Easy Halloween hairstyles for kids
Four easy Halloween hairstyles for girls, each made from one simple style in 6 minutes or less, with every step free on this site and in the Dad Hair Hero app. They are written for anyone who hasn't done much hair, and two more looks from the app's optional pack come after them.
The first four are free in the app, step by step.
Halloween hairstyles for kids can start from styles you may already know: a ponytail, pigtails and a half-up. The costume does the rest, so none of these needs a wig, and each one has a line on making it last the evening.
- A horse, lion or unicorn tail from a high ponytailAbout 4 minutes. Free, every step.
- Scarecrow or rag doll pigtailsAbout 6 minutes. Free, every step.
- Half-up, half-down under a witch's hat or ears on a headbandAbout 4 minutes. Free, every step.
- Wisps clipped back for a toddler's costumeAbout 1 minute. Free, every step.
- Cat, bear or mouse ears from space bunsAbout 10 minutes. In Beyond the Ponytail.
- Witch braids from braided pigtailsAbout 12 minutes. In Beyond the Ponytail.
A horse, lion or unicorn tail from a high ponytail
- The style
- High Ponytail
- Time
- About 4 minutes
Sweep all the hair up to the very top of her head and check it sits right at the crown. Smooth the sides up to your holding hand with a soft brush, then loop the elastic around at least four times, asking her after the third wrap whether it feels tight.
For the evening: Very clean, silky hair slides out of an elastic. A light mist of water before you gather gives it grip for the evening.
Full steps: every step of High Ponytail with a picture and what to check, free.
Scarecrow or rag doll pigtails
- The style
- Two Even Pigtails
- Time
- About 6 minutes
Draw a center part from her hairline to the back of her neck and lay one side over her shoulder. Gather each side level with the top of her ear, holding both at once so they match, and wrap each elastic at least three times. Check from the front that they are level.
For the evening: Sit the pigtails above her ears, not behind them, so a car seat on the way doesn't rub them loose.
Full steps: every step of Two Even Pigtails with a picture and what to check, free.
Half-up, half-down under a witch's hat or ears on a headband
- The style
- Half-Up, Half-Down
- Time
- About 4 minutes
Part the hair from ear to ear across the top of her head and gather everything above the line. Smooth the sides back, loop an elastic around it at least three times high on the back of her head, and let the bottom half hang loose.
For the evening: The loose half tangles first. Brush it through when you get home, before it knots against her collar.
Full steps: every step of Half-Up, Half-Down with a picture and what to check, free.
Toddler Halloween hair
For a toddler with short, fine hair, start with the clip-back below; two even pigtails suit toddlers too. More in toddler hairstyles.
Wisps clipped back for a toddler's costume
- The style
- Clip-Back for Baby Wisps
- Time
- About 1 minute
Dampen the front wisps with a wet comb and sweep them back off her forehead without pulling. Slide a fabric-lined clip over them, front to back, with a finger underneath as it snaps shut.
For the evening: Clip the wisps while they are still a little damp. They dry flat under the clip and hold it in.
Full steps: every step of Clip-Back for Baby Wisps with a picture and what to check, free.
Under three? Use elastics and clips only while you're with her, and take them out before she sleeps.
More looks in Beyond the Ponytail
These two are in Beyond the Ponytail, an optional one-time pack in the app. Each style's page shows the finished look, what you need and what the steps cover; the full steps, with a picture for each, are in the app.
Beyond the Ponytail
Cat, bear or mouse ears from space buns
- The style
- Space Buns
- Time
- About 10 minutes
Part the hair in two and make a ponytail high on one side. Twist it, wind it around its own base and pin it into a bun, then build the second to match and check them from the back.
For the evening: Second-day hair holds a bun better, so they last the evening best on hair that wasn't washed that day. Take them down at bedtime.
What the steps cover: the finished look and what Space Buns needs. The full steps are in the app, in Beyond the Ponytail.
Beyond the Ponytail
Witch braids from braided pigtails
- The style
- Braided Pigtails
- Time
- About 12 minutes
Draw a center part and move the right side clear. Gather and braid the left side, braid the right side to match, then check both sides together.
For the evening: Braids survive a night's sleep, so an evening of trick-or-treating is no trouble.
What the steps cover: the finished look and what Braided Pigtails needs. The full steps are in the app, in Beyond the Ponytail.
If it goes wrong
The answers are from Fix It, the app's troubleshooter.
What if a bun or ponytail won't stay in?
Add one more wrap and a second elastic 3cm below. Fine or smooth hair doesn't grip a single elastic. Wrap it one more time than feels right. It should be firm. Then take a second elastic and wrap it 3cm below the first. Two anchor points hold far better than one through a school day, especially on fine hair.
More in Fix It: It won't stay in: falls out within an hour
What if a braid comes undone at the end?
Wrap the end elastic at least three times. The end elastic must grip the braid itself, not just the tail below it. Wrap it a minimum of three times, snug against the bottom of the braid. If the hair is fine or the braid is thin, add a small snap clip over the elastic: the clip catches the weave and holds even when the elastic can't.
More in Fix It: It won't stay in: falls out within an hour
What if she won't sit still?
Screen on, and show her the countdown. A show she chose herself works better than one you chose. More importantly, show her the timer: hold the phone in front of her and say 'when it gets to zero, I'm done.' A visible countdown she can watch is far more effective than 'nearly done'. She can see for herself that it's finite and you're not moving the goalposts.
More in Fix It: She won't sit still
What if she says it's too tight?
Take it down and redo with less pull at the base. Release the style completely. Re-gather the hair and hold it with your non-working hand at the exact point where the elastic will sit, not further back. The working hand wraps the elastic without adding extra tension. The hair should sit at its natural fall point, not be stretched toward the back. If it still hurts after two wraps, unwrap and re-gather the hair slightly lower.
More in Fix It: She's crying or says it hurts
What you need
Each style's page lists what it needs, and every item on those lists is on the Kit page, with what it is for and what to avoid.
Do this in the app
The page tells you how. The app does four things a page cannot:
- Her hair, not hair in general. Choose Straight, Wavy, Thick, Curly or Coily under "her hair today" and the steps and pictures change to the method for her hair.
- A check before every step. Each step ends with what it should look and feel like, so you know it is right before you move on.
- Fix It, mid-style. When something is not right, "Something's not right" opens the fix for it without leaving the step.
- The diary. Add a photo and a note when you finish, and see what you have done and what to try next.
Free, with six everyday styles and all eight techniques. No account, no ads, no tracking.
More for dressing up: party hairstyles, or all eighteen styles.
