose, nothing pulls at the hairline, so she can wear them all afternoon without a complaint.

8. Bubble Braid with a French Braid Base

Start at the front hairline and French braid back along the centre part for a short way, adding small sections as you go, then stop at the crown and tie it off. Gather the rest of the curls into a ponytail below it, then add soft elastics down the ponytail a few inches apart, and puff out the hair between each elastic so it rounds into bubbles. This is one bubble braid with a short French braid at the crown as its base, not a plain bubble braid and not bubble pigtails, which is what makes it stay put through recess while still looking soft. It takes about 9 minutes. The French braid base anchors the whole style, so the bubbles bounce instead of slipping, and the soft elastics keep it gentle.

9. Lace Braid into a High Ponytail

Start at one temple and lace braid along the hairline, adding hair from the top edge only, and work your way around to the crown, then gather the braid and the rest of the curls into a high ponytail and tie it with a soft elastic. This is a lace braid along the hairline gathered into a high ponytail, not left loose with the curls, which is what makes it a play day style that holds through a whole afternoon of running. It takes about 8 minutes. A lace braid adds hair from one side only, so it sits flat and neat, and the high ponytail keeps the curls up and out of her face while she plays.

10. Two Braided Pigtails with Curly Ends

Part the hair down the middle, then braid each side in a simple three strand braid, but stop halfway down and tie it off, and leave the ends curly and free instead of braiding to the tips. These are two plain three strand pigtails with the ends left curly, not braided to the ends with bows and not Dutch, which is what makes them soft and quick instead of stiff and fussy. It takes about 8 minutes. The curly ends bounce when she runs, and because the braids stop halfway, the style takes half the time of full pigtails, so it is a good one for a morning when you are already late.

Picture Day and Parties

These five are a little dressier, for picture day, a birthday party, or a family gathering, and they still take under 10 minutes. Keep the braids loose and soft, because a relaxed braid photographs better than a pulled tight one. Let her pick the bow or the beads, because a child who picked her own accessory smiles bigger in the photo. Even a child who usually wriggles will sit still for a party braid when she chose the bow herself.

11. Heart Part Braids with Curls Down

Part the hair in a heart shape at the crown, with the point of the heart at the back of the crown and the two curves sweeping toward the temples. Work a braid down from each side of the heart part, and let the ends fall loose with the curls. The heart part is the whole style, and it photographs beautifully, because the parting itself makes the shape. It takes about 10 minutes. Take your time drawing the heart part with the tail of a comb, and keep the two braids loose, so the heart shape stays clear and the curls below stay soft.

12. Half Up Braided Crown with a Bow

Take a section at each temple and braid each one in a simple three strand braid, then bring the two braids together at the back of the head and join them with a soft elastic, and tie a bow where the braids meet, leaving the rest of the curls down. These are two braids from the temples joined at the back in a half up crown, not one braid worn across the front like a headband, which is what makes it a crown instead of a headband. It takes about 9 minutes. The bow where the braids meet is the picture day detail, so pick a bow that matches her dress, and keep the crown loose so it sits soft instead of tight.

13. Side Cornrows into Two Puffs

Part the hair down the middle, then work cornrows on one side of the head, braiding close to the scalp from the front hairline toward the back, and gather them into a puff at the back. Do the same on the other side, so there are two puffs, one on each side. These are cornrows on both sides into two puffs, not front cornrows into one puff, which is what makes them a party style instead of an everyday one. It takes about 10 minutes. Keep the cornrows loose at the hairline, because tight cornrows hurt, and let the puffs stay full and soft, so the style looks joyful instead of severe.

14. Dutch Braid into a Side Ponytail

Start at the front hairline and Dutch braid over to one side, crossing the strands under each other as you go, then gather the braid and the rest of the curls into a side ponytail and tie it with a soft elastic. This is Dutch, into a side ponytail, not a plain three strand side ponytail braid, which is what makes it dressier than an everyday side braid. It takes about 8 minutes. The Dutch braid sits raised, so it shows in photos, and the side ponytail keeps the hair off one shoulder, so it suits a party dress.

15. Braided Headband into Two Pigtails

Take a section at one temple and braid it across the front of the head like a headband, working from one side to the other, and pin the end behind the opposite ear. Then gather the rest of the curls into two low pigtails, one on each side, and tie them with soft elastics. This is a braid across the front like a headband, with the curls gathered into two low pigtails, not worn loose down the back, which is what makes it a picture day style instead of an everyday one. It takes about 9 minutes. The headband braid keeps the front neat for the camera, while the two low pigtails keep the style cute and young.

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 for sleep, so the hair does not knot overnight. A satin pillowcase helps too, if the child will use one, because cotton dries curls and roughs up the edges. Moisturise little and often in dry air, with a light mist of water and leave in conditioner. Use soft snag free elastics only, never tight bands, and never use a rubber band on curly hair. In the morning, take braids out gently with a little detangler, and comb from the ends up. If 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. Take a style down sooner if the edges feel sore, and never leave a tight style in overnight. These are day styles, so take them out at night and let the curls rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I braid curly hair without tears?

Start on lightly damp curls with leave in conditioner worked through, and detangle from the ends up before you braid, because braiding tangled hair hurts. Let the child choose the style or the clip, keep a cartoon or a story going while you braid, and never pull tight at the hairline. If a braid hurts, loosen it or start again, because a braid that hurts is too tight.

What age can kids wear braids?

Braids work from the time a child has enough hair to hold a braid, usually around age three, and the styles on this list suit ages three to nine best. Keep the braids loose and the time short for younger children, and let the child tell you if anything pulls. A toddler who will not sit still is better off with one tiny braid and a clip than with a full style she hates.

How long do kids braids last?

The styles on this list 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. None of these styles is meant to stay in for days, and a style that feels tight should come out sooner, not later.

Can I braid my child’s hair the night before school?

Yes, and it is the best trick for school mornings. Braid on lightly damp curls in the evening, put the braids in one loose braid for sleep, and refresh the curls with a mist of water in the morning. The braids hold their shape overnight, and the morning is only a quick tidy up instead of a full style. If the braids look flat in the morning, smooth the edges with your palms and add a fresh clip.

What if my child hates sitting still?

Let her choose the style or the clip, because a child who chooses sits still longer, and braid while she watches a cartoon or listens to a story. Start with the fastest style on this list, the side ponytail with a braid wrap, which takes about six minutes, and build up to the longer ones only when she is happy to sit. If she truly hates hair time, keep the session short and stop before she gets upset, because a short happy session beats a long tearful one.

Let Her Choose Tomorrow’s Braid

Pick a school morning braid for Monday, a play day braid for the weekend, and a picture day braid for the party, then repeat the favourites next week. Start with the rope braid pigtails on the first school morning, because they are the easiest to learn, then try the five mini braids with beads on a play day, and save the heart part braids for picture day. And when she wants to choose for herself, let her, because a child who picks tomorrow’s braid is a child who sits still for it. For the full map of braids, our 15 braided hairstyles for curly hair covers everything from five minute morning braids to protective styles, while our 10 curly braided hairstyles for busy moms and our 7 easy curly braids for busy moms have the same quick logic for busy mornings.