Kids love to play dress-up. What could be more fun than parading through the living room in fancy clothes? When grandma’s old feather boa loses its novelty, consider upping the ante with a nail art kit for kids. It’s a great gift for a kid who loves bright colors and being the center of attention.
Nail art kits for kids come with a variety of features. Creativity for Kids Ultimate Nail Studio Manicure Play Set has everything they need to create amazing looks, whether your child wants to feel like an adult or cover their fingers in unicorns.
Regular adult nail polish and nail glue contain chemicals that are dangerous for children to handle. Kids also tend to put their fingers in their mouths more often than adults, which is precarious if their fingers are covered in formaldehyde.
Nail art kits for kids should contain non-toxic, water-based nail polish. This polish is easier for them to apply and also easier for you to remove. If you want to include a few extra adult polishes, opt for a natural or “clean” nail care brand that doesn’t use any harmful ingredients.
Nail art kits for kids should have gems and stickers both big and small. These should be self-adhesive. The quality of this adhesive varies greatly among kits, so be sure to check user reviews. Also be sure to let your child know they need to wait for the polish to dry before they can apply any embellishments.
Some kits may also contain press-on nails. These are especially great for novices because all the work can be done with two hands before they go on an actual finger. They’re also a breeze to take off.
Kits for young kids likely won’t have any preparation tools, but kits for pre-teens and teens should have at least a few brushes for painting, dotting and detailing. Most also include precision application and removal tools for embellishments. Some kits even have nail files, toe separators or other basic care tools.
Oddly enough, most nail art kits for kids don’t include any type of nail polish remover. Plan ahead by purchasing a non-toxic brand from your local drugstore.
Kids can be fickle. One day they love unicorns and the color green, and the next day mythological creatures and anything emerald are their mortal enemy. Look for nail art kits with a wide variety of colors and stickers. A versatile kit allows them to match their nails to the occasion.
Also keep an eye out for scented nail kits. They’re a fun extra that’ll keep your child out of your own fragrances.
Never use a hair dryer or another source of hot heat to dry your nails; always use a cooling fan. If you don’t own a tabletop fan and you don’t want to haul the giant floor fans you use during the summer out of the storage closet, look for a kit that includes a small nail dryer. Just be sure to note whether it requires batteries and whether they’re included or not.
Nail art kits for kids contain hundreds of tiny pieces that could easily end up scattered all over your child’s play area. Despite this, only some kits come with storage. Even then, that storage might not keep the various components of your kit separate; it might just be a zipper bag or a big plastic tub with a lid.
Be smart and plan ahead with the proper storage container or containers for your kit. Those beautiful shiny rhinestones are a lot less shiny and beautiful when you’re picking 50 of them up off the floor.
Basic nail art kits for kids run $8-$15. Be sure to look at these kits very closely for what they do and don’t include. Deluxe nail art kits for kids that are all-inclusive and meant for beginners are typically $15-$35.
A. There are nail art kits on the market for children as young as 5, but most kits have a recommended minimum age of 8 or 9 years old. Even with water-based, child-friendly nail polish, nail art kits for kids have a lot of small pieces and pointy tools that should only be used under adult supervision.
A. Results vary by kit. Kids won’t be accustomed to the challenges of wearing press-on nails or maintaining a manicure, so their hard work may disappear quickly. If your child wants a more permanent look for a special event, it might be best to take them to a professional nail salon that offers services for kids.
Creativity for Kids Ultimate Nail Studio Manicure Play Set
What you need to know: This perfect starter kit comes with everything kids 8 and above need to get started with nail art.
What you’ll love: This set includes three water-based nail polishes, 30 press-on nails with adhesive and 134 nail art stickers. It includes a real working nail dryer.
What you should consider: Some users say that the nail dryer is cheaply made and not very powerful.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Kohl’s
What you need to know: This comprehensive kit is aimed toward pre-teens who are too old for kiddie gift kits but too young for adult professional kits.
What you’ll love: This kit comes with a 15-piece nail art brush set, four sheets of colorful butterfly stickers and a whopping 24 cases of rhinestones.
What you should consider: It doesn’t contain any actual nail polish or nail glue.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Hot Focus Unicorn Nail Art Gift Set
What you need to know: If your aspiring nail artist loves unicorns, this is the set of their dreams.
What you’ll love: Everything in the kit is scented: five nail polishes, 20 press-on nails and 80 nail stickers. It comes with nail files and toe separators for easy pedicures.
What you should consider: A few previous buyers said the nail polishes were dried out when they first arrived.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Frank Paiva writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
