Nail art can be a super fun way for kids to express themselves creatively! Kids nail art can help them to learn their colors, recognize patterns, and even develop fine motor skills. However, once your kid starts getting really into nail art, they may want to try out some different designs.
Regular nail art is difficult because the canvas is so tiny, and with kids nail art the canvases are even tinier! Most kids keep their nails short (or their mothers keep them short for them) so trying to recreate complicated nail art designs can leave you feeling quite frustrated.
Luckily there are lots of options for creating kids nail designs that are not too difficult to master. You don’t need tons of expensive tools either to create fun kids nail art. Many of the tools needed for these basic nail designs for kids are things that you’ll already have lying around the house, and you can also purchase cheap nail items at dollar stores.
You can have super cute kids nail designs with short or long nails, and with or without tools. You can start out as a beginner and once you’re hooked you can start creating expert-level designs. We’ll start by giving you some basic tips.
- Different Nail Polishes
You can create totally cute and cool looks just by purchasing different types of nail polishes. Choose bright solid colours for a good base. Make sure you also have a good white and black if you want to be creating multiple designs. A topcoat is a must-have as well as it ensures the nails will last awhile. Once you have some basic colors you can then get some fancier ones such as glittery, sparkly and metallic polishes! That way you easily take your kids nail art design to the next level. A matte option is great as well as it tends to last awhile.
- Do every nail a different color! This is a simple but fun look that your kid will love.
- Just do one special nail. Does your child want panda bear nails but doesn’t want to sit through a long nail painting session? Pick a base color to paint all the nails and then choose one nail on each hand to create a fun design.
- Pandas can be very easy to do as well as you only need black and white and to be able to make circles!
- Colorful French Tips – A French tip is a staple for any well-manicured woman. You’ll probably already have the tools that you need for this one, and if not you can buy the sticky nail tape at a dollar store. Don’t just do white on clear for your kids though! Do a pink French tip on top of a purple background, or yellow on top of blue, whatever your kid wants! This is so simple but it will look great.
- A watermelon is a fun option as you just need to paint the nail pink first, then add a green strip and you can add green or black dots using a toothpick or even a band-aid! The tiny holes in band-aids make for a great and cheap way to create designs.
- Ombre – use a few different gradient colors to have quick and fashionable Ombre nails.
- Splatter nails – This one is so easy! Just paint a top coat and do exactly as the name implies – splatter! You’ll have different sized dots all over your nails, just try not to make too much of a mess.
- Use Permanent Marker – it is safe to use for kids nail art and you can get much more fine designs out of it. There are also nail art pens that are water-based and easy to use.
- Try Watercolor nails! These nails are easy to do and you can even give your kids a mini science lesson on chemical reactions. All you have to do is paint your nails a base color, wait for them to dry and then add small dots of polish to your nails. Then you dip a brush in acetone and brush it on your nails to create a fun watercolor look.
- Eyeball Nails – Intricate designs are tough on kids nails but this one is fun and easy. You just need a pushpin to create white dots and then a toothpick to add black pupils. This is an easy kids nail design for Halloween and you can use the technique for animals or even minions!
- Use rhinestones. They are super sparkly and fun. You just brush a topcoat over them and they’ll stay in place on your nails for days.
- Nail Polish stripers – you can purchase these at the dollar store and then easily create candy cane, zebra, or tiger nails. You just start with a basecoat, add the stripers and a second color and then peel off the stripers.
- Flowers – the classic look that you get at the nail salon are actually surprisingly easy. Just use a toothpick to create the petals and choose a different color for the center of the flower.
Patience is key when doing your kid’s nails. First, think about how much time you are willing to put into doing your kids nails and how much time they can realistically sit through this without getting bored. If your child really wants nail art but is also quite impatient, you can try using nail stickers instead! They come on large sheets in tons of funky designs and patterns. They tend not to last very long but they are an easy way for your kid to receive their dream design. You can also purchase nail foils and stencils for additional help.
As you can see the sky is the limit for the kids’ nail designs that you can create! You don’t need much technical skill in order to create fun designs that kids will love. Soon you’ll be doing tons of designs such as hearts, rainbows, paw prints, butterflies and more!
