Some children enjoy expressing themselves and flaunting their style whenever possible, whether through clothing or accessories. Another great way to express yourself is through nail art, and there are plenty of cute kids’ nail designs that you can recreate or use as inspiration for something a little different. There are numerous kids manicure ideas available, whether they can sit down for a detailed design or just have enough patience for a coat of a solid color before wanting to run again.

What types of nail polishes are safe for your child?

Some kids are already in elementary school (or older) before they show any interest in having their nails painted, while others aren’t old enough to form a complete sentence but still manage to ask you to paint their nails. Caregivers often wonder if nail polish is safe for children and, if so, what age is appropriate to allow them to start painting their nails.

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Dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, explains in an email to Romper that there is no “magic age” to paint children’s nails. “It’s a personal preference,” he says, “[and] people often prefer to wait until the child is old enough to avoid putting their hands in their mouth.” This is because when children put polish on their fingers in their mouths, they may be ingesting chemicals and ingredients found in many nail polishes.

The tricky part is that even if your child no longer sucks his thumb, he may still put his hands in his mouth in other ways, even if just while eating. As a result, Dr. Garshick advises caregivers to be careful about the products they use when painting their children’s nails. “It is best to find products that are water-based and free of certain chemicals such as formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP),” he says. Piggy Paint, Ella + Mia, and Suncoat Girl are among her favorite polishes.

If you have a few shades of non-toxic nail polish on hand, use them by recreating some of these adorable kids’ nail designs.

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