Top Tips To Cut Children And Babies Hair

If you're a busy stylist who doesn't specialize in children's haircuts, it can be daunting when they sit in your chair. Kids are great! but they wriggle so much, and sometimes cry. It can be scary if you are not used to dealing with them. As always, we are here to help! Our team of hairdressers and barbers have come up with some tips for cutting children's and baby's hair!

Timing

If you have children of your own you know how important scheduling your day is. Everything you do revolves around when they wake up, nap and go to sleep. Of course, no one wants a cranky, sleep deprived child sitting in their chair. It is best to advise your clients to to bring their babies and little kids in for a haircut early in the morning. This will help to ensure that the baby is not too tired or overtired.

Not only does when they get their haircut matter, but also how long. Remember when cutting a child's hair, not many babies and children can sit still for very long. Most baby's hair cuts will be a quick trim. Little ones may start to squirm even more and cry if you take too much time. You need to be quick but also careful! A squirmy child can lead you to accidentally snip their hair wrong.

Entertainment

If you find yourself cutting more and more baby's hair you may want to invest in different things to keep children entertained. If you don't have that many little clients, maybe ask their parents to bring along their favorite toy, or an iPad with their favorite show. Many parents may find distracting their baby while you cut their hair is the best and quickest way to get it done.

Prep your station

Preparing your station for a little one's hair cut will not only help them, but you as well. Make sure you have a spray bottle ready, fill it with warmer water. A baby or child will be more sensitive to having their hair wet, especially if it is cold. If you're cutting longer hair you may prefer to cut it dry. Cutting dry hair can help shorten the time they are in your chair while still guaranteeing a good, straight line.

Make sure you have a high chair, or a booster seat. Every salon should have at least one booster seat! This will make it easier for you to give a little child a haircut. If it is easier for you to manuever around the head this will make the haircut quicker and easier for both of you!

You should also make sure to have a large wide tooth comb and leave- in conditioner or detangler. Baby hair tends to be quite fine hair. This means that their long hair is prone to knotting. Having a wide tooth comb and detangler ready will help make them more comfortable.

Don't forget a cape! You may want to invest in a childrens cape. This will fit them better and be more comfortable for them. Having a neckline that fits means they will have less hair on their neck. You will find a lot of children and babies dislike the feeling of hair on their neck and backs. Make sure you have a good fitted cape, towel and a brush to get rid of any stray, itchy hairs. This will help when you cut baby's hair to keep them comfortable for longer, and hopefully sitting still for longer.

Practice makes perfect

A lot of parents will wait until their child's first birthday to get their baby's first haircut, just for the symbolism of it or some for cultural reasons. While there is no right or wrong as to when the best time to cut a baby's hair is, the more often the baby or child is at the salon, the quicker they will get used to it. Baby's and children love routine. If taking care of their hair and getting it cut often becomes part of their routine, cutting their hair will become easier for you. If a child sees the same hairdresser every few months they will recognize them and be more at ease when sitting in their chair. It is also important to get them used to the tools of the trade. If you use scissors, or clippers you want to introduce these tools to your littlest clients and help to put their minds at ease.

You've got this!

We know cutting a baby's hair can be hard work! There is not one professional stylist out there who has panicked when cutting around the ears of a squirming child. We hope these tips will help make you more confident in dealing with little ones. We want there to be a happy baby and happy stylist at the end of the day!