They need something super fun and out there, but it’ll need to survive lunch and a game of tag. The trick isn’t just the decorations though, it’s the preparation. Strong styling wax or gel can be used to set accessories and colors, without messing up the hair. Thick or coily hair will need some kind of stretch beforehand, so start with braids or twist-outs for a better hold. Being creative is super important, but especially if she’s going to wear it all day, comfort is just as important.
Now let’s get to how crazy hair day actually is. Several of my co-workers have had to deal with moms running in the day before and pleading for something that looks spectacular and won’t get ruined before 2nd period. The truth is what no one tells you is prep is the most important part of any hairstyle. I have seen incredible intricate hairstyles just fall apart because there was no prep product, while simple hairstyles have survived the entire school day because someone took the time to do proper prep.
I also think that with kids, you should try to work with their natural hair texture instead of fighting it. Hair that’s naturally curly is way more flexible and can be used for more styles than hair that is straight, so it will be more efficient to work with what the child already has than trying to force the hair into a different style.
One of my favorite things from crazy hair day was seeing a girl come in with her mom, and they had done a big online unicorn horn thing. The problem was that her hair was washed and too smooth for anything to grab on. We ditched it really quickly and spent about 15 minutes making huge twisted knots and I had her mom send me a picture later of her smiling because everyone was asking how she did it. That’s the point, it doesn’t have to be hard, it just needs to be fun and stay in place. Want to get inspired? Let’s find a style that will make her proud to show it off from homeroom to the car ride home.
#1: Half-Up Space Buns with the Prettiest Soft Pastel Blue
I appreciate how lovely the color looks, the pastel blue looks soft and is reminiscent of cotton candy and makes me think of something out of a fairytale. Everything about the two space buns, along with the rest of the hair which is styled into soft beautiful waves, is perfect. Hair pearls are a nice touch, and what’s great is that they kept it simple. This design works exceptionally well on kids with medium and fine hair because the half-up section creates the perfect place to secure the waves where volume is needed. The only negative I can add is that the pastel color sprays fade quickly, so expect it to only last the day, which is ideal for crazy hair day.
#2 Bouncy Curly Pigtails with Little Teddy Bears
With those curls, I know they’ll be bouncing around with excitement, and I know I wouldn’t be able to stop smiling if I saw them. Those pigtails must be overjoyed, and the teddy bear charms make the hairstyle even better! Some people might think hair charms are a bit silly, but they are a great way to add more fun to the style. They are especially a good idea for little kids. If your daughter has naturally curly hair, then you are lucky! You’ll just have to make sure her hair is moisturized the night before, put a satin bonnet on, and in the morning her curls will be ready! Make sure to give yourself extra time, because, for better or worse, those curly ponytails have a mind of their own.
#3 Sparkly Top Knot with a Pretty Twisted Base
This hairstyle is simple enough to be easy for school mornings. The twist going into the top knot adds some structure and makes it look interesting, while the sparkly bits catch the light just enough for kids to love it. It works the best with straight and slightly wavy hair since you need some smoothness for the twist to lie flat. The hold is strong, but not heavy, and it really does stay up, which is really the point.
#4 Glittery Crown Pigtails on the Most Beautiful Curls
This hairstyle has such beautiful, thick, textured, and lively curls! The little pigtails also really help to frame her face! The best part is that the crown clips, along with the pigtails, create a fun hair day look while allowing the hair’s natural texture to shine through. In a pigtail hairstyle, thick curly hair provides volume that is simply unmatched and holds the pigtails better than fine hair. The addition of the crowns is also a great touch because they are at the base of the pigtails where they are easy to secure and won’t fall off during recess!
#5 Twisted Buns Loaded with Beads and Pastel Color
This look has so much potential. The idea of adding colored beads for an underlayer look is super fun. The colored beads woven into the buns and pastel beads in pairs make it even cuter! The pastel and colored buns pull the hair off your face and are awesome for medium length hair. The look stays in shape all day, which is nice! I think beaded buns take more thought and care when removing the style at the end of the day to avoid tangles. The style is great for crazy hair days as it’s so quick to create!
#6 High Pigtails with the Cutest Bunny Ear Accessories
The high pigtails are fun and give off the energetic vibe that all little girls love, and the bunny ears really brighten it up into the super cute zone. The hair is the perfect texture for pig tails, it’s not too slippery to keep them up, and it’s not too thick that you have to struggle to get the elastic around it. I think what works great here, is that you don’t have to spend a ton of time on the hairstyle itself when it’s so simple, especially when a cheap accessory like the bunny ears is going to do so much of the personality work. These soft face framing layers are great touches too, they keep the whole look from being too sleek and pulled back.
#7 Double Curly Buns with Sweet Animal Accessories
These curly buns are super fun! The curly texture adds a rounded shape to the buns that straight hair cannot achieve. And the little animal hair clips are the cutest finishing touch! For this style, you will want to use a hydrating curl cream to avoid the frizzy look. This will help the buns look fuller and more luscious. I adore this style for a girl with natural curls because it fuss-free. The curls are the center pieces of this style and are meant to be celebrated.
#8 Double Buns Wrapped Up in the Brightest Ribbons
The ribbons on this one do a lot. They add color, texture and movement and overall make a pretty basic double bun feel a lot more like a fun and silly crazy hair day style. It’s great that this style works on a variety of hair types because for fine and medium density hair, the buns will still feel comfortable and lightweight and the ribbons will give the appearance of a bun that has a lot more hair than the ribbons themselves, despite not having a huge amount of hair. My only warning is ribbons and recess tend to not mix, so if your child likes to go upside down on the monkey bars, you might want to use a couple of bobby pins to tape the ribbon ends down for safety.
#9 Braided Crown with the Sweetest Little Flowers
The braided crown has touches of a polished look while still being less mature thanks to the wavy hair cascading down. The braid also includes flowers which make it more fun and light. The braid creates the illusion of even more thickness which is a bonus on fine and medium hair. This style is perfect for active kids! It keeps all the hair pinned to the head and keeps pieces from swinging. It’s a clean style that looks pretty all day.
#10 Double Buns with Tropical Pineapple Accessories
The pineapple hair clips are adorable! Pairing them with those crazy curly double buns looks like so much fun! Plus the clips will keep all of their hair out of their face. I love those styles that make sure the kiddos don’t have to keep their hair out of their eyes all day. The more curly the hair the better, because the texture really helps to make the buns look big and round. Just a tip, be sure that any clip-on extras are secured with a pin through the base and not just clipped into the hair, because kids move around a lot, and clip-on accessories will fall off a lot.
#11 Half-Up Curls with Pastel Color and Cat Ears
The natural curls with pastel highlights mixed in are gorgeous! Depending on the angle, they take in different light which gives the curls an amazing glow for pictures. The half up part keeps it practical while the curls fall down to showcase all the beautiful texture, and the kitty ear accessory completes the whole wacky hair day outfit. This is one style where the curls have to be in good shape to start with, so a deep condition the night before will help. You’ll get way better results from a second-day hair style than from trying to do everything the morning of.
#12 Colorful Twisted Double Buns with Rainbow Bands
I really enjoy the enthusiasm in this! It has a carnival feel with a kids’ love the multi-colored bands around it. The twists help the buns keep their shape and with fine to medium hair you can use the twisting technique to get grip without a ton of product. It’s one of those styles that looks like you spent a lot of time on but really didn’t. For crazy hair day this is the sweet spot. Nobody wants to wake up at 5 for a school hairstyle.
#13 A Braided Crown Sitting Over the Prettiest Textured Curls
I really enjoy the neat and natural combination of the structured braid with soft curls. It’s even better that it works with naturally curly hair, meaning no adjustments need to be made to the curls. Braids always add a little more touch of intentionality to a style. If your girl has finer curls and you want a little more body, lightweight mousse scrunched into the damp hair will give more volume without the weight. The floral pieces are cute, but they can be left off. The braid and the curls are enough on their own.
#14 Sparkly Twisted Buns with Loose Curls Framing the Face
I like this hairstyle because the curls are really nice and help soften the face. The twisted buns look great with the sparkly accents. The sparkly accents are just right and add a nice touch. Without the curls, the buns would look a little too much and too rough for a young girl. This look is great and balanced as well. You may need some strong hold gel to keep the twists together and keep the sparkly accents from sliding down. It takes a few washes to get the glitter out, so be prepared to spend some time on that.
#15 Two-Toned Pigtails with Bright Fun Accessories
I have to admit, I love how more than one tone is used on these pigtails. It’s great to see how the tones add dimension and visual interest that would not be there if a single color was used. The bright accessories really help tie the whole look together and give the pigtails even more personality. The style looks lightweight and I love this! Many people don’t consider how much this matters when a kid has to wear a hairstyle for an entire school day. Pigtails are loose enough that they can move freely without pulling or feeling heavy on a child’s head. Even if you don’t have super great confidence in your hairstyling abilities, this one is simple enough that you can definitely pull this off in the morning and the accessories will do most of the talking for you.
#16 High Ponytail with a Sparkly Colorful Wrap
This hairstyle is simple yet effective. One of the best things about it is that it is a very high ponytail. The high wrap also adds a fun and festive touch. Tucking in all those individual waves that create shape and body is super helpful, and, because it is high, it all stays out of your face. This is probably the most underrated way to go for crazy hair day. A nice and tight ponytail adds to a festive accessory much better than a style that is trying to do a lot. Just watch the tightness at the base, leave it snug enough to hold, and tell the kids to do it however they want.
#17 Curly Pigtails with the Brightest Scrunchies
How cute are these little piggy tails? The curls bounce around as they move, and the big scrunchies add a splash of color to their hair. I think my favorite part about this crazy hair style is how simple it is. The curls do all the work for you, and the scrunchies are just as easy to use to keep the piggy tails up as they are to decorate with. If you want the piggy tails to stay bouncy all day, use a little leave-in conditioner. This will help the curls bounce more than if you do it on dry hair.
#18 Pastel Rainbow Space Buns
I like the combination of pastel colors here, it gives a nice watercolor effect. The space buns look good because they add height to round and heart faces. Also, with shoulder length hair they are a good size, not too big or too small. If you want to do a temporary color, hair chalk is going to be your best friend here. It washes out and you can mix colors. For better color payoff, chalk on damp hair should give better results. Just a heads up, the chalk can dry your hair out so I would recommend using a leave in conditioner.
#19 Pastel Braided Crown Flowing into Soft Waves
The waves, little flowers, and pastel colors blend together in a gentle, calm, and ethereal way. The braid that wraps around the crown is an elegant way to tie back hair, and the flowing waves add femininity and movement to the look. I think this hairstyle would suit most little girls, particularly those with naturally wavy hair. There’s hardly any need to alter the hair texture, other than a braid at the top and let it do its thing. The flowers can be sewn onto the hair pins, so the pins stay secure and hidden.
#20 Twisted Buns with Branches and Leaves Tucked In
I love how it stands out from what’s typical in this area. It incorporates elements from nature, and that gives it a woodland fairy aesthetic, instead of all the glitzy neon elements that are more typical. The twisted buns are a nice base for the branches and leaves; they look good and intentional on straight, slightly wavy, or medium density hair. I think this one is going to take more time and effort than some of the other styles because it’s a bit more involved. You’re going to use some unconventional accessories that don’t have built in clips and need to be woven in. You might want some bobby pins to help hold the twists in place. When you’re done, the look will be pretty original compared to what most kids will be wearing.
#21 Layered Cut with the Most Fun Pink Highlights
What makes this cut so great is how the different layers work together to give off movement especially with the pink highlights. The pinks color her hair wonderfully while also making the layers look fun and flattering. The layers also help all hair types look fuller. The placement of the pink highlights is done so well that it makes the color look intentional and not messy. For crazy hair day instead of a semi-permanent color, I would recommend using a washable pink so the look can be enjoyed for a day. She may ask for purple next week which is all part of the fun. Kids can be picky.
#22 Twisted Buns Topped with the Happiest Pom-Poms
Wow, this one is awesome! I like how the pom-poms on the twisted buns add cheerfulness and bounciness to the hairstyle as well as complementing the coils of hair. The twist buns also hold their shape and make them look even better. The natural state of the coily hair is beautiful and the natural twist will look great. In addition, the coily hair grips onto itself so the twists will be a lot tighter and stay for longer. Thank you for the tips, I will make sure to embrace the natural style when doing this hairstyle. I will keep the rest smooth and just twist all the hair. I also like the little pom-poms on the ends of the buns that are held in with small elastics wrapped around the base.
#23 Curly Pigtails with Beaded Antennae Sticking Up
The beaded antennae create a playful and insect-like fun style. The beads on pigtails look nice because they are warm colors that match the hair’s warm color. Also, they look nice and playful while being out of the face during school. To keep these beaded antennae standing, she likely used pipe cleaners that are wrapped around the bases of the pigtails with beads glued on. Without these, the design would be cute, but the pigtails would have to be less bouncy than the design suggests. Overall, the design plays around with colors to add fun to the style.
#24 Curly Top Knot with an Actual Donut on Top
I can’t stop thinking about how cool it would be to have a donut with sprinkles placed right on top of a curly natural hair bun. Ideas like these are the reason kids get popular in the hallways for a whole day. The donut sits perfectly on top of the high curly bun because the hair texture keeps the accessory secured in place. If you have thinner hair, you might want to add a donut bun maker underneath to give your bun extra volume and a more rounded shape, then clip the decorative donut on top. This truly is the best for silly hair day because it’s fun, cute, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
#25 Neon Twisted Buns That Practically Glow
These strange looking buns finished with hair ties may seem fun. It is bright and even looks like it is glowing. This makes kids feel like they are glowing. The bright colors contrasting with the hair looks very bright and makes them feel like they are the coolest kids in school. The clean and neat buns show that this style will definitely work best on medium length hair with some natural texture to it. If the hair is too smooth, the twists might want to unravel. If you want to take this hairstyle to the next level, you can add some neon clips or colorful barrettes tucked in the twists leading up to the buns. This would add a fun pop without taking much time to style.
Enter your email and get this picture and description straight to your inbox, and you'll also get new hair ideas ❤️
🔒 We don't spam or sell emails. See our Privacy Policy.