Back-to-school can be an exciting time for children as they look forward to new beginnings and spending time with their friends. However, one of the most common challenges that mothers face is choosing the right hairstyle for their child’s natural hair. While you want your child to look great, you also want a back-to-school natural hairstyle that offers a perfect balance between style and practicality.
Top 10 Back-to-School Natural Hairstyles
A good back-to-school natural hairstyle is not just about the looks. It helps to shield the hair from breakage and promotes growth and retention. It is also easier to style and maintain, allowing your child to focus more on school activities. In this article, we have rounded up 10 cute back-to-school natural hairstyles that you can try, including how to achieve and maintain each.
High/Low Bun
The high bun is a classic yet chic option for those busy school days. The low-manipulation back-to-school hairstyle is simple and takes only a few minutes. You can also switch it with a low bun every so often for a different look.
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- How to Achieve: Gather the hair into a high ponytail and secure it with a scrunchie. Then twist the ponytail into a bun, securing any loose ends with bobby pins.
- Products: Hair gel or styling cream to smooth down flyaways.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Dampen the bun with water-based leave in spray and re-twist.
Afro Puffs
Afro puffs are quick to style for natural hair, especially on those bad hair days. They are easy and practical hairstyles for kids that require minimal effort to style.
- How to Achieve: Create a middle parting of the hair into two puffs, and secure them with seamless hairbands. Fluff the puffs to make them voluminous.
- Products: Styling gel or mouse to hold the puffs in place.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Dampen the puffs with water and re-fluff.
Braids and Twists
Braids and twists are a great choice for back-to-school because of the many variations available. They also last several weeks with minimal maintenance.
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- How to Achieve: Divide the hair into sections, and braid or twist the strands together.
- Products: Hair gel or pomade to keep the twists or braids neat and defined.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Cover your hair with a satin scarf at night and moisturize. Since the hair will be tucked away for a few weeks, make sure it is in its best condition before styling.
Cornrows
Cornrows are another favourite natural hairstyle for kids. The timeless protective hairstyle can be dressed up or down, giving your child a good look for a while. Without the need for daily styling, they save a lot of maintenance time for you and your young one.
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- How to Achieve: Divide the hair into sections and start braiding close to the scalp. Then add more hair as you go to achieve perfect cornrows.
- Products: Butter or hydrating hair oil to prevent dryness.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Spritz with water and gently retwist loose areas.
Box Braids
This classic protective style is an excellent back-to-school option. Most parents love how easy it is to maintain this hairstyle for a long time without needing a retouch.
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- How to Achieve: Divide the hair into sections and braid synthetic hair into each section for length
- Products: A moisturizing leave-in conditioner to prevent dryness.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Spritz the hair with water and gently re-braid the loose areas.
Twist Out
Twist out is a great back-to-school natural hairstyle, especially when you want to achieve those defined curls. Loved for being functional and suitable for any occasion, this hairstyle never goes out of style. Your child can wear the twists for 5 days and rock at twist-out at the end of the week.
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- How to Achieve: Create two-strand twists on damp hair. Let them dry completely, and then unravel the twists to reveal the curls.
- Products: Styling gel and a moisturizing leave-in conditioner
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Spritz with water and re-twist the curls
Bubble Braids
If you are looking for a fun and trendy back-to-school natural hairstyle for your child, bubble braids are a worthy try. However, these are only meant for short-term wear like a day out.
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- How to Achieve: Secure small sections of a ponytail with hair to create a series of bubbles.
- Products: Hair ties and optional styling products like hairspray to keep the bubbles in place.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Bubble braids are only suited for shorter-time wear as they become loose or unravel by the end of the day.
Plaits with Beads
Plaiting your child’s hair with beads is a fun way to jazz up the hairstyle. The beautiful look will leave your child feeling like a princess throughout the day.
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- How to Achieve: Add beads to individual braids to achieve a decorative touch. You can attach the beads at the end of the braids or wove them into the braids.
- Products: Beads, hair ties, and styling products to keep the braids neat and secure the beads.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Just like regular braids, spritz the hair with water and gently retwist loose areas. However, avoid excessive water exposure to avoid the beads from becoming loose or falling off.
Frohawk
A frohawk combines the elements of an afro and a mohawk hairstyle. This cool and trendy hairstyle looks great with any hair length and is so versatile allowing you to experiment on different variations.
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- How to Achieve: Style the sides of the hair flat and leave the centre section natural and voluminous
- Products: Hair gel or mousse to lay down the side, defining the Frohawk shape.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Daily styling is needed to keep the Frohawk in shape and moisturizing to keep the natural hair hydrated.
Wash & Go
Wash & Go is the easiest and simplest afro hairstyle for back to school. This natural hairstyle is ideal for embracing the natural texture or minimizing manipulation.
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- How to Achieve: Wash and condition natural hair, and then allow it to air dry or diffuse it for gentle drying
- Products: Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. You may also need styling products like leave-in conditioners or curl-defining creams to enhance the natural pattern.
- Maintenance/Refreshing Tips: Wash and go will last for a day or two before needing to restyle. Make sure to moisturize the hair often to prevent frizz and dryness.
Quick Back-to-School Natural Hair Care Tips for Your Child
Regardless of the back-to-school natural hairstyle you choose for your child, it is important to make sure that the hair is protected and well cared for. The following natural hair care tips will leave your child’s hair healthy and looking great:
- Keep things simple: Create a simple natural hair care routine for your child: Cleanse, moisturise, style, repeat.
- Cleanse regularly: Wast your child’s hair every 7 – 10 days with a sulphate-free shampoo, gently massaging the scalp to remove dirt and oil residue. Follow up with a silicon-free conditioner to keep the hair moisturized.
- LOC Moisture In: The LOC (Liquid, oil, cream) method helps to keep natural hair moisturised, protecting it from dryness and breakage.
- Protect the hair at night: Make sure the child wears a bonnet or satin scarf at night to prevent friction and hair breakage.
- Deep Condition Weekly: Treating the hair weekly helps to nourish the hair and restore moisture
- Be gentle: Low manipulation styles and gentle handling of the hair help to minimize breakage
Finding the best back-to-school natural hairstyle for kids may depend on several factors. You may need to consider how long you want them to stay with a hairstyle or how frequently it will need a retouch. However, the key to healthy and beautiful hair for your child is consistent care and attention.
