Toca Magazine’s Kid’s-Eye View project helps adults see the world through the eyes of kids. For Kid’s-Eye View: Hair, we wanted to find out more about how kids feel about their hair, and what it means to their identity.

What are three adjectives you’d use to describe your hair?

• Magdalena, 10, Indiana: long, thick, straight
• Maddison, 8, Colorado: beautiful, unique, magical
• Ruby, 14, California: soft, short, ash brown
• Shane, 10, New York: amazing, fun, stylish
• Nai, 11, California: bold, kinky, curly
• Shaniyah, 7, Texas: curly, fun, beautiful
• Diane, 8, Virginia: beautiful, long, wavy
• Mikayla, 7, Maryland: colorful, braided, unique
• Audrey, 6, New York: pretty, curly, fashionable

How do you feel about your hair on most days?

• 

  Magdalena

  Magdalena: I like my hair and I like to brush it and braid it. I like it when my mom braids it. I want to grow it really long like my grandma in Perú.

I want to grow it really long like my grandma in Perú.

• 

  Maddison

  Maddison: Most days I feel like my hair makes me who I am. It really shows my personality. If I wear dreads and feathers in it, people see how colorful I am. If I wear it curly, people see how spunky I am and that I’m comfortable in my own skin. I feel like when I straighten it people see how serious I am. No matter what, I always like how it goes whoosh on my face when I run.

Most days I feel like my hair makes me who I am.

• 

  Ruby

  Ruby: Great. I wake up, and my pillow styled it for me. It’s so short, I don’t get hot during the summer, and everybody likes how soft it is. It’s convenient, too. I think it’s cool to be a girl and have short hair, because the stereotype that girls should have long hair is outdated.

I think it’s cool to be a girl and have short hair, because the stereotype that girls should have long hair is outdated.

• 

  Shane

  Shane: Well, mostly like my hair is amazing! When I look in them mirror I think to myself, “Who is this person?” I think this because when I dyed my hair I felt like a different person.

When I look in them mirror I think to myself, “Who is this person?”

• 

  Nai

  Nai: I feel happy about my hair, because I chose to embrace my natural hair.

I feel happy about my hair, because I chose to embrace my natural hair.

• 

  Shaniyah

  Shaniyah: I love my hair! Me and my twin brother are the only two people in my family who have curly hair. Everyone in my family tells us they wished they had hair like us. I like being a little different that way, it makes me special.

I love my hair! Me and my twin brother are the only two people in my family who have curly hair.

• 

  Diane

  Diane: My hair is very long and keeps me warm in the winter. Most days my hair feels very beautiful.

Most days my hair feels very beautiful.

• 

  Mikayla

  Mikayla: I feel nice on most days. When one of my friends gets a new hair cut or hairstyle, I like to make them feel good about it!

I feel nice on most days.

• Audrey: Sometimes, when it’s up in a ponytail, and Mama puts bands in, it kind of hurts and I pull away. Most days it’s really good to have free hair. I can shake it around and it gets all wild.

Most days it’s really good to have free hair. I can shake it around and it gets all wild.

Audrey

What does your hair tell other people about you?

• 

  Magdalena

  Magdalena: My hair is a combination of my mom and dad. My dad says I have “Indian hair” because I have long thick hair from my Native Indian Peruvian side. I like that because most people don’t think I have any Indian or Peruvian in my family when they see me. I’m glad my hair shows that part of my heritage.

My dad says I have ‘Indian hair’ because I have long thick hair from my Native Indian Peruvian side.

• 

  Maddison

  Maddison: I think my hair tells people that I have a lot of personality and self confidence.

My hair tells people that I have a lot of personality and self-confidence.

• Ruby: It shows that I don’t really care about gender roles and I am comfortable and confident in myself.

It shows that I don’t really care about gender roles and I am comfortable and confident in myself.

• Shane: I think they think “Who is he?” or for example, I was in school in a class called ELA and we were looking at pictures and trying to figure out what they meant. My teacher pulled up a image of a girl with long violet hair and a kid in my class said “I think this person is trying to fit in because she dyed her hair” and now that’s what I think people think about me. But I don’t really care. 🙂

• Nai: My hair tells people I am proud of who I am and I don’t have to straighten or put a weave in my hair to make me feel good about myself or to be accepted by others.

My hair tells people I am proud of who I am.

Nai

• 

  Shaniyah

  Shaniyah: My hair tells people, “Hi, I’m Shaniyah!” and I think it says that I’m fun and playful.

I think it says that I’m fun and playful.

• Diane: I think my hair tells people that I like to take care of myself.

• 

  Mikayla

  Mikayla: It tells people colors I like because beads are colorful: Some are black, white, pink, purple, blue and other colors I like. During Christmas I might use green and red beads, but I love to wear my favorite color beads: PINK!

During Christmas I might use green and red beads, but I love to wear my favorite color beads: PINK!

• Audrey: My birth mom has curly hair, so I have curly hair. I think people notice that.

Tell us more about your hair

• Magdalena: My hair is fun to play with!

My hair is fun to play with!

• 

  Maddision

  Maddison: I think girls and boys should have their hair however they want and not worry about what other people think. Sometimes when I wear my hair really short, people think I’m a boy and that tells me that people aren’t used to kids being different so they don’t know what to do when they see it.

I think girls and boys should have their hair however they want and not worry about what other people think.

• 

  Ruby

  Ruby: Before I shaved my head, I had bright pink hair, and loved it. My hair used to be down to my butt, and one day, I just decided to shave it all off to show support for people with cancer. I didn’t tell my mom though, which you should do before you shave your head.

I didn’t tell my mom, which you should do before you shave your head.

• 

  Shane

  Shane: Well, in fifth grade I dyed my hair over the weekend. On Monday when I came into my homeroom, everyone looked at me. They stared and I stared back. But the one thing that caught my attention was my teacher staring at me. It was really weird being the center of attention!

In fifth grade I dyed my hair over the weekend. On Monday when I came into my homeroom, everyone looked at me. They stared and I stared back.

• 

  Nai

  Nai: I struggled from kindergarten to third grade because 97 percent of the girls at my school’s hair did not look like mine. Their hair was straight, some long, some short — black, blond, brunette — and my hair was black and kinky. This made me sad because I felt like I had to fit in. My mom and dad explained to me how beautiful I am and that they love my chocolate skin, full lips, almond eyes and my thick hair that complements by beauty. After a couple of years, my mom and dad allowed my nana to straighten my hair with a pressing comb. After a few months, I told my parents I no longer wanted my hair straightened and asked to keep my hair natural. I now embrace my hair in twists and different styles of braids — my favorite is my hair braided in a Mohawk.

I struggled from kindergarten to third grade because 97 percent of the girls at my school’s hair did not look like mine.

• 

  Shaniyah

  Shaniyah: One time I had a rubber band stuck in my hair and my grandma had to cut it out but she accidentally cut a little piece of hair off. I had this curly hair in the middle of my head that was sticking up and it looked like a question mark. My grandpa said it looked like I was always thinking. He’s silly! Sometimes when I go outside these little birds in our front yard land on my head. Maybe they think it’ll make a soft nest. 🙂

Sometimes when I go outside these little birds in our front yard land on my head. Maybe they think it’ll make a soft nest.

• 

  Diane

  Diane, 8: I grow my hair each year and then cut it and donate it every summer. It makes me feel good that I can share my hair with other kids who might not have any. It feels good to help others.

I grow my hair each year and then cut it and donate it every summer.

• 

  Mikayla

  Mikayla: When I was younger I felt like my hair wasn’t good enough because my hair was different than most of my friends. My mom told me if your hair is different that doesn’t mean that your hair isn’t pretty or beautiful. My mom says our differences make us unique! Now I feel like my hair is lovely, pretty and beautiful. Sometimes I wear my hair out but mostly I keep my hair in braids so it can grow long and stay healthy. I hope it gets as long as Rapunzel one day!

Sometimes I wear my hair out but mostly I keep my hair in braids so it can grow long and stay healthy.

• 

  Audrey

  Audrey: I like it in braids, ponytails, buns, free, and curly. And most of all I love it crazy! When I was born, my hair was straight and short. But when I was five, I had curly hair and I could put it in a braid, ponytails, and all that other stuff. And I love it so!

 I like it in braids, ponytails, buns, free, and curly. And most of all I love it crazy!