For girls
1. Topknot
Use the hairstyle to inspire your conversation. For example, with a top knot, you can ask questions like, "Name your top three friends in school, and what makes them great friends?"
Once your conversation is underway, have your child flip their hair over and gather all the hair at the crown of their head. Use a brush to smooth the hair on their head before twisting it into a bun. Secure with a ponytail holder or scrunchie and bobby pins. Pull out a few pieces of hair to frame the face—and voila! Check out the original detangling Wet Brushes at your local Great Clips salon, perfect for kids styling.
2. Half-up hairstyle
A half-up, half-down hairstyle is the perfect way to get a recap of the previous day with your child. Start with a simple question like, “Give me a high and low from school yesterday?” while you begin this simple half-up hairstyle.
As your child begins, gather a small section of the hair framing your child’s face on both sides. Twist each section, and drape it across the side of their head to meet the other section of hair at the back of their head. Secure both sections of hair together at the back of the head with a bobby pin or hair elastic.
3. Mermaid cut
Your child’s adorable mermaid-style long layers could spark a short and sweet series of whimsical questions like, “Pasta or Pizza? Cookies or Cake? Recess or Vacation?”
As you listen, part the hair and spray with Great Clips Nourishing Leave-In Conditioner. Then, blow dry their hair at the roots to give it volume. You can style it straight or with a bit of curl, depending on their preference. For hair with natural texture, use Solutions Curl Whipped Mousse to define curls. Spray with some light hairspray, and they are good to go for the day.
4. French braided pigtails
This trendy look is great for an active day! Even better, you can lead in with active questions like, “What’s your favorite thing to do outside?” or “Who do you play with at recess?” Let this time be a great segway into your child’s friendships.
Gather a section of hair on one side of your child’s face and secure it with an elastic. Do the same thing on the other side. Once you’ve sectioned off each side, French braid one side and then the next, tie off with small elastic hair ties. Spray with some hairspray to keep any hairs in place.
For boys
1. Textured shag
This is a simple hairstyle (especially for beginners) that works on any medium-length hair. But before you start, this hairstyle can be an excellent opportunity to ask your child about their favorite things to do outside of school. This can open doors to deeper conversation and understanding of who your child is becoming and what they love to do.
From there, dampen their hair with water, apply a generous amount of mousse to your hands, and massage it into their hair from scalp to ends. This provides volume and texture. Let the hair dry, and finish with a small amount of hair spray to create maximum hold for all-day play and great body.
2. Combover look
A styled combover is a simple timeless look for any age. This can be a great time to ask your child something fun and easy, like, “Did anything funny happen at school yesterday?” or “Did you do anything brave or kind this week for someone?” Let them lead this question where it wants to go, and then begin with their hair.
This hairstyle starts by dampening your child’s hair and grabbing a comb to part their hair on one side. Once hair is parted, comb it to one side and finish it with a light amount of pomade to hold it in place. You can find a great selection of pomades, like American Crew Pomade, at your local Great Clips salon.
3. Taper fade
This one is perfect for any child with a fade-styled haircut. It’s also the ideal opening and time with your child to ask questions like, “What’s on the schedule for today?” or “What’s something you’re looking forward to this weekend?” Once they start chatting through their plans, you can dive in.
Styling a taper fade is easy because the bottom half is already taken care of. Your focus is the top. Grab some gel or mousse, rub it between your fingers, and run it through the top of their hair. Style it straight up or to the side based on your child’s preference. A product like the Solutions Kids Wacky Gel is great to achieve the desired texture and look.
It’s hard to keep up with what’s in and what’s out. Don’t worry we’ve got you, it’s why we created the back-to-school lookbook. Check it out with your kids for hairstyle inspiration!
Looking to start the back-to-school season on a strong foot? Walk right into your local Great Clips and help your kids start the first day confidently with the latest look. Get started with Online Check-In today.
Hairstyling tips & tricks
Use a detangler
Do yourself a favor—save time and prevent breakage by using a detangler to tackle bedhead in the morning! Before brushing through your child’s hair, spray a generous amount of detangler into their hair and gently comb through. In need of a detangler? Find Solutions Afraid Knot detangler and other hair products at your local Great Clips salon.
Maintain your child's haircut
The key to quick and easy hairstyling before school is remembering to maintain your child’s haircut. Great Clips makes it easy to remember when it’s time for a trim with Great Clips Haircut Reminders, an in-app feature that allows you to create reminders to use online-check in for your next visit.
Add fun accessories
Accessorize any of our hairstyles for school to add an extra touch that highlights your child’s personality, while taking little to no time at all! Pair a cute scrunchie with the top knot or fun bows with the pigtails. Effortless AND adorable!
Keep hair nourished & healthy
Keeping hair nourished and healthy is essential for great hairstyles! Maintain your child’s hair with products that are moisturizing and prevent split ends with regular trims.
Let us know which hairstyle is your favorite by tagging us in your photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and follow our social channels for more back-to-school content.
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