Best Kids' Manicures & Pedicures in Lakeland, FL
Short, simple services for under-10s — regular polish or gel, in around 30 minutes.
Our kids' menu is for children under ten, and each service takes around 30 minutes, which is about as long as most small hands want to sit still. There are three options. A kids' polish is color only — the quickest choice for a birthday or a first visit. A kids' manicure or pedicure is the fuller service, and in general that means nails trimmed and shaped and the cuticle tidied before the color goes on. Each is available in regular polish or in gel.
Regular polish air-dries and usually lasts a few days on a child before it starts to chip, which is often exactly the point — it comes off with ordinary remover at home. Gel is cured under a lamp so it is touch-dry before your child stands up, and it tends to hold for a couple of weeks; the trade-off is that gel must be soaked off rather than peeled, either back in the salon or carefully at home.
Your technician will tell you what is achievable for your child's nails before starting.
Choose this if…
- Your child is under ten and you want a treat that fits inside half an hour.
- A birthday, a party or a special outing where painted nails are the main event.
- You want a first salon visit that is short and low-pressure — there are no enhancements or extensions on the kids' menu.
- You would like color that holds for longer — choose gel — or color that comes off easily at home — choose regular.
What happens in the chair
Pick a color together
Your child chooses a color. If they are nervous, a kids' polish is a good first experience because it is the shortest.
Tidy
For a manicure or pedicure, nails are generally trimmed and shaped and the skin around the cuticle tidied. There are no enhancements, tips or extensions on the kids' menu — it is a trim, a shape and color.
Polish or gel
Regular polish is brushed on and left to air-dry — allow a few minutes before shoes or socks go back on. Gel is painted in thin coats and each coat is cured briefly under a lamp, so it is dry and hard by the time the last coat is done. Small hands sometimes need reminding to keep still under the lamp.
Before you leave
Check the result before you go; if a nail is smudged or a color is not right, tell us before you leave and we will correct it right then, free.
How long it lasts
Regular polish on a child typically lasts a few days before chips appear — children use their hands hard and wash them often. Gel usually holds for around two weeks, since it cures to a harder film and does not chip as readily. Polish of either kind tends to last longer on toes than on fingers, because toenails take less wear and grow more slowly.
Regular polish comes off with an ordinary remover at home. Gel does not: it needs to be soaked off with acetone, either in the salon or, if you do it yourself, by soaking rather than picking. Peeling gel off takes the top layer of the nail with it and leaves nails thin and rough, which is the one thing worth avoiding with a child's softer nails. Kids' services are not filled or extended; when the color has grown out, it is simply removed and redone.
Looking after it
- Regular polish: give it a few minutes to air-dry before shoes, socks or car seats, and expect some chips within a few days — that is normal, not a fault.
- Gel: it is dry when you leave, so nothing to wait for. If it starts to lift at the edges, trim the lifted bit rather than letting your child peel the whole nail.
- Never let a child pick or peel gel off; soak it off or bring them back in to have it soaked off.
- A drop of cuticle oil or plain hand cream at bedtime keeps the skin around the nails from getting dry and catching.
- If a nail is red, swollen or sore after a visit, or you notice anything unusual about the nail itself, see a paediatrician or podiatrist — we are licensed nail technicians, not medical providers.
Kids pricing
For under-10s, around 30 minutes each.
Kid Polish — Regular
$10Kid Polish — Gel
$20Kids Manicure
$15Kids Pedicure
$25Kids Gel Manicure
$25Kids Gel Pedicure
$35
Good to know
How old does my child need to be?
The kids' menu is for children under ten. Every service takes around 30 minutes, so the practical question is whether your child can sit for that long. A kids' polish is the shortest option and a good place to start.
Should I choose regular polish or gel for my child?
Regular polish is cheaper, dries in the air and comes off with ordinary remover at home, but it usually chips within a few days on a child. Gel costs more, is touch-dry before they stand up and tends to last a couple of weeks, but it has to be soaked off with acetone rather than peeled. Regular suits a party or a one-off; gel suits a holiday or a child who will otherwise pick at chips.
Is gel polish different from regular polish for children?
Gel polish cures under a lamp and sits on top of the nail like regular polish; it does not involve tips, powders or extensions. The thing that harms a nail is peeling gel off, which strips the nail surface. If you are comfortable committing to a proper soak-off removal, gel is a good choice; if not, regular polish is the simpler one.
How much are kids' nails?
A kids' polish is $10 in regular polish or $20 in gel. A kids' manicure is $15 and a kids' pedicure is $25; in gel they are $25 and $35. Each takes around 30 minutes.
Do I need to book?
Walk-ins are always welcome, and appointments have priority at their scheduled time. If you are bringing more than one child, booking ahead means less waiting.
What are your hours?
We are open seven days a week — Monday to Saturday from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM, and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Often booked alongside: Manicures · Pedicures. Ask when you book if you would like them in the same visit. Every guest is offered a complimentary drink.