You probably remember how traumatic it was to get your first haircut as a kid, especially since you had no idea what was going on. But when you’re at that point in life where your child is the one who’s getting their first haircut, it doesn’t have to be as traumatic as your experience. In fact, there are ways to make haircuts a lot more fun for toddlers. This guide gives you an idea of how you can take the stress away from your kid’s haircut and make it more fun and memorable.

1. Practice at Home

Practice makes perfect, so always practice at home before the actual haircut is done. You want your child to get used to the clippers before you even attempt to use them to cut their hair. This will make them feel less anxious when they get to the salon. If your child is too young to sit on their own, consider getting a high chair. But you can also use your lap when you’re practicing. Use clippers that are similar to the ones used at the salon. You don’t even have to actually cut their hair. Just show them how haircuts are done, so they know what to feel and what to expect.

2. Bring a Favorite Toy

Having their favorite toy with them can actually make the haircut go more smoothly. You want to make sure the toy is something that won’t get in the way when you’re cutting their hair. If there are multiple distractions, it can make the experience more stressful for your child.

3. Go Early

Going early may be the best way to have a stress-free trip to the salon. Since haircuts can take a while, you want to be sure that you get to the salon early enough to be the first one in. It’s also a good idea to have time to relax and get familiar with the place before you have to bring your child in. By doing this, both you and your child will have time to get comfortable and familiar with the place.

4. Promise a Reward

While many kids will be excited to get their haircut, others need a little extra motivation. This could be accomplished by promising a reward to them. Since they will have been practicing their haircut with a toy at home, they have already learned the steps without even knowing it. Your child has already become familiar with the process, so they probably won’t be as anxious to get their haircut.

5. Make a Game Out It

Another way to make your kid’s haircut go more smoothly is to turn it into a game. For example, you can turn it into a game of music. When you’re on the chair, you can put on a pair of headphones and turn on some music. This will probably get your kid’s attention. You can also make a game out of this by having your kid guess what song the barber shop quartet is playing. The point is to distract your kid by making the experience something that they can enjoy doing. Most of the time, that’s the best way to get your child to relax and feel comfortable.

Just make sure that whatever game you have in mind won’t excite your child so much that it would cause them to act recklessly. We don’t want the distraction to cause them to jump off the chair or even run away.

Conclusion

Getting your child’s haircut is not as bad as you thought it would be. After all, it can be a fun activity. Your child can be very frightened when they get their first haircut, mainly because they don’t know what to expect. Since they are unable to express themselves, you have to do whatever you can to make them feel more comfortable. Thankfully, the tips listed above can help a lot with your child’s first haircut.

Since 2005, Wise Guys Barber Shop has been offering the best haircut and shaving services to the Denver community. From men’s haircuts and beard trims to children’s haircuts, our master barbers perform only the service you deserve. Book an appointment today or visit our barber shop in Denver!