Past the first haircut, before they start choosing for themselves — here’s how to pick a cut your kid will sit still for and you won’t have to fight over every morning.
The first haircut is a milestone and everybody makes a fuss of it. The twentieth is just Tuesday — and that’s the one worth getting right. A cut that suits your child’s hair, their school and their tolerance for sitting still saves you ten minutes of arguing every single morning. Here’s how to choose one.
When to move on from first haircuts
Our Little Legends first haircut experience is built for 10 months to 4 years — it is as much about the occasion as the cut, and it takes a little longer because the barber works at your child’s pace.
Somewhere around three or four, most kids stop needing the ceremony and start needing a haircut. That is when the regular kids menu takes over: same barbers, same care, shorter appointment, lower price.
There is no rule about when to switch. If your child still needs the extra time and the milestone treatment, book Little Legends again. Nobody at the shop will think twice about it.
How often kids actually need a cut
Children’s hair grows a touch faster than adults’, and a kid’s haircut looks scruffy sooner because the shape is simpler. Rough guide:
- Short back and sides or a fade: every 3 to 4 weeks to hold the shape.
- Traditional cut, longer on top: every 5 to 6 weeks.
- Longer scissor cut: every 8 to 10 weeks, or when it stops sitting right.
If a full cut every month feels like a lot, ask for a line-up ($15) in between — it tidies the hairline and neck without changing the length, and it takes ten minutes.
The four kids’ cuts, explained
Everything on the kids menu is for ages 12 and under. Prices and times are the same at all three shops.
Traditional — $24, about 20 minutes
The classic short back and sides with length left on top. Nothing dramatic, grows out gracefully, and it is the easiest first “real” haircut for a child who is still getting used to the chair.
Skin Fade — $28, about 25 minutes
Sides taken down to skin and blended up. It is the sharpest option and the one most kids ask for by name once they have seen it on a friend. It needs a visit every three weeks or so to stay looking like the photo.
Taper Fade — $29, about 35 minutes
Shorter at the ears and neckline, with more length kept on the sides. Softer than a skin fade, holds its shape longer, and it suits younger children who won’t sit still for the full blend. If you are not sure which to pick between these two, our guide to skin fade versus taper fade lays out the difference.
Scissor Cut, Long Hair — $28, about 25 minutes
For kids growing their hair out. Scissor work only — shape, weight taken out, ends tidied — so the length stays but the mop stops looking like a mop.
Related serviceKids & Teens HaircutsAges 12 and under · $24–$29 · Maple Ridge, Walnut Grove and Willowbrook, 7 days a week.See the kids menu →
Match the cut to their hair
Thick or coarse hair
Goes wide before it goes long. A fade or a taper keeps the sides under control; ask for weight to be taken out of the top too, or it will stand up on its own by week two.
Fine or straight hair
A traditional cut usually looks fuller than a fade, because taking the sides very short can make the top look thinner by contrast. Leave a little more length on top and keep the sides tidy rather than tiny.
Curly hair
Curls shrink as they dry, so a cut that looks right wet will look shorter an hour later. Tell the barber how it behaves and ask them to cut it dry, or to leave it longer than you think. A taper is usually kinder to curls than a skin fade.
Cowlicks and a stubborn crown
Every second kid has one. Say where it is at the start — a good barber will cut around it rather than fight it, and the morning routine gets shorter.
School, sport and the morning routine
- Be honest about styling. If nobody in your house is going to put product in a seven-year-old’s hair, say so, and ask for a cut that falls into place on its own.
- Helmets and hats flatten length on top. Kids in hockey or cycling most of the week are usually happier with a shorter, textured top.
- Swimming dries hair out and makes longer cuts harder to manage. Shorter is easier through swim season.
- School photos: book three to five days before, never the day before. A fresh cut settles in a couple of days and looks better on camera.
- Check the school’s rules before anything graphic. Some schools have a view on patterns and shaved designs.
Book the appointment for when your child is normally at their best — usually mid-morning, or straight after school rather than at the end of a long day. It matters more than anything else in this article.
Making the appointment go well
- Bring one photo, not five. It settles the question before the clippers come out.
- Let them sit alone if they want to. Plenty of four-year-olds are braver without a parent hovering — and plenty aren’t. Either is fine.
- Warn them about the clippers. The buzz is the part that surprises children, not the cut. Ask the barber to let them hold it first.
- Bring the tablet or don’t — whatever actually keeps them still. No barber minds.
- Grab them a drink. There’s a beverage bar in every shop, and a cold drink buys you about four extra minutes of sitting still.
When they move to the adult menu
At 13 they book from the adult menu — same barbers, more options, adult pricing. That is usually the age they start having real opinions about their hair, which is a good thing: a teenager who chose their own cut actually maintains it.
If you want ideas before that conversation, our guide to the best haircuts for teen boys right now covers what they are actually asking for.
Quick answers
What age is the kids menu for?
Twelve and under. From 13, they book from the adult menu.
Do you cut girls’ hair too?
Yes. The kids menu covers all children, and the scissor cut for long hair is on it for exactly that reason.
My child is scared of the clippers. What now?
Say so when you book and again when you sit down. A scissor cut avoids clippers altogether, and most children who are nervous the first time are fine by the third visit.
Can I book a specific barber?
Yes — booking online lets you pick, and it is worth it. Kids do better with the same face each time.
Do you do designs and patterns?
Yes, artistic design is on the menu for kids and adults. Check your school’s rules first.
Can siblings book together?
Book them back to back with the same barber, or at the same time with two barbers if the shop has the chairs free. Call the shop and we’ll sort it.
Book their next cut
Kids and teens, seven days a week, 8:00am – 9:00pm in Maple Ridge, Walnut Grove and Willowbrook. Walk in if a chair is free, or book so you’re not waiting with a restless four-year-old.
Parents’ GuideThe Ultimate Guide to Your Child’s First Haircut
ServiceKids & Teens Haircuts