10 of the best doll styling heads for kids

Whether you child is a fan or Frozen or Barbie, or just loves to practice hair styling, there are plenty to choose from in our list of the best doll styling heads for kids below.

And, if you're looking for more ideas for creative play, we've also rounded up the best toys for pretend play as well as all the winners of our MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023.

Best styling heads for kids at a glance

• Best styling head for preschoolers: Disney Princess Moana Styling Head, £23
• Best styling head for creativity: Barbie Totally Hair Colour Change Styling Head, £39.99
• Best mini styling head: L.O.L. Surprise! Tweens Swap Styling Heads, £9
• Best styling head for superhero lovers: Miraculous Ladybug Styling Head, £32.99
• Best budget buy styling head: Chad Valley 100-piece Styling Dolls Head, £15
• Best styling head for hair washing: BABY Born Sister Styling Mermaid Head, £39.99
• Best afro hair styling head: Barbie Totally Hair Deluxe Neon Styling Head, £39.99
• Best styling head for Frozen fans: Disney Frozen 2 Anna Styling Head, £18
• Best styling head for hair and makeup: Princess Coralie Makeup and Styling Head, £45.35
• Best styling head for older children: Buki Professional Hair Studio, £59.99

How can I look after the hair on a kids’ styling head?

If you’re spending money on a styling head for your child, you want it to last beyond the first brush. Hair that instantly tangles will only lead to disappointed kids and an un-played with toy. Parents of our child testers have been there, done that and know exactly how to deal with tangled dolls’ hair. Their secret? Just mix a little fabric softener with water in a spray bottle, then spritz any matted hair and comb through for luscious locks. You can also wash and condition dolls’ hair, so why not make a game of it and let your child bring their doll (only ones that don’t use batteries though) into the bath next time for a good hair wash?

What to consider when buying a styling head for kids

Size – While most styling heads are relatively compact, think about how much space you have to store this (after all, it’s not a toy that can be folded down) but also consider the age of your child. Small styling heads are just the thing for preschoolers to get to grips with, while older children will prefer something larger that feels a bit more realistic.

Base – If your child plans on creating some elaborate hair styles, look for a styling head with a suction base so you can fix it to the table to stop it moving around. Also look for a doll with a rotating head, to help make styling easier.

Hair quality – The quality and manageability of dolls’ hair varies hugely, but with a styling head you should expect to be able to brush and comb through easily to create different styles. If hair gets matted, make sure you follow our MadeForMums top tip and spray the hair with fabric softener mixed with water to fix.

Accessories – Some styling heads come with just the basics, like a brush a couple of clips and elastic bands, while others have a huge variety of barrettes, headbands, clip-in extensions and more to keep your budding stylist busy. Often more accessories mean a higher price tag (though not always – this 100-piece set is actually the cheapest in our round-up), but you do want enough accessories included to make sure your child doesn’t bore easily.

Extras – Additional features add to the play potential. Some styling heads include make-up kits, while others have nail art or even tools to decorate your own hair accessories.

Safe to use in water – If you plan on washing the doll styling head’s hair, make sure you check whether it’s safe to get wet first. On the whole, if anything requires batteries it’s a no-no, unless specifically designed for water use like the Mermaid styling head in our round-up.

Our pick of the 10 best doll styling heads

1. Disney Princess Moana Styling Head, £23

– Best styling head for preschoolers

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L15cm xW6cm x H22cm | Batteries: None | Accessories: 1 x hairbrush, 4 x seashell clips, 3 x hair spirals, 1 x hair clip and 4 x elastic bands

Fans of Moana will love this styling head for kids. The doll includes 13 accessories such as seashell clips, elastic bands and a hairbrush for styling her long hair. The clips can also be used on children’s own hair so they can dress up just like Moana. Our child tester Dolly, 4, said “I love Moana – her hair is so pretty and I like this starfish clip the best.”

It’s lightweight and a great size for young children to play with, with none of the accessories being too fiddly to get to grips with. However, you may want to tape the doll down while playing, to stop it moving around mid-plait, as Dolly’s mum, Laura, said: “The head is light and good for little hands to hold, but it does tip over frequently if not held properly.”

Available from: Very and Asda

2. Barbie Totally Hair Colour Change Styling Head, £39.99

– Best styling head for creativity

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L16.7cm x W26.5xm x H26.6cm | Batteries: None | Accessories: 1 x hairbrush, 1 x headband, 1 x clip-in hair extension, 4 x elastic bands, 3 x hair bands, 4 x barettes, 8 x colour reveal clips, 1 x water pot, 1 x colour change sponge and 1 x colour change brush

This large Barbie styling head is packed with accessories and features to get stuck into. As well as a brush and hair accessories, there are hair bands, barettes and a customisable headband, too. Barbie’s long, rainbow stripe hair offers plenty of cool styling opportunities. We love how everything can be stored away at the base once play is over.

However, the star of the show has to be the 10 colour-change surprises; you just have to fill the water bowl (included) with icy cold water, then dip the brush and sponge in and gently sweep over Barbie's hair extensions and lips to activate the colour-change magic. The 8 colour reveal clips change colour in warm water, then reveal hidden patterns when dipped into cold water. Guaranteed hours of fun.

Available from: Argos and Amazon

3. L.O.L. Surprise! Tweens Swap Styling Head, £9

– Best mini styling head

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L6.35cm x W10.7cm x H14.6cm | Batteries: None | Accessories: 1 x comb and 2 x hair clips

Designed to mix and match with the L.O.L. Surprise! Tweens Surprise Swap Fashion Dolls, these are cute styling heads in miniature form. There's 9 different styling heads to collect, each with a cool hairstyle and brightly coloured hair, but if you're ordering online it's pot luck which doll you're sent – worth knowing (and potentially a trip to the shops) if your child has their heart set on a particular model.

The small size makes these styling heads easy for little hands to get to grips with, and it also makes them the perfect size for taking on car journeys or on holiday. At under £10, they are a fantastic budget option, but it's still a little disappointing they only come with a comb and 2 clips. However, as you'd expect from L.O.L. Surprise! these dolls have a lot of hair to play with, so there's still plenty to keep your mini fashionista busy.

Available from: Argos and Very

4. Miraculous Ladybug Styling Head, £32.99

– Best styling head for superhero lovers

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L15cm x W10cm x H21cm | Batteries: None | Accessories: 1 x mirror comb, 2 x coloured hair extensions, 2 x hair bobbles, 2 x hair spirals, 2 x hair clips, 2 x hair bands, 12 x hair beads, 1 x hair beads applicator, 1 x Ladybug mask, 2 x pairs of earrings and 1 x sheet of glitter stickers

Ladybug from the much-loved Miraculous cartoon series has been brought to life in this great quality styling head. With her iconic blue hair and spotty red catsuit bodice, this doll is instantly recognisable and guaranteed to be a massive hit with Miraculous fans.

We love the versatility this set offers, including 27 different hair accessories and tools to bring a whole host of fancy hairstyles to life. There's also earrings and – of course – Ladybug's superhero mask that come as part of the set. The hair is soft and easy to work with, while the head is reassuringly weighty, which means it doesn't tip over constantly during play. We love the addition of glitter stickers, that can be used on Ladybug or home craft projects, too.

Available from: Amazon and Toy Street

5. Chad Valley 100-piece Styling Dolls Head, £15

– Best budget buy styling head

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L25.5cm x W16cm x H25cm | Batteries: None| Accessories: 1 x hairbrush, 1 x hairdryer, 1 x water spray bottle, 1 x heart-shaped accessory case, 3 x clip-in hair extensions, 15 x elastic hair bands, 2 x star hair bobbles, 8 x large clips, 70 x assorted small hair clips and beads

This styling head from Chad Valley comes with a wide array of accessories giving a multitude of ways to style the doll’s hair. Everything from clip-in extensions to butterfly clips and star bobbles are included, with a super-handy, heart shaped zip-up pouch to keep them all in one place. The hairdryer is a fantastic touch, adding to the role play element of this toy and we especially like how it makes a ‘hairdryer’ noise when you press the button, without the need for any batteries.

As you’d expect from a styling head with such a low price, it’s very light and has a tendency to move around when played with, so consider taping it in place first so little kids don’t get too frustrated.

Available from: Argos

6. BABY Born Sister Styling Mermaid Head, £39.99

– Best styling head for hair washing

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L23xm x W19cm x H38cm | Batteries: 4 x AA (not included) | Accessories: 1 x electronic shower head, 1 x brush, 1 x tiara and 6 x hair clips

Offering something a bit different to other styling heads, this mermaid is designed to be used in the bath. With suction cups at the base, just stick this to the bottom of your bath, stand it in water and wash the doll’s hair using running water from the shell-shaped shower head. If ever there was a way to get kids in the bath quickly, the promise of a mermaid joining them has to be the most original, surely?

Our child tester, Octavia, 5, loved this feature and said, “ I like how you can wash the mermaid’s purple, pink and blue hair.” Her mum, Kim, felt the multi-coloured hair really made this toy stand out and added, “It’s clearly good quality, the hair is a good length for putting in different hair styles and it’s survived being washed and styled countless times, with only one knot needing to be unpicked!”

As well as being used in water, this works just as nicely on dry land, with a sweet starfish-shaped brush, mini hair clips and a tiara to play with. It’s a shame this doesn’t come with any simple hair bands, but there’s nothing stopping you from using your own.

Available from: Argos and Amazon

7. Barbie Totally Hair Deluxe Neon Styling Head, £39.99

– Best afro hair styling head

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L39.5cm x W17.5cm x H29.5cm | Batteries: None | Accessories: 1 x hairbrush, 1 x headband, 1 x clip-in hair extension, 4 x elastic bands, 3 x hair bands, 4 x barettes, 8 x colour reveal clips, 1 x water pot, 1 x colour change sponge and 1 x colour change brush

Barbie and neon rainbow hair? What’s not to love? With her cool, colourful eye makeup and rainbow-streaked afro hair, this stylish head is a great quality pick, with plenty to play with. Customise with the clip-in hair extensions and numerous hair bands and barettes or just while away the hours braiding and brushing.

We love the extra colour-changing features, especially the sponge which you dip in cold water then sweep over Barbie’s lips to change her look. Less messy than makeup, but still as fun – it’s got our vote! And the fact that everything can be stored in the base after use really helps keep all the little accessories together.

Available from: Argos, Very and John Lewis

8. Disney Frozen 2 Anna Styling Head, £18

– Best styling head for Frozen fans

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L15cm xW8cm x H18cm | Batteries: None | Accessories: 1 x comb, 4 x barrettes, 3 x hinged clips 2 x snowflake claw clips, 2 x hair elastics and 1 x large hair clip

Anna from the Frozen franchise is likely to be recognisable to just about every child (and adult!) almost immediately. This styling head is modelled on the famous sister and comes with a comb and accessories to style her gorgeous red hair – which is so incredibly shiny we’re actually a bit jealous.

Our child tester Amira, 6, said “I like playing hairdresser and doing different hairstyles on Anna,” while her mum, Becca, said “ All my daughters, age 6, 3 and 1, love playing with this. The hair is easy to brush and doesn’t come out, and I really feel that is has helped with Amira’s hand eye coordination, as well as learning how to plait hair.”

Coming in at under £20, we think it’s good value for money – although it doesn’t offer all the fancy extras some of the other styling heads do, it’s nice quality and has enough of the basics for young Frozen fans to get excited about.

Available from: Argos, Smyths Toys and Amazon

9. Princess Coralie Makeup and Styling Head, £45.35

– Best styling head for hair and makeup

Age suitability: 3+ | Size: L23.5cm x W13cm x H27cm | Batteries: None | Accessories: 1 x hairbrush, 1 x comb, 1 x hair beading tool, 1 x clip-in hair extension, 9 x hair clips, 14 x hair bead and 1 x heart-shaped makeup pouch, including applicators

This styling head has a real classic appeal and comes with everything your child needs to give Princess Coralie makeover after makeover. The decent-size brush does a good job of gliding through the doll’s hair, while the mini hair clips are easy enough to clip into place. Although there are no hair bands included, there is a selection of hair beads and a threader to help transfer these to the doll styling head’s hair easily.

Sarah, mum to our child tester, Edie, 3, said "It would have been handy to have had somewhere to store the beads as they are so small they can easily get lost. We used an old tub to keep all the accessories together in one place."

What caused the most excitement was the cute heart make-up kit included. With brightly coloured eyeshadows, blush and lip colours – as well as all the applicators you need – there’s plenty here for little stylists to go to town on their doll. Our child tester, Edie, 3, loved covering her doll – and herself –­ with the lip gloss and sparkly eyeshadow, and said “I want to play with my princess doll every day”. The good news is all the make-up is dermatologically tested, so you can relax (kind of) when your child decides it’s your turn for a makeover.

Available from: Amazon

10. Buki Professional Hair Studio, £59.99

– Best styling head for older children

Age suitability: 7+ | Size: L28cm x W20cm x H29cm | Batteries: None | Accessories: 1 x brush, 1 x comb, 1 x hair donut, 1 x headband, 1 x scrunchie, 2 x hair extensions, 8 x bun hair slides, 2 x large hair ties, 30 x small hair ties, 3 x self-grip rollers, 1 x beaded hair clip, 1 x hair spiral, 1 x clamp and hairstyle instruction booklet

For budding hairdressers who really want to practise their skills, this premium styling head from French brand Buki is hard to beat. It can be used as a standalone styling head, but also comes with a handy clamp to secure to a table so your child won't have to worry about the doll toppling over at all mid-plait. The hair is super soft and super long, and the numerous accessories provide a huge range of inspiration when it comes to trying out different styles.

We found the step-by-step colour illustrations in the instruction booklet a really useful addition to the bumper set, making it easy for older children to independently recreate 30 different hairstyles on the doll. While it is on the pricier side – and the most expensive in our round-up – it offers great longevity of use and is something older kids will get a lot of enjoyment out of.

Available from: Amazon and Very

Read more:

• 13 of the best dolls
• 11 of the best dolls houses for kids
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