Skip to main content

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

4 easy kid hairstyles your 5-year-old daughter will love for summer

Is there anything sweeter than your little girl’s smile on a hot summer day, gorgeous locks flowing around her face and sticking to her red cheeks? What is it about summertime that brings out the best in us all? There is something exciting, joyful, and precious about the sweet and short months of summer. There is also heat — something most parents struggle to balance with their child’s sometimes endless energy.

If your little girl is an active one, you may be considering a new hairstyle for her to keep cool and stylish all summer long. New and fun styles are always popping up, with twists and spins put on tried-and-true traditional styles to make them fresh and exciting. We’ve searched for, asked around, and taken a few polls on which ones will suit the largest groups of parents, while keeping in mind that they need to be easy and quick. No kid enjoys sitting through hours of hairdos and styling sessions.

Photo Art Lucas/shutterstock

The Elsa look

If your little girl is a lover of the Frozen movies and loves to sing Idina Menzel’s classic “Let It Go,” then look no further than a classy, stylish, and updated fishtail braid for their perfect Elsa-fied ensemble. This easy-as-pie ‘do keeps your princess’ hair out of her face during hot and steamy summer days. It can be done with wet or dry hair and leaves behind gorgeous crimps and curls when let down at the end of the day.

Recommended Videos

This style is a perfect pairing for days spent outdoors, at the pool, or for virtually any occasion. Turn it up a notch and add artificial flowers, tiny bows, pearled barrettes, or any small accessory to take this style from casual to sophisticated. Upgraded fishtail braids are perfect for dinners out, photo ops while on vacation, or family gatherings.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The future of the galaxy is feminine

From princesses to lightsabers, quick and easy hairstyles know no bounds when it comes to little girls. In a galaxy far, far away lies the story of Star Wars‘ Rey, a lost Jedi who doesn’t know the powers she possesses. The story of Rey and how she came to know her real fate and history is a wonderful one for young girls to look up to and reflect on, applying those same situations in some of their own personal lives. And for a little girl, desperately desiring to be the next Jedi wonder, a spin on Rey’s epic hairstyle is the perfect way for them to practice their skills while battling the dark side of the Force.

In this tutorial, the author shows step-by-step instructions on how to achieve Rey’s signature “bun-hawk” look, breaking it down into manageable steps, none of which are too difficult to accomplish. It requires brushing the hair, sectioning it into four horizontal sections, placing each section into a bun, and wrapping each section to cover the needed elastic. Requiring only three to four items (depending on your child’s hair length), it couldn’t be easier to do good and battle evil while wielding a wicked hairstyle.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

High buns for the dancers and doers

Sometimes referred to as ballerina buns, high buns are great and super-simple hairstyles parents can implement for their little girls during busy and hot summer days. Requiring little more than an elastic holder and a few bobby pins, this style can be softened by pulling or loosening the hair around your child’s face, thus loosening the look and relieving tension from their scalp and hairline.

This easy, go-to style is great for active kids in sports and other extracurricular activities while also looking great in photos, and it can be dressed up for more stylish events. It can be enhanced with the use of a donut hair bun maker.

Kati Kemppainen/shutterstock

The classic Heidi look

If you happened to have read any Heidi books as a child, then you may remember the little blond girl on the front cover, sporting two Dutch braids plaited down her back. She experienced thrills and disasters while living with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. These braids, sometimes mistaken for French braids, lie on top of the hair instead of within or underneath it.

Dutch braids require very little skill to pull off, as the motions to complete this style of braid are the exact opposite of the more commonly used French style. These braids are very forgiving and are often more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time, making them great options for younger girls with more sensitive scalps. These braids look beautiful in the hair and leave behind beautiful barrel-style curls afterward.

If you are looking for cute, easy-to-do, easy-to-maintain, and engaging hairstyles for your little girl this summer, then we highly suggest you give some of these looks a go. These styles are diverse and multiuse-friendly, making them great options for outdoor playdates or a quick dinner while running errands. Additionally, these looks can be dressed up or down pretty easily, depending on the situation. Many can be enhanced with the addition of hair accessories, and all can be completed in less than 15 minutes, making them ideal for busy families on the go.

Emily Pidgeon
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Emily's work has appeared in the Tube City Almanac, Tube City Online and our Affinity Sites. When she's not writing, she is…
10 stellar summer birthday ideas for your kid
Make a splash with these cool summer birthday party ideas
Teens at outdoor birthday party

Kids may get disappointed when their birthday falls during the summer because they can't celebrate it in school. On the other hand, having a summer birthday opens the door to celebration possibilities. Without school and extracurricular constraints, it can be easier to plan a party when school is out.

Then, there's the weather. Summer allows you a lot more freedom when it comes to deciding on what type of birthday party you want to have. Unlike winter, summer parties can head outside without layering up. So, if your kiddo's special day is approaching and you're looking for summer birthday party ideas, we've got cool suggestions that will make a big splash.
Summer birthday party ideas

Read more
15 fun rainy day activities for kids you should have in your back pocket when boredom kicks in
Beat the rainy day blues with these cool activities
Child with umbrella

Rainy days happen at any time of the year. It's always the same when the kids are stuck inside because the rain just won't go away. The key to navigating a rainy day, whether it falls on a weekday or the weekend, is things to do. Let's face it. Kids want entertainment, and when the raindrops fall, the devices come out.

As a parent, you don't want the kiddos spending hours online or endlessly streaming shows and that's where rainy day activities come in. The best way to keep the kids busy on rainy days is to have some fun activities at your disposal to keep them occupied. We have cool rainy day activities that even teens may put down the smartphone for.
Rainy day activities

Read more
10 fun summer activities for kids and parents to do together
Put the fun in summer with these cool things everyone can participate in
A family on vacation taking a break to look at the view

Summer vacation is just around the corner (or already here for many). Now, don't worry if you don't have a big vacation planned or haven't booked the kiddos into a bunch of camps. Those things are of course cool, but part of summer should be devoted to spending quality time together as a family.

You don't need to head to Europe or a resort to do that. There are plenty of fun summer activities kids and parents can enjoy. That includes teens, too. Parents and teens definitely need to reconnect when school's out for the summer, especially since they will be headed off to college or on their own soon.

Read more