Learning to put up hair

Being able to tie up your own hair can be an important step toward your child getting ready on their own.  

What can be difficult? 

Putting hair up involves lots of steps and children can’t see what they’re doing. They need to be able to: 

• Hold their hair in place 

• Remember the order of the steps 

• Stretch, twist and pull hair through the hair tie 

Top tips for putting up hair 

• Start simple. Begin with hairstyles that sit lower on the head as these are easier to manage.  

• Give your child plenty of time to practice, such as at the weekends, instead of during a busy weekday. 

• Encourage your child to sit down to practice. This helps them focus on the task instead of balancing.  

• Use a mirror. Seeing what they’re doing makes learning easier. 

• Use easier hair ties. Spiral ties, ribbon ties or hair bungees can be simpler to handle than standard elastic bands. 

• Photos, videos or watching someone else can help them understand the steps.  

Ideas for activities which help develop skills for putting up hair 

• Practise on dolls or try using a hair styling head. This lets them see their hands and learn the movements before trying it on themselves. 

• Practise using hair ties by stretching them over rolled up socks to practice twisting and pulling. 

• Improve upper body strength through exercises such as walking like an animal on all fours, writing on vertical surfaces, or writing with chalk. 

• Let your child take part as much as possible. You can guide their hands or let them start the process while you finish it, gradually reducing your help over time.  

• Let your child try, even if it looks messy. This gives them the chance to practice.