Getting a child's hair cut can be a dreaded experience or something to look forward to, and the right setting often makes all the difference. Here's our short list, roughly by location, of area places that know how to deal with wriggling, fearful little ones. Thanks to all who sent their tips.

By the way, for those of you just taking kids for their first haircuts now, be sure to have the barber/stylist save a lock of hair for you. Many of these places will make a certificate for your child's official first haircut.

Please let us know about other great places by posting a comment below. And tell us how you get a reluctant child into the barber's chair.

--Salon 36 Kids, Pikesville. Annelies and her family visit this kid-focused salon. Check out the salon's blog for pictures of first haircuts and birthday parties. Standard kids' cut: $18 for 10 and under; $22 for those 11-14; $25 for those 15-18. (Here's the Sun's recent story that detailed the rush for haircuts there before Passover.)

--Studio S, Timonium. This salon has a separate kids' area with toys and movies. Thanks to Sharon for the tip. Standard kids' cut: starts at $14 for kids 3 and under, up to $22 and up for teenage girls.

--Cartoon Cuts, White Marsh Mall, The Mall in Columbia, and Marley Station Mall in Glen Burnie, along with a couple of other locations in the Washington area. According to the Web site you can watch cartoons and videos while you're being clipped, or bring your own. Standard kids' cut: $15.99; promotions and discounts on the Web site.

-- Martin's Hairport Inc., 7628 Belair Road, Nottingham, 410-668-5400. Robert's family likes to visit Vittorio, who works at the salon a couple of days a week. Standard kids' cut: About $10 for younger kids.

--Gennuso's, 6803 York Road, Stoneleigh, 410-377-4610. This is a great old-time Baltimore barber shop where the staff loves kids. There's a box of toys to play with while you wait, lollipops for every child customer, and kind treatment. This is where my kids (and my husband) get their hair cut; then we head down the street for bagels. Standard kids' cut: $14.

--Hair Cuttery, various locations around the area. Several folks on and off the blog told me this chain is quick, easy and inexpensive, especially for adults who like to get an affordable cut at the same time. Standard kids' cut: $9 for 8 and under; $13 for 9 and over.

--The Beatnik Barber Shop, 241 W. Read Street, Mount Vernon, 410-669-3033. This place gets the nod from Lila and earned a mention in Baltimore Magazine's 2007 Best of Baltimore issue -- though that writeup didn't say anything about the kids' experience. It did praise the coffee and jazz, which sounds pretty good, actually. Standard kids' cut: $16.

--Sal's Barber Shop, 9338 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, 410-461-9887. LIVE restaurant reviewer Karen Nitkin, author of the book Fun with the Family in Maryland, says this is a boy-friendly old-fashioned barber shop (generally no girls or women can get haircuts there, though.) Standard kids' cut: $13.

(2005 photo by the Associated Press)