Little girls are getting manicures and pedicures, as part of 'princess party' packages. And boys get their hair cut and dyed, as well as their faces painted.

Such activities are catching on here - kids indulging in adult salon and spa treats - a phenomenon that took off in the United States three years ago.

The precocious pampering, and not just for special occasion parties, may be for little tykes but the prices are not pint-sized.

They range from $30 for a manicure at Beauty Emporium at Dempsey to $430 for a princess party at kids' salon Curly & Spike.

The fact that more kiddie treatments are now available and parents are more indulgent have helped the trend to grow.

There was barely a handful of outlets offering such treatments three years ago.

But LifeStyle found around 10 outlets putting a shine on little treasures, including specialised ones offering kiddie activities and parties, and adult spas and manicure salons that have sidelines for junior.

Local spa chain Spa Esprit, for example, known for its adult treatments, now offers manicures, pedicures, facials and massages for kids.

And Loewen Spa in Tanglin Village, which started holding spa parties for children two years ago, has seen more parents inquiring about such parties.

The spa has even started manicure classes for children to teach them proper filing and polishing techniques.

Manager Jane Ong says: 'Kids today are more exposed and pampered, and their parents know they would love to have their nails painted and their hair done to look like princesses.'

Of course, some parents and child behaviour experts wonder if it is a sign of kids being made to grow up too fast.

In the US, the phenomenon has been described as KGOY or 'kids getting older younger'.

'Vanity should be the last thing they need to worry about now.

They should not be living out their childhoods in spas,' says Mrs Pauline Ang, 42, a mother of two girls aged three and 10.

Another concern is beauty products might contain substances that are harmful to young bodies although Loewen Spa, for example, says it uses organic products.

Dr Sharon Fernando, senior clinical psychologist at the Dynamics Therapy Centre for Kids, cautions parents about possible risks of skin allergies or infections from shared tools at beauty salons.

She says: 'Some polishes that contain glitter may lead to an allergic skin reaction and some may have excessive amounts of lead.'

Last week, six girl 'divas' and four boys entered Curly & Spike, a salon in UE Square which was decorated with feather boas and balloons for a Dazzling Divas theme party.

Salon workers whipped out curling tongs, glitter hair sprays and a basket of make-up and nail polish from cosmetic brand Skin Food.

The occasion was to celebrate the eighth birthday of Singaporean Gillian Wee.

She chose to have a 'make-up party', which included glamorous makeovers.

She said excitedly: 'It was fun to have my hair done while watching movies at the same time.'

Fussed over by three hairstylists, the girls watched Barbie movies on Xbox 360 game consoles, while the boys played computer games, oblivious to their hair being spiked and sprayed blue and green.

When asked about the experience, Gillian's classmate, Melanie Chong, eight, admitted her initial concerns.

She said: 'I thought the spray would go into my eyes but the stylists looked after us well and I enjoyed it very much.'

Diva looks completed, the children then strutted on a runway specially set up in the salon, while posing for photographs to the beat of Lady Gaga songs.

Gillian's mother, Ms Constance M. Paglar, said: 'In the past, even if our parents asked us what we wanted to do with our hair, we would not know. Now, many options are available.'

While the party bill of over $400 may seem costly, the 38-year-old lawyer felt it was worth it.

She said: 'This takes the stress off parents as cleaning is such a chore. It is a novel idea as well.'

The brains behind Curly & Spike is managing director Philomena Cannon-Brookes, a Singaporean who used to take her three children to a kids' hair salon when she lived in the US.

The 40-year-old, who moved back to Singapore in 2003, said: 'I used to feel stressed about taking them for haircuts as they did not really enjoy it and could not sit still, so I embarked on the idea of an integrated salon for kids here.'

British expatriate Michelle Cupples takes her daughters, aged six and 10, to Loewen Spa for manicures and pedicures on special occasions or holidays.

Besides the pampering, she enjoys bonding with them. 'It is a lovely mother-and-daughter thing to do and a time for us to be girlie girls,' she said.

Dr Fernando approves of Ms Cupples' girlie indulgences with her daughters.

'As a fun and interactive activity, such sessions are fine.

But if facials and manicures become the norm, then the child learns to focus on these adult activities and loses track of his or her childhood,' she said.

As for health concerns, over at nail spa Nail's D'vine which moved from Holland Village to Dempsey, managing director Stefanie R. Shoff assures customers with children that the products are safe.

'My staff are well trained to uphold the highest hygiene standards. For children, we use organic products that are natural and have no chemicals,' she said.

Ms Shoff, 42, mother of a boy and four girls, hopes that families, and not just mums, will go to her nail spa.

'Having a family nail spa is something different in Singapore and allows the men to enjoy some pampering, too.'

Keen to try such treatments, real estate agent Denise Goh said: 'If I can get my husband on board, having a family spa day would be such a treat. Occasional indulgences with our seven-year-old daughter should be pretty harmless.'

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