My daughter’s new obsession: hair braiding videos. She’s all over YouTube, checking out the coolest braid styles she can do herself, do to her friends, do to me, do to her great-grandmother…basically anyone too nice or too tired to say no.
Truth is, she’s actually come away with some really cute braid styles that are a fun change from our “hurry up and get your hair in a ponytail” routine.
(And hey, if it gets her more apt to brush her hair in the morning without being reminded, I’m all in.)
Need a little inspiration? Here are my top 10 favorite hair braiding video tutorials that I’ve found for all kinds of girls with all kinds of hair, whether stick-straight or Afro-textured. Plus there’s a basic tutorial on how to French braid if you’re clueless on the basics.
Whether you’re a mom, a dad, a grandparent, a caregiver of any kind — go ahead, give these braiding tutorials a try! Worst case scenario: take it out and you’re back to a ponytail.
At top: Dutch Braid tutorial | Cute Girls Hairstyles
Related: Coloring your child’s hair at home: Tips to make it hella easy.
I’m completely mesmerized by the gorgeous hairstyles captured by Dutch mama Shanillia26 on her Instagram account. She mixes in hair braiding tutorials and product recommendations with photos, like this fabulous Bantu Knot style, a traditional southern African style that so many African-American girls are loving these days. This Ebony article on the history of Bantu Knots is a great read, including commentary on cultural appropriation of it in recent years and why the style is so meaningful to those with African roots.
Related: An animated film celebrating Black daughters, Black dads, and a whole lot of hair love
This half-braid hair tutorial at Uplifting Mayhem (formerly Double the Batch) is perfect for girls who want to wear their hair down, but still keep long bangs out of their eyes. It’s a lot of style without too much fuss, and it works even for girls with more medium-length hair.
If you’ve got the job of braiding super thick curly hair, this tutorial on how to cornrow by Beauty Can Braid is really helpful. The video even goes slowly enough that you might be able to get through it without hitting pause (or letting go of the braid you’re working on). Once you learn the basic technique, you’re basically set with curly hairstyles.
This big, loose braid style is all over Pinterest right now, but it never lasts on my daughter’s shorter hair, which is just below her shoulders. However, this cool pull-through braid tutorial at Kassinka totally works for her, thanks to the couple dozen hair ties you need to use. I love that it’s fairly simple to pull off and looks casual but chic at the same time.
If your kid down for sitting for a few hours to have her hair braided, try this adorable 10-minute hair braid tutorial from Sekora and Sefari. It’s sweet and simple, and won’t take all day to finish.
This braid-in-a-braid hair style at Princess Hairstyles (oof, the name…forgive us) looks complicated, but it’s actually easy enough that my daughter can do it on her own. It’s a boho take on a formal hairstyle, which makes it work for a classroom or a wedding. It’s probably best for girls with longer hair, though, or it will fall out by lunchtime.
My mind is blown by this mini-puff hairstyle, also by Shanilla26. As she says, “If you can’t beat the puffiness…join it!” This is not quick job, so get some music (and a few thousand hair ties) ready. But based on her fans reposting their own impressive versions of this look, it looks totally doable.
Every few weeks, it seems, I get a letter from the school nurse about a “pesky problem” in my kids’ class. Yeah, lice. Blergh. That’s when we don’t mess around, and this Dutch Braid tutorial at Cute Girls Hairstyles is perfect…especially for girls with really long hair. And takes way less time than dealing with lice. (Shudder.)
Related: The sports bra solution for girls who don’t quite need a sports bra yet
Whoa, this textured bunhawk hair tutorial by IAMAWOG is so strong and stunning. It takes some time — her sped-up video is still five minutes long — but when you break it down, it’s just ponytails and two-strand twists. Plus, it will last up to a week, with some refreshing. Gorgeous.
My ten-year-old’s hair is nowhere near as Rapunzel-like as this model’s, but she still covets this heart loop braid hairstyle tutorial we found at Kassinka. I was doubtful I’d be able to pull it off, but I did! And it’s surprisingly simple. Even more shocking, it stayed in all day long — even through PE class. Mom win.
