These 10 hairdresser activities give preschoolers a safe way to explore salon role-play, practise hand skills, and use their imaginations. They suit home or classroom play, use familiar materials such as dolls, paper, brushes, and pretend appointment cards, and can be adapted for children who prefer watching before joining in.
1. Set Up a Pretend Salon
Arrange a small table as a reception desk and a chair as the salon seat, then add a hand mirror, a clean hairbrush, a towel or play cape, and a few dolls or stuffed animals as clients. Take turns being the hairdresser, customer, and receptionist: the hairdresser can greet the client, ask what style they want, and announce when the appointment is finished. This open-ended role-play gives children practice with conversation, turn-taking, and everyday social routines without needing real salon tools or products.
2. Wash a Doll’s Hair at a Water Station
Place a washable doll with rooted hair beside a shallow basin, a small cup, and a towel, and let children pretend to shampoo and rinse using a little clean water; keep the doll’s face out of the water and follow its care instructions. A dry version works just as well with a damp washcloth or a pretend shampoo bottle made from an empty, clean container with no lid small enough to become a hazard. Children can practise a simple sequence—wet, pretend to wash, rinse, and towel-dry—while learning to handle water carefully and clean up spills with an adult nearby.
3. Brush and Style a Doll or Mannequin
Offer a doll with hair that can be brushed, a wide-tooth comb, and a soft brush, and show children how to start near the ends and work gently toward the roots rather than pulling hard. They can choose a simple look such as a side part, a low ponytail secured with a large fabric scrunchie, or two loose sections held with oversized clips designed for children. This activity builds patience and small-muscle coordination, and it also creates a natural moment to talk about asking permission before touching someone else’s hair.
4. Make a Paper Haircut Collage
Draw a large face on cardstock or print a simple outline, then provide strips of colored paper, tissue paper, or yarn for hair, along with a glue stick and blunt-tip preschool scissors used with adult supervision. Children can cut or tear the materials into short, long, curly-looking, straight, or spiky shapes and arrange them on the head before gluing them down. Because the hairstyle stays on paper, children can experiment freely with shape and color while practising scissor control, choosing materials, and explaining the look they designed.
5. Create a Yarn Wig or Hairy Paper Plate
Make a simple wig by attaching short lengths of yarn around the edge of a paper plate with tape or glue, leaving the middle open so a child can hold it above their head or place it on a doll. Offer yarn in several colors and textures, and invite children to sort lengths, select a parting, or trim the ends with blunt-tip scissors under supervision; adults should handle any hot glue or stapling. The project turns the idea of hair into a tactile craft, encourages careful placement and pattern-making, and gives children a finished prop they can bring into salon pretend play.
6. Design Appointment Cards and a Salon Menu
Give children index cards, crayons, and stickers to create appointment cards showing a client’s name, a time represented by a simple picture, and the chosen service, such as brushing or braiding a doll’s hair. For a menu, draw icons beside a few pretend options—for example, a brush, a ribbon, or a towel—so children can “read” the choices even if they do not yet recognize written words. Playing receptionist lets preschoolers practise mark-making, counting out turns, and asking clear questions, while the visual menu helps them remember what the pretend salon can offer.
7. Sort Clips, Ribbons, and Hair Colors
Set out large fabric hair ties, broad ribbons, and oversized barrettes that are easy to handle, then ask children to sort them by color, shape, or texture before choosing decorations for a doll’s hairstyle. They might place all the blue items in one tray, match pairs of similar clips, or create a repeating pattern such as red ribbon, yellow ribbon, red ribbon. Keep small accessories away from children who may mouth objects, supervise their use, and avoid tight ties or clips on a child’s own hair; the sorting makes salon play a concrete way to practise classification and pattern recognition.
8. Make a Client Cape and Salon Mirror
Turn a clean, lightweight towel or a piece of fabric into a pretend cape by draping it loosely around a doll or over a child’s shoulders, fastening it only with an adult’s help and never around the neck tightly. Set an unbreakable mirror at child height, or use a hand mirror while seated, and let the “client” check the style before and after brushing or adding a ribbon. Children can describe what they see—such as a part on one side or a bow near the ponytail—which supports observation and vocabulary while making the salon scenario feel more complete.
9. Put the Salon Routine in Order
Draw or print four picture cards showing a pretend appointment: greet the client, choose a style, brush or decorate the hair, and show the finished look in a mirror. Mix up the cards and invite children to arrange them in order, then act out the sequence with a doll, explaining what happens at each step. Preschoolers benefit from having a clear beginning and ending to a role-play, and this activity connects sequencing language such as first, next, and last with a familiar everyday routine.
10. Try a Ribbon-and-Comb Styling Challenge
Place a doll or sturdy styling head on a table with a comb, several wide ribbons, and a few large, easy-to-open clips, then give a playful prompt such as making a style for a rainy-day walk or a pretend party. Children can comb a section, choose a ribbon, and decide where to fasten it, while an adult helps with knots or any accessory that is difficult to open. There is no single right result, so the challenge encourages planning and creative choice; invite the child to describe the hairstyle or draw it afterward to extend the play.
How to Choose
Start with the child’s interests and comfort: a child who likes pretend conversations may enjoy running the reception desk, while one who prefers quiet making may choose the paper collage or yarn wig. Match the activity to the child’s current abilities rather than expecting a particular result; a preschooler can choose colors and place materials even if an adult needs to cut, fasten, or demonstrate the steps. Consider the setup too: water play needs a spill-resistant surface and active supervision, whereas appointment cards and paper designs are easier to take along or use at a classroom table.
Safety matters more than making the play look like a real salon. Use pretend tools or ordinary, age-appropriate craft materials, keep scissors and small accessories supervised, and do not give children access to hot styling appliances, sharp salon shears, chemical dyes, or products that are not meant for play. Check dolls and accessories for loose parts, and keep all materials away from children who still put objects in their mouths. Finally, choose activities that leave room for the child to make decisions: a pretend client can request a ribbon or a brush, but the point is exploration, not achieving a perfect hairstyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age are these hairdresser activities for?
They are intended for preschool-age children, but abilities and interests vary. An adult can simplify each activity by preparing materials in advance, using larger pieces, and taking the lead on cutting or fastening.
Can preschoolers use real scissors for pretend haircuts?
Do not use real hair-cutting shears for play. If a craft involves paper, use blunt-tip, child-appropriate scissors with close adult supervision, and keep them separate from any pretend haircut routine.
Do children need a special styling head?
No. A doll with brushable hair, a stuffed animal for cape-and-mirror role-play, or a paper face for collage can all work. Follow a doll’s care guidance before adding water or brushing its hair.
How can I make salon play inclusive?
Offer dolls and pictures with varied skin tones and hair textures, and let children choose styles without assigning them by gender. Use respectful language, ask before touching hair, and make every role—client, stylist, or receptionist—available to everyone.
What if a child does not want to take part?
Let the child watch, choose supplies, or play a different role rather than insisting they sit in the salon chair. They may join later when the activity feels familiar or when they can decide what happens.
Final Thoughts
Hairdresser play can combine pretend conversation, creative making, and practical hand skills without using real salon equipment. Choose one simple setup, keep tools and accessories age-appropriate, and follow the child’s ideas; even a doll, a brush, and a towel can be enough to start an imaginative salon.