Braids for kids

What you need

What braids for kids cost in South Africa, and how long they take

Variations

Cornrows

The simplest and quickest. A Cape Town salon lists cornrows on natural hair for kids only at R250 for 1 hour, and a Pretoria natural hair salon lists kids cornrows at R300 for 1.5 hours. Cornrows with fibre or beads run to R350 to R500.

Singles and box braids

Separate braids, with or without hair. Listings run R375 to R600 for 2 to 4 hours. A Bedfordview salon lists long kids box braids at R550 for 2 hours.

Feed-in and half moon

Braids that start as cornrows and continue as feed-in. A Randpark Ridge salon lists half moon braids for kids at R350 for 3 hours, and a Johannesburg salon lists kids box and feed-in braids from R230 for about 6 hours.

Fulani for kids

Cornrows at the front with braids at the back. Two Johannesburg salons list kids Fulani braids at R400 for 4 hours and R550 for 3 hours.

How long they last, and care

1. 1
   Ask for a loose, comfortable set
   The American Academy of Dermatology says children can get traction alopecia too, and that styling habits that cause hair loss often start young. Ask the braider to keep the set loose, especially at the hairline.
2. 2
   Know the warning signs
   The Academy lists pain, stinging, crusts and sections of scalp pulled up like a tent as reasons to change the hairstyle at once. Ask your child how it feels, and take braids out if it hurts.
3. 3
   No more than 6 to 8 weeks
   The Academy advises wearing braids no longer than 6 to 8 weeks. A Cape Town salon lists kids take-down with detangling and a wash at R150 for about 1 hour.
4. 4
   Rest between sets
   After a tight style, the Academy suggests loose braids or natural hair for a few months so the hair can recover.

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Braids for kids, explained

What braids kids get

Braids for kids are the same families of styles that adults wear, made smaller and lighter: cornrows, singles, box braids, feed-in braids, Fulani and knotless. Salons list them as kiddies hairstyles, kids braids or by age. One Cape Town city centre salon lists kiddies styles for ages 2 to 5, with freehand, cornrows and singles braids. One Pretoria natural hair salon says in its Instagram feed that it books children from 7 years old. We found no medical guidance on a minimum age, so each salon sets its own.

What braids for kids cost in South Africa

We read service rows from Fresha pages for South African cities and suburbs on 6 Oct 2026. In the 19 listings for kids braids, the middle half cost R250 to R525 and the middle figure was R375. The lowest was R80 for kiddies braids at a Pretoria salon, and the highest R1,000 from, for kiddies knotless in Randburg. Cornrows on natural hair cost R250 to R350, with extra hair R350 to R500, and singles and box braids R375 to R600. Kids Fulani braids are R400 to R550.

One Cape Town city centre salon lists labour only prices for ages 2 to 5: cornrows straight back R250 and up-styles R300, singles braids R400 medium and R500 long, and freehand R150 and R250. A Randburg salon lists knotless for under 13s at R1,150 for 4 hours at mid-back length. Ask whether braiding hair and a wash are included.

How long should a child sit?

We found no medical guidance and no salon rule that sets a limit. The listings show cornrows on natural hair at 1 to 2 hours, singles and box braids at 2 to 4 hours, and one kids box and feed-in set at about 6 hours. A shorter sitting is easier for a child, and the American Academy of Dermatology advises thicker braids, which pull less. Book a morning slot, and ask the braider about breaks before you pay a deposit. Speed should never come from pulling tight.

Tension and hair loss in children

According to PubMed, a 2007 study of 1,042 South African schoolchildren found traction alopecia, hair loss from pulling, in 9.4% overall and in 17.1% of girls. It rose from 8.6% in girls' first year of school to 21.7% in the last year of high school, and was more common with relaxed than natural hair (doi 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2007.07987.x). A 2008 study by the same group found 17.1% prevalence in African schoolgirls aged 6 to 21 and the highest risk when traction was added to relaxed hair (doi 10.1016/j.jaad.2008.05.036).

The British Association of Dermatologists says traction alopecia is often seen in women and children of African descent who regularly use braids or chemicals. Early cases can regrow if tight styles stop, with regrowth possibly starting about 3 months later, but long-term pulling can destroy follicles for good. Practical steps:

• Ask for a loose set, with the braids along the hairline smaller and softer.
• Take braids out if your child complains of pain, or if you see crusts or stinging.
• Avoid putting tight braids on relaxed hair.
• Limit sets to 6 to 8 weeks and leave a rest between them.

Natural hair or relaxed?

In the 2007 study, 78.4% of the girls had chemically relaxed hair, against 8.6% of the boys, and traction alopecia was significantly more common with relaxed than natural hair. Among those with a history of braids on natural hair, 22.9% had it, against 32.1% of those with braids on relaxed hair, a difference the authors found was not statistically significant. The 2008 study put the highest risk on tight braiding added to relaxed hair. If your child's hair is relaxed, tell the braider, and ask whether a looser style or a break from braids would be kinder to the scalp.

School hair rules

Section 8 of the South African Schools Act says the governing body of a public school must adopt a code of conduct for learners after consulting learners, parents and educators, and learners must comply with it. So rules differ by school. Ask for the written code before you book a style.

In August 2016, Al Jazeera reported on protests at Pretoria High School for Girls over hair rules. Its code did not specifically ban afros, but required that hair be brushed and styles conservative, and that cornrows, natural dreadlocks and braids be a maximum of 10 mm in diameter. Students said they were told their hair was untidy. The Gauteng education MEC met school management. We could not retrieve more recent reports for this page, so check what your own school's code says today.

What to ask when you book

Ask for the price in rand on WhatsApp for your child's style and length, and whether braiding hair, a wash and take-down are included. Check the deposit: one Pretoria braider asks R100 non-refundable, and one Thembisa braider asks 50% non-refundable within 12 hours. Arrive on time, because that Thembisa braider gives 10 minutes of grace and treats 30 minutes late as a cancellation. Send the braider a photo of the style, and tell them how old your child is and how long they can sit.

Choosing a braider for a child

Ask whether the braider has done sets for kids and how they keep them gentle. Check the policy on who comes along: one Pretoria braider says clients should arrive alone unless arranged first, and a Thembisa braider allows one client per appointment unless extra guests are approved, so tell them you are bringing a child. Ask about the deposit, the late rules and the take-down price.

Braids for kids: questions