Before you go
The four decisions that matter are all made at home.
- Go at their best time of day. Mid-morning for most small children. A haircut at five o'clock, after nursery, before dinner, is a haircut you will both remember for the wrong reasons.
- Fed, not hungry. Unremarkable advice that fixes more haircuts than anything else here.
- Tell them what will happen, in order, without reassurance. "A man will put a cape on you, the clippers buzz, it tickles, then we go to the park." Saying "it won't hurt" introduces the idea that it might.
- Visit first if you can. Five minutes in the shop while somebody else is in the chair, no cut, is worth more than any amount of explaining.
Book the first appointment of the day or straight after lunch, when the shop is quietest. Nothing goes wrong faster than a nervous four-year-old with an audience of six waiting men.
On the day
Say it is their first time when you book, not when you arrive. A barber who knows will leave extra minutes and will not start with the clippers.
Expect to be the chair. For under-threes, a child on a parent's lap is standard, works better than any booster seat and is what most barbers prefer. Wear something you do not mind covered in hair.
Let the barber talk to them, not to you. A child being discussed over their head is a child who feels something is being done to them. One who gets asked which clipper is the loud one is a participant.
Skip the phone if you can. It is the obvious tool and it tips the head down and sideways, which is exactly where a barber needs it not to be. A mirror, a lolly or a conversation all work better. If you must, hold it up at eye level yourself.
Accept a good-enough haircut. The first one does not have to be sharp. It has to end with a child who will come back. Sharp arrives around the third visit, by itself.
When they will not sit
Some children will not, and no amount of preparation changes it. The options, in order of how much most parents regret them:
- Stop and rebook. Genuinely the best outcome. A cut abandoned calmly at minute three costs you an appointment. One forced through to the end costs you the next two years.
- Scissors only, no clippers. The buzz and the vibration against the skull are usually the problem rather than the haircut. Many children who will not take clippers are fine with scissors.
- Ask for sides only. Do the bit that needs doing, leave the rest, come back in a fortnight. Two short visits beat one long battle.
- Have someone come to the house. Removes the room, the noise and the strangers in one go. How home visits work.
For autistic children and children with sensory sensitivities, go straight to the last two. A quiet room at home with no waiting, no unexpected noise and the ability to stop whenever is not an indulgence; it is the arrangement that works.
What to ask for
Children's hair is usually finer and straighter than it will be later, and grows unevenly. Two consequences worth knowing:
Ask for longer than looks right. Fine hair clipped very short shows scalp much more readily than adult hair at the same guard.
Mention the cowlick before it is found. Most small children have at least one — usually at the crown or the front hairline — and it is far easier to cut around than to fix afterwards.
Beyond that, the same rules as any haircut: say the six things, bring a photo if you have one in mind, and say how long it needs to last before the next school photograph.
What it costs
Children's cuts are usually a few pounds under the adult price, and the sensible shops price them by the slot like everything else.
| Service | Time | Price |
|---|
Common questions
When should a baby have their first haircut?
There is no medical reason to wait or to hurry. Most families go somewhere between one and two, usually when hair is getting in their eyes. Sitting still is the real limit, not age.
How do I prepare my child for a first haircut?
Go at their best time of day, make sure they have eaten, and describe exactly what will happen in order — cape, buzzing, tickles, finished. Avoid "it won't hurt", which introduces the idea that it might. A five-minute visit to watch somebody else first is worth more than any explanation.
What do I do if my child will not sit still?
Stop and rebook rather than forcing it through — one abandoned appointment is cheaper than two years of refusal. Scissors instead of clippers works for many children, since the buzz is usually the problem. A barber coming to the house removes the room and the strangers altogether.
How much is a child's haircut?
Usually a few pounds under the adult price, and priced by the length of the slot.
Can a barber come to the house for a child's haircut?
Yes, and for an anxious or autistic child it is often the right answer rather than a luxury. A familiar room with no waiting, no strangers and the freedom to stop removes most of what makes a barbershop hard.