Little Girl's Hairstyles -Q & A: How to get the gals to sit still long enough to do their hair!!??

A recent comment (and many many others) have led me to share just some things I do to get my gals to sit still and let me play with their hair.
This is what my friend Angelia said:

I can't get my fiance's girls to sit still and play beauty shop. I even got a comb and everything. I want to play with their hair so bad, but they just run around like boys. :0(


Well, here's what I do ladies:
 
1. I go to my girls' bathroom and grab 3 things: Their small step stool, the garbage (for hairs that are combed out),  and the basket that I keep all of my hair 'tools' in (elastics, combs, hairspray, spray bottle, etc.). It's portable and I keep it under my bathroom sink so it's ready to go.
2. I park them on the small stool in front of the TV (gasp! I know). I turn it on to their favorite cartoon (or whatever they'll watch).
3. If that is not going to hack it that day, I offer a variety of my wondeful homemade nutritional snacks...such as candy, fruit snacks, pretzels,etc., to eat while they watch TV. (I am teaching excellent habits here.) 
 

My basket

This usually works 9 times out of 10 with my 3 year old. My 6 year old has been through this enough that she'll stand still for me in the bathroom and we just chat while I do her hair. But, like I mentioned in my last Q & A, it just takes repetition. Kids will get used to a routine and you can have your 15 minute window of hair time. I've found that having all my stuff readily available helps too, because if I'm constantly getting up to get something, they like to get up too and run away.
 
I hope that's doable for some of you! Don't give up--they get used to it, and LOTS of compliments help them start to like the whole 'getting pretty' time.  :)
 

Little Girl's Hairstyles -Puffy Braids with Headband and Corkscrew Curls 15-20 Min

Here's a "Half and Half" hair do. I have seen versions of this idea at various times, and have always had mixed thoughts on them. "Is her hair supposed to be curly? Should only parts of that be crimped/curly?" I just decided to try it out for myself, and I think it's a keeper!

This is what we started with: Mostly straight, but with some pesky waves underneath.

So I lightly misted her hair with water and round brushed it all straight.

Next I parted off the headband section, and clipped the back away. I parted off the first of 5 ponys, each about 2 inches wide.

I pulled the first 3 ponys into the next, like here.

After the 3rd, I parted off the next 2 sections.

I put in an elastic in the last pony first, since I wanted to join both the bottom pony and the top into this last pony.

Here's what it looked like after I put in both sides.

Next (and I'm not sure why I don't have pictures of this ....) I did corkscrew curls, using my 1/2 inch curling iron, around the back of her head. I took pieces only from the top, right next to the parted off headband, only going about an inch down from the headband, and I did a corkscrew curl. I then did the same inch tall section next to it, and so on until I'd done all the way around her head. Let the curls cool, and then comb through them lightly, from underneath, with your fingers, to separate the hair and spread them out a bit.

This shows better what pieces I curled going around the back of her head.

This big flower bow came from KayteBug Boutique. Excuse the goofiness. She'd had enough hair for the day.

Little Girl's Hairstyles -So You Think You Can....Twist? 20-30 Min

So, I'm always on the lookout for new 'do's, (aren't we all?) and one evening, I happened upon this hair do on one of my very favorite shows of all time: "So You Think You Can Dance". The little gal Mollee had her hair done up like this (or at least it's what I think her hair was like, thank goodness for a DVR, I had to rewind the closeups of her hair several times), and I just thought it was awesome! So I had to try it out. Here's our version of the SYTYCD do! (I have another one coming later--I'm so excited!)

I first parted off a circular shape in the center of head, leaving about 2 inches of hair hanging down around the perimeter of her head, and clipped off the top part.

I then gathered the 'headband' portion, and clipped that off underneath, since I worked with the top section first.

I did 4 twist rolls down this top section. Here's how to do a twist roll: Start with a rectangular small section of hair.

Split it in half.

Knot the two sections one time.

Twist the two sections a few times (this is what helps the roll stay in).

After twisting the sections, knot the two pieces again.

And pull both sides down evenly and tightly. Mine is a tad bit off centered, which I detest, but alas, I can only strive for perfection.

I did this four times down her head, using all the hair that I parted off on top.

Next, I did a french twist braid down each side. As I went, I picked up the pieces from the twist rolls I made, and weaved them into the twist braid.

I also only picked up hair from the bottom, not the top as I went.

I brought it down to the middle of her head and clipped it off so I could do the next side.

You can see here how I picked up the pieces from her twist rolls  a tad bit late as I was going down her head. Try to make the pieces go straight out from the twist rolls into the twist braid, and your twist rolls won't slant to one side like mine.

After I finished both sides, I put in an elastic, and then did a twist braid down her ponytail.

I got this super cute flower from Angela's Accessories.

Well, I hope this inspired you to do some fun hair (or at the very LEAST, get dancing!). I had fun trying to figure it out. If you ever have a picture of a hairdo you want to learn how to do, feel free to send it my way and I'll do my best to figure it out! It's rather ridiculous how much I would love to do it!

Little Girl's Hairstyles -Pull Through Pony Updo 10-15 Min

Here's one of those Christmas break updo's that mom did when it was just too darn cold to go outside and play. I'm not sure why all the different colored elastics and non matching flower, BUT, let's just say at the time, it worked. So here we go:

Part the hair at an angle from front to back.

On the right side, section off a small area and do your first pull through pony.

Next, section off a larger area on opposite side of your part, and do another pull through, angling it toward the part.

Part off section no. 2 on the right side, and incorporate the pony from the left side into this pull through.

Make section no. 2 on the left side, crossing over the first pull through's pony, over the top of the first crossover, and incorporate it into the next pull through, angling toward the part. (Pictures are SO necessary--because I don't think my explanations would make any sense otherwise!)

Make a 3rd section on the right side again, pulling in the existing pony on the left, but cross it over the top of the right pony this time, instead of under.

Grab both ponys and the rest of the hair that's still down and comb over and put into a bun (I did a stuffed bun).

Spray well with hairspray, and then this is when I stuck in my large non matching flower.

I include all the side and top shots to hopefully help you see what it looks like (and should look like) from all sides. If you are like me, I usually need to adjust at least one thing on one side to get it right. I hope this is another helpful updo for you ladies requesting those! It stays in tight, and out of her face. This is a great one to use those handy seam rippers to get the elastics out!

Happy Monday!

Little Girl's Hairstyles -French Twist Braids and Bun 15-20 Min

This hairdo was featured on Adopt A Do's blog back in December, for the HairDo of the Month. I posted about it, because I was so excited to be on her fantastic blog! I wanted to share it on mine as well, because I just really really loved how this one turned out! I called this one "Here's My Angle". (I have to apologize for the two off center pictures--I've tried redoing them and just can't get it to work, so forgive the crazies!)

First, part off the top of wet hair into a square in center of head, making both sides on a slight angle. You’ll be making 4 sections, and this is your first 2 sections.

Next, split this section down the middle into two sections, and clip off one section to prep for the first french twist braid. I do have a video tutorial on these, if the pictures don't make sense.

                                                       

Take a small section at the front and divide it into two pieces.

Cross the pieces to begin the twist.

After initial twist, pick up and add hair from one side, just like when french braiding. Then add hair in the same manner to other side of twist, and twist the two sections around each other again.

Continue in this manner: Add hair to both sides of twist, then twist around once.

Finish off by twisting tightly without adding more hair, and secure with elastic. Do the same thing in next parted off section. Now prep for side section. Part down to her ear and follow the same twist pattern as I described.

Do the same with the other side.

This shows the four finished sections.

Next comb the rest of the hair, including the 4 ponys, to the side, going at the same angle.

If you have shorter hair to work with, then make it into a pony, or a pull-through pony. I did a stuffed bun. Do a pony, then on last time through, pull through halfway. Take long tail and loop around and ‘stuff’ it back into the elastic. Keep stuffing until it looks nice and messy. I don’t like the double loop look, so I just keep stuffing in until I like it. Spray well with hairspray.

I also added some snap barrettes, since side ponys can have escapees out the back easily.

Stick in a super darling doodad (this one is from Madibu Bows) to draw attention to your girl’s Angle!

                                      

   And there's that grin! Get ready for some positive attention!