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15 Braided Hairstyles for Little Boys: Complete Hair Guide

Published by Aida Turner

Fact checked by Annie

Key Takeaways

Braided hairstyles are also for boys and should be taken care of by washing them once a week using natural hair products.
To create a braid that lasts for long periods (6-8 weeks), you must avoid alcohol, paraben, and synthetic dye components from shampoo.
Remember that essential oils and leave-in conditioners are needed to keep your boy’s hair moisturized.
You can sport different braids for your boys, like huge side braids, two braids with faded sides, cornrows, short braids in dutch or french, medium hair rattail braids, and more.

These days, natural hair, whether straight or curly, is styled in many ways to make it look fashionable, keep the strands away from the eyes, and retain its natural moisture.

Unfortunately, for young boys, hairstyling and hair care are often skipped because people believe that braided hairstyles and other styles are only for girls.

Nevertheless, perspectives change, and stereotypes are broken. With this is the rise of braids for little boys!

To help you choose and recreate one for your little boys, we’ll give you a glimpse of different mixed boy braids plus a complete hair guide to provide the best hair treatment for your young ones.

Read through!

Contents show

15 Braided Hairstyles for Little Boys

Now that you know how to take care of little boy braids properly, we’ll give you 15 different styles for little boys you can recreate:

Fishtail Braid

Half-braids like a fishtail braid (also called fishbone braids) for a little boy is visually appealing.

Moreover, to spice up fishtail or fishbone braids for your little man, you can braid it up in the middle and put some shaved styles at the sides.

Thin Mohawk Braid for Baby Boy’s Natural Hair

If you think a natural mohawk is unsuitable for your young ones, you can always DIY a thin mohawk braid.

Basically, you’ll do a center braid and shaven sides. You can also do thicker braids for this style!

Natural Twist Hairstyle

Natural hair in twists is an excellent way of protecting your young ones’ curls by locking in the moisture.

It’s also easy to do as you only need to section the hair, get a small part, and twist it!

Funky Braid Styles

Protection for boys’ natural black hair is what funky short braids can offer. To do this, make a braid pattern at the center and seal it with a little boy bun (and fades!).

Boy Bun

A bun for a little boy is perfect, especially when he has long hair (it can work with thin hair, too!).

All you have to do is tie their hair in a boy bun, and you’re set! If you want to elevate the braids game, add fades.

Shaved Ponytail

Ponytails, just like braids style, are must-haves. To level up the ponytail hair game, add a shave styling, similar to the image.

Also, make sure you ask for a professional barber’s help to ensure safety and spot-on fades for your little boy.

Boy Cornrows

For your boys with short or long hair, cornrows are one of the best boys’ braid styles to recreate. In doing cornrows, you only need to do these:

Section the hair
Braid each section
Repeat

Read the whole guide to have cornrows: How Do I Prepare My Hair For Cornrows?

Dutch Braid

A Dutch braid is the same style as a French braid, which exudes appeal and neatness.

They only differ in technique, as in a dutch braid, you cross the strands under the middle braid, and not over it.

Back Crown Braid

Let your boys feel like a king with this back crown braid by parting the hair, doing two braids (dutch braids), and forming a circle. Then, tie it at the top to secure the crown.

Also, remember to add some faded sides to make it more captivating!

Tie Less Hair Braided

Tie-less braids are the way to go if you don’t like tight braids with rubber bands, which can damage your boys’ hair. To seal the braids, use the extra strands at the bottom.

Zig Zag Braids

If you want a new styling for your boys, you can try a zig-zag pattern. The process is still similar to cornrows, but the design will follow a zig-zag pattern instead of a ray-like one.

Reverse Braid

What will make little boy braids more interesting is a reverse braid.

You must start braiding from the bottom, tie your braids at the top, and style it in many ways similar to the image.

Two Small Braid Hairstyles

If you’re in a hurry, you can still make small braids or tiny braids as a simple hairstyle for little boys, one on the left and one on the right.

Braided Locks

Aside from twisting your boys’ locks, you can also make braided locks. To make it more creative, add some colorful beads.

Make sure the beads complement their outfit to make the overall look delightful.

Rattail Braids

If your little boy wants his hair short with faded sides and some braids, rattail braids are for them. It’s easy to do as you only need to braid the end part of their hair, similar to the image above.

How Often Should I Wash Braids for Little Boys?

In washing your baby boys’ braid styles, we recommend the following frequency of washing:

Every after one week, if your boy habitually plays outside
Every after two weeks, if your young boys are often indoors

How to Wash Little Boy Braids Properly?

Doing your boys’ braids properly is important, as it can define how well the hairstyle for little boys can last.

Apply a clarifying shampoo onto your boys’ scalp, then lather and gently massage. (Check the The 15 Best Sulfate-Free Clarifying Shampoos)
Rinse it with running water until all the shampoo residue is gone.
Moisturize your little boys’ braid styles using a leave-on conditioner for about 15-20 minutes.
Dry your little boy’s hair using a towel-drying method.

In washing and drying, remember not to twist your little boy’s hair, as it may ruin the boy braids or be frizzy in texture.

PRO TIP: A clarifying shampoo clears your little boys’ braids and scalp from dirt buildup.

What Shampoo Products Are Good for Boy Braids?

For your little boys’ braid styles, you must look for shampoo products that have the following characteristics:

Light scent or unscented
With 100% natural ingredients (e.g., sunflower oil, aloe vera)
Hypoallergenic and tear-free

Check the Best Shampoos Without Harmful Chemicals

To give you an idea of the best shampoo products for your mixed boy braids, here are some of our most recommended kids’ shampoos:

What Shampoo Ingredients Should I Avoid for Boys’ Braid Styles?

When you have good shampoo products to look for, you also need to have a keen eye on shampoo ingredients you should AVOID for your little boys’ natural braids:

Alcohol – This ingredient can make your little boy’s natural hair braids brittle.
Parabens – This can cause hair fall.
Synthetic dyes – These can trigger allergies and irritations on your little boys’ scalp.

Check the

How Do You Braid Little Boy Hair?

If you want to venture into the world of braiding hair for your little boy, take note of this step-by-step guide:

Wash the hair and let it dry.
Apply essential oils (e.g., Vernon Francois Nourishing Hair Mist).
Section the hair using a rat tail comb.
Style the hair depending on your preference.
Use a hair tie to keep the braid intact.
Style it (e.g., beaded ends or headband).

How Do You Cornrow Boy’s Hair?

Doing cornrows takes patience, just like any other braids for little boys. Nevertheless, here’s how you do it:

Separate in sections, depending on the type of cornrows (e.g., zig-zag pattern).
Use the usual braid pattern (3-part hair) in each section.
Repeat until all sections are braided.

Are Box Braids for Boys?

Box braids are for everyone, as box braids are easy to recreate and maintain, particularly if your little boys have long hair.

Box braids are part of African culture and tradition as they symbolize marriage, dating back to 3100 BC. Yet, it has only become well-known as a stylish option and a protective style during the 90s. [1]

Can You Do Braids With Short Hair for Boys?

Cutting to the chase, YES, you can give your boys a braid hairstyle even if they have short hair.

However, this can be more challenging than doing a long braid style, but you can always utilize braid extensions.

Nonetheless, here are some of the braids hairstyle for little boys with short hair that you can try:

Cornrows
Dutch braid
French braid

How Long Does a Boy’s Hair Need to Be to Get Braided?

You can have braided hairstyles for your young boys with short or long hair. Yet, they need at least 4 inches of hair to create a braid hairstyle.

Hair length lower than this can be difficult to part and braid, but again, you can always add hair braid extensions to create complicated styles for your little boys.

How Do I Care for Mixed Boy Braids?

Taking care of mixed boy braids takes a sense of commitment. If you can’t commit to a regimen, the braids for little boys may only last for a short time and may be damaged due to dryness.

To avoid this scenario, you must bear in mind the following tips:

Don’t use clarifying shampoos often
Always apply oils and conditioner
Utilize towels and air-drying
Avoid blow drying
Use satin for headbands or pillowcases
Do not tie tightly with a rubber band

Does Braided Hair Grow Faster?

The common misconception is that a braids hairstyle for little boys can fast-track the growth of your hair, but in reality, IT CAN’T.

According to experts, hair grows from 0.5 to 1.7 centimeters each month, and it will depend on the following factors: [2]

Age
Diet
Genetics
Sex

What Age Can a Boy Start Wearing Braids?

Your little boy can already have a braid hairstyle even before they turn 1 year old. However, weigh your decisions using these factors:

The patience of your little boy
The minor discomforts of braids
The braid preference

How Long Do Kid’s Braids Last?

With proper braid care and maintenance, a braid for little boys can last 6 to 8 weeks.

Ensure that you stay within 8 weeks as it can cause hair damage, strand breaking, matting, and buildup of residues.

Are Braids Good for Kids’ Hair?

Braids for little boys are suitable for their hair because they’ll act as a protective style that can keep the moisture on your young boys’ strands.

However, when you do it incorrectly and maintain it improperly, it may cause your boy’s head to hurt and may cause hair breakage.

Conclusion

With all the tips on taking care of your child’s hair and adequately doing a boy’s hairstyle, we hope you successfully care for and recreate the different hairstyles from this article!

Aida

Founder & Hair Beauty Specialist

I’m Aida and this is my blog where I write mostly about beauty and make up related stuff, but I like to spice it up a bit with lifestyle and photography posts. Or with whatever that comes to my mind. Hope you will enjoy the reading enough that we will ‘see’ each other more often!