Hair Dressup Games For Kids

Give Your Stuffed Animal a New Hair 'Do

One way to get kids to pay more attention to hair and style is to introduce them to a few hair dress-up games. Don't frame these games as ways to get your kids to tend to their messy hair. Rather, present the hair dress-up games as a way to pass the time. If your kids develop a positive relationship with their hair from an early age, they may feel more prone to keep it neat.

Salon Based Games

One common type of hair dress-up game is the salon-based game. In this game, your child and her friends set up a pretend beauty salon or barbershop. Cut funky hairstyles out of magazines or print some from websites, and paste them in a book to create a style guide. Then with the use of rollers, clips and other accessories, your kids can create the styles of their dreams.

For larger groups, the salon-style game can reach elaborate proportions, with one child playing the role of barber, another as the receptionist, a third as a customer and a fourth as the barbershop's hair sweeper. Supervise the game to make sure the kids don't try to use scissors, clippers or other dangerous items.

If you have access to wigs, use the wig as the styling base. This way your child won't risk messing up his hair with a bad style.

Dressing Up Doll or Stuffed Animal Hair

Not all hair dress-up games require large salon setups or evens humans as customers. Many kids have dozens of stuffed animals and dolls; use these toys as "customers." Make sure your kid does not try to cut the doll's hair, though. The child will probably regret that immediately.

Construction paper can serve as hair. With child-safe scissors, your kids can outline a few hairstyles, cut out the patterns, and tape or clip the hair to a doll or animal's head. If the doll or animal already has hair, weave pipe cleaners into the hair to create colorful 'dos.

You also can combine a doll or animal hair game with a salon-based game. Instead of using the whole room as a salon, create a miniature salon. Then each child can control a couple of animals or dolls. Nothing says fun like an owl hairdresser, a Barbie customer and an Oscar the Grouch receptionist.

Hair Dress-Up Games with Parents

Brave parents can subject themselves to a hair makeover. Show your child some styles you like. This will give your child an opportunity to spend time with you, while empowering and encouraging his creative abilities. Suggest simple styles such as pigtails or a bun. For more advanced braids, you can show your child how it's done and then have her try it. Parents can participate in salon games and stuffed animal dress-up games as well.

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