How To Braid Hair

When her hair is tangle-free, sit or stand behind her and gather it up so that it all hangs down her back—like you would if you were going to put it into a ponytail. Tuck the front strands behind her ears and comb it smooth.

Divide the hair into three equal sections. Hold the right-hand section with your right hand, and the left-hand section with your left hand. Let the middle section hang down the center of her back.

Keeping your right thumb and index finger securely around the right-hand section of hair, use your remaining fingers to reach under and around the middle section. This is a little tricky, but once you get the hang of it it’ll come as naturally as riding your bike without training wheels.

Making sure to get every strand, grab the middle section of hair with the middle finger of your right hand. Now turn your entire hand over so that the section of hair you’re holding with your thumb and index fingers crosses over the section you’re holding with your middle finger.

Let go of the section of hair that’s now in the middle. At the same time, hold onto the hair in your left hand with the thumb and index finger of that hand. Use your remaining fingers to reach under and grab the new middle section of hair.

Just as you did with your right hand, twist your left hand over so that the hair on the far left crosses over the middle section.

Repeat the steps, alternating the left and right sections of hair, until there’re only a couple of inches of hair left. Twist the ponytail holder several times around the end of the braid, and your friend’s new hairstyle is all wrapped up.

Make it pretty by tying ribbons or bows to your braid, or adding fun barrettes or a scrunchie.