Over the past 6-8 months, Nora’s hair has finally started to get longer and thicker — and she has finally been interested enough in various hair styles to be willing to sit still for 5 minutes so I can do it.
I really enjoy doing hair, so we’ve been experimenting with a few simple, quick, and fun ways to do her hair. Although I am fairly quick at braiding and other hairstyles, I can’t imagine any of the styles listed below would take longer than 10 minutes to complete.
Double French Braids
During the hot summer months when she’s in and out all day long, riding her bike with a helmet on, swimming, jumping on the tramp, etc. the double french braids is our go-to hairstyle because it stays out of her face, off her neck, and it doesn’t fall out like a regular ponytail often does.
Usually, I’ll do the braids all the way down, but sometimes I’ll stop halfway for a different look, or connect the braids with a bow in the back.
Triple / Quadruple Ponytail
This is a really great hairstyle if you’re trying to grow out shorter bangs, or if you have various layers of hair that won’t fit into 1 ponytail. This is also a great way to assure that the shorter strands won’t keep falling out and getting in her face.
Sometimes I do 3 ponytails, other times I do 4 — and when we have a couple extra minutes, we do TWO sets of ponytails (like the double french braids, just with ponytails instead of braids.)
Headband Braid
This is our newest hairstyle and I LOVE the look! Although it looks a little fancier, I promise you it is so easy. If you can do a regular french braid, you can do this. Just braid from ear to ear instead of from the front to the back.
PonyBun
If we only have 30 seconds, a “ponybun” is what we do…
This works as pigtails too!
Quarter French Braid
This is our favorite hairstyle for Nora just because her hair naturally parts this way, and she has a funny cowlick in the back that seems to work well with this style. Also, it takes me about 45 seconds to do — which means it’s our go-to for “normal” days when she doesn’t want anything different.
I would say I probably do her hair like this 75% of the time — especially for school.
Since you can’t see the front very good in the picture above, I’ve included another picture from last year so you can see the front.
High Ponytail
This is another one of Nora’s favorites because she likes to be able to see her ponytail when she looks in the mirror, so if it’s high enough, she can see it.
Obviously, this takes 10 seconds for me to do (added bonus) and with her curly hair, we can usually get a nice spiral curl action going on with the hair coming out of the pointail!
Nora especially likes the high ponytail for swimming because then her hair doesn’t get as wet — but it’s not so great for biking because she doesn’t like how it feels with her helmet on.
Behind the Head Braid
Again, not the technical term — but it’s another favorite hairstyle of ours when we want to go a little fancier. Nora calls this her “Elsa and Anna braid” because her hair hangs down the side like Elsa and Anna’s does.
I suppose it’s probably the most complicated hairstyle in this list — but again, if you know how to do a french braid, this really shouldn’t be too difficult to achieve. Just braid from ear to ear, around the back of the head and you’re good to go.
Straightened and Flipped Out
Nora has fairly curly hair, so every now and then, she likes me to straighten it. We usually add a flowery clip to hold it back out of her face — and we’re good to go!
It only take a few minutes, but I only do it on non-humid days, otherwise it’s curly again after a few hours.
Doesn’t she look SO grown-up with this style?
I’m sure that as her hair continues to get longer, we will keep experimenting with different hair styles.
And if you’re looking for more ideas, just head to Pinterest and search for “little girl hairstyles”. There are some pretty amazing ideas out there!
Katie says
Thanks for sharing! So cute!
Julie says
Two pigtails on top of her head, or “piggies” as we call them. Her hair is pretty short and curly, so this looks super cute. II also do “pull through S” or maybe you could also call them a flipped under pigtail. I’ll do a series of four across the top ofher head, then do another set of those that connect to the first ones. I make the sections first.
The website and YouTube cannel “Cute Girls Hairstyles” has helped me so much. On the gallery section of her website I search for toddler Hairstyles and short Hairstyles and have gotten good ideas there. On myself I love the “dutch lace braid headband”, it’s alot like one of yours.
I would love more pics and details on the Elsa hair. Is it a french braid or a regular braid. Do you have a link to a similar hairstyle?
Thanks for sharing!
Leigh says
We are also big fans of a small part pony tail with the front hair, either two, or one to one side. But so they don’t stick strait up and stay in easier we flip the hair under itself.
Rebecca says
I grew up as an only child with a mom who didn’t do my hair because she and I weren’t too girly. Plus I’ve usually had my wavy thick hair short. Now I have one girl among all my boys with beautiful hair, and I am usually clueless. I’ve had luck with cute girls hairstyles website, but usually default to flipped under pig tails. French braids are so difficult for me, I feel like I don’t have enough fingers!
Miss Nora looks adorable in all those styles!!
Calliope says
Tell Nora that she is pretty pretty pretty!!
Andrea says
Thanks Calliope 🙂
Theresa M. says
What cute ideas! Thanks for sharing … Little Miss Nora looks so grown up in the last picture!!
ShellyL says
Great post! Love sweet Nora! These are some great hair ideas. Even with two girls, I have never been good at fixing their hair. That last pic is so super-cute and yes, she does look so grown-up. Beautiful girl. 🙂
Emily says
What a fun post! Those are some of our favorite styles too. 🙂 I love doing my girls’ hair!! I try to have them get used to hair brushing and fixing as young as possible, especially my 17 month old who has a ton of hair. Oh the lovely cowlicks! Always a fun battle! 🙂
Maria says
I always hated having my hair done when I was a little girl–it hurt so much! So now that I’ve got a toddler girl, I carried a bit of the attitude of just quickly getting it done into my hair sessions with her.
But I just listened to a podcast with the blogger at Cute Girls Hairstyles. She has four or five daughters–that’s a lot of hair to style every day! She looks at it as an opportunity to spend time talking with each daughter. I was so inspired to spend that time with my daughter teaching her about true beauty, building our relationship and affirming her inner and outer beauty.
My parents didn’t tell me I was pretty, so I never thought I was and still can’t believe my husband when he tells me I’m beautiful. We’re making sure our daughter grows up having that fact settled in her mind. She’s got looks that ladies in the grocery store gush over, so we don’t have to tell her, “you’re pretty to us.” We want it to be matter-of-fact for her, not something she struggles with.
Toddler hair can get pretty boring if you only do the whale spout. I’m glad for more ideas. Now if I can get her to sit still long enough for a little french braiding . . .
Andrea says
Thanks for sharing Maria — I like your idea of thinking of it as bonding time. Although, I will admit that I usually just try to do Nora’s hair as quickly as possible 🙂
Ann says
Do you think that the reverse french braids (as yours are with the braid on top of the hair added in) stay in (hold those rascally escape artist hairs) better than a traditional french braid (where the braid is under the hair added in)?
My fingers learned the traditional way and hey fight doing it “backwards” from what they learned. Yet I think that perhaps your way would stay in better. I especially love your way for the headband look as you can see the braid so much better!
Andrea says
Thanks Ann, I always like the look of the “reverse french braids” so that’s the way I almost always do them. I actually do think they stay in better… but mostly I just like the way they look!