How to Cut a Toddler's Hair

Getting the Toddler Ready

Obtain the right scissors and comb. You don't want to wing it when cutting a toddler's hair because the child might be squirmy. Get a pair of hair cutting shears and a comb before you begin. A pair of barber's scissors will work best. A booster seat with a low back is also important so you can reach all sides of the hair from different angles. A comb with a pointed end can help you section the child's hair. Household scissors are often too dull to use to cut hair. Plus, dull scissors create split ends. Multi-purpose scissors might work if you absolutely can't get barber's shears. Hair-cutting scissors can be found in your local pharmacy, beauty supply store, grocery store, or online. Put newspapers, magazines or a towel under the chair to capture the hair clippings that are bound to fall. Put a towel or hairdresser's cape around your child's shoulders so that the clipped hair doesn't end up covering the toddler's clothing.

Distract the toddler. It's a good idea to provide a distraction for the toddler so he or she doesn't get wiggly. Schedule the haircut for a time when your child is feeling happy and well. Do not attempt the haircut if your child is tired, hungry or sick. Try giving the toddler a lollipop to suck on while you are cutting the toddler's hair. In order to further distract the toddler, you may want to put him or her in a chair that you set in front of the television. This should keep their focus elsewhere, and make it easier for you to cut their hair. Talk a lot to the toddler with a smile on your face, and provide positive feedback. Make the cut a fun experience for the toddler by involving him or her in the process, perhaps by singing a song together as you cut. Don't expect absolute perfection when cutting a toddler's hair as most get a little restless.

Wet down the hair. It's a good idea to spray a mist of water on the toddler's hair before you try to cut it. If there are any tangles in the child's hair, buying a spray bottle of detangler is also a good idea. If the hair is not evenly wet, the cut may end up uneven. Wetting the hair will make it easier to cut the hair properly. In order to wet it down, you could buy a water bottle, fill it with water, and spray it around the toddler's hair. If you don't have a water bottle handy, you can buy one for a dollar or two at many big box or department stores. You will also want a wide-tooth comb. You could also wet down the comb, and comb the toddler's hair with it before trying to cut it, in the case that you don't have a water bottle available. Another method is to use a wet washcloth and a bomb to wet the hair. Don't wet the hair too much. Just mist it.

Cutting Short Toddler Hair with Scissors

Clip back sections of the hair. It's going to be a lot easier with a squirmy toddler to cut the hair in smaller sections. This is true even for toddlers with shorter hair. Take a clip, and fasten back all of the hair that you are not cutting. Pull out a small piece of the hair one section at a time. You don't need many sections. Pull away a piece that you will find manageable to cut. The goal is to be able to focus on one section at a time. You also don't need to make each section exactly the same size. It's not that important. Sectioning back the hair just makes it easier to cut when a toddler gets a little antsy.

Pick the right angle when you cut. One of the most important things when it comes to cutting toddler's hair is to cut at an angle. Cutting the hair at an angle creates a softer look that's less blunt. Try to cut the toddler's hair at a 45-degree angle. Slant your cuts toward the toddler's neck as you do so. Other experts say to cut at 11 o'clock. Hold a piece of hair at the 45-degree angle, while you cut along your fingers, using your fingers to keep the line straight. If your child has cowlicks on the top of his or her head, leaving the hair longer on top can help with that. The additional heaviness of the hair will likely stop it from standing straight up.

Start with the front. Start cutting the toddler's hair from the front because that's what people see first. This is partly because your toddler will probably be most compliant at first. Start with the bangs. Cut from the outside of the toddler's eyebrow to the outside of the second eyebrow. Pull the bangs straight down, and then cut them at an 11 o'clock or 45-degree angle. If you have someone helping you, have them hold the child's hand gently with one hand while you hold onto and snip the bangs. Make sure that you keep the scissors positioned away from the child's skin and eyes. Be ready for sudden movements the child might make. Some parents find it easiest to start around the ears when the child is least restless at the beginning of the cut. Cut very slowly around the ears so you don't cut them.

Snip slowly. In order to cut toddler's hair, it's important that you are gentle but firm, and that you snip tiny pieces at a time slowly. Hold the sections vertically. This will make it easier to control the cutting, especially if the child moves suddenly. In order to cut a piece of hair, take a small piece between your fingers. Cut at an 11 o'clock or 45-degree angle not parallel to your fingers. This will blend the hair better. If you cut the hair too parallel to your fingers, you will end up with hair that is cut too bluntly for most people's tastes. Choose the lengths with the first section. As you work around the head, take a little piece of the previous section to guide you on how short to go. Slide your fingers down the hair's length, and then cut with the scissors below your fingers. Start out by cutting less than you think you want. You can always do more if you feel it's necessary.

Cutting Longer Hair on a Toddler

Section medium or long hair. Many toddlers have short wispy hair. However, some toddlers, especially girls, might have longer hair. It's much easier to work on thinner and smaller sections of hair, so sectioning the hair is very important. With longer toddler hair, it's often a good idea to part the hair in the middle. This will make it more likely that the strands you cut will not end up uneven. To cut longer hair, take a wide-tooth comb, and section the toddler's hair into sections. Start with the top of the hair, and clip sections of the hair up so you can start by working on the hair that's underneath and in the back. Make two sections out of the hair by each one of the child's ears. Then, make two sections in the back, splitting it down the middle. Next, split each of the two back sections in half. Lift the sections up and clip them.

Brush the remaining hair in the back straight down. This hair will serve as the length guide. The length guide is the most important cut you will make. Cut the remaining hair in the back at the length that you would like the toddler's entire haircut to fall. You will match all of the remaining cuts to the same length as the guide. You need to make sure that you can see the guide as you cut the other sections, so make sure the sections you take down next are not too thick. Cut the hair in a straight line. Pull all of the girl's hair to the back. Cut a straight line, with your scissors at 11 o'clock, to create a soft textured line. Do this by holding a section of the hair with your fingers, and then snipping off the desired amount.

Complete the cut. Cut the back of the hair first by pulling the hair straight down on the sides. Try to make the hair as even as possible all the way around. Now connect it with the back hair to even it out. Try to get the toddler to look slightly down while you cut. As you cut a section of hair, let down some of the hair in the clips, to continue trimming the hair. Use the first section of cut hair as the guide for length when trimming the rest. Pull down the next section, and trim it to match the guide section's length. Do this section-by-section. If the child's hair is thick, you may need to work on a 1 inch (2.5 cm) section at a time so you're able to see the guide. To cut the sections by the ears, comb the child's hair by the ears all the way back, and work from behind.

Using Clippers to Cut a Toddler's Hair

Use clippers. It's possible to cut a toddler's hair with clippers, especially in the case of shorter hair. Buy a clipper set at a drug or department store. They should run you around $20. The clippers should come with several guards in different sizes ranging from low to high numbers. The lower number guards cut off more hair than the higher number guards. Put the plastic Number 3 guard on the clipper. Plug it in. Hold the clippers at about a 90- degree angle. Clip straight up from the base of the beck. Cut upwards with the clippers, and do so all around the toddler's head.

Clean up the cut. Once you are done cutting the back and sides of the toddler's hair, you will want to fine tune the cut. Remove the guard from the clippers, and clean up the hair around the toddler's ears. Go slowly so you don't cut the child. Use the clippers to clean up and shape the cut's style around the nape of the toddler's neck. Again, go slowly so you don't nick the child. It's very important that you proceed with great caution, making sure to distract the child and go very slowly, anticipating the possibility of sudden movements.

Cut the rest of the hair. After using clippers, you should use scissors to complete the toddler's haircut. Don't use clippers to cut the top or front of a toddler's hair. Start at the top of the hair by taking a section in the front. Decide the length you want. Hold your fingers across the section. Cut the hair away. Work your way to the back. Use the first cut as a guide cut. Cut the entire middle section and then cut the sides. Consider the hair as having three sections on top, the sides of the hair and the middle section. Work toward the back of the middle section. Blend the top of the hair with the sides. Cut at a 45-degree angle. Hold a section of the hair in your fingers, and cut at this angle. Then take another small section and do the same, working your way around the head.