Recently, I was in a rush looking for last-minute tooth fairy ideas. This wasn’t the first time that the tooth fairy would visit us, but due to the big age gap between my daughters, I felt like I was starting all over again.
Since I was completely unprepared, I wanted to find out how much things had changed during the last years, especially moneywise. After seeing an increase of gas prices and groceries, I was wondering if the cost for the tooth fairy increased too.
After doing the work, let me to help you save time and get ready for the tooth fairy!
What’s the tooth fairy tradition?
The tooth fairy tradition has been going on for many years and it varies among countries. Here in the United States, the child places the tooth under the pillow for the tooth fairy to get during the night.
After the child falls asleep, the tooth fairy flies to the child’s bedroom and gets the tooth for her collection. That’s also when she leaves a quick surprise for the little one.
It’s not a secret that the tooth fairy loves baby teeth but the reason behind her collection is still unclear. Here are some of the top three reasons that I have heard:
- Tooth fairy uses good, healthy teeth to build her white castle, houses for the fairies, and additional places around it. She uses the bad teeth to build the pavement
- She grinds the teeth to create magic pixie dust.
- The teeth are given to little babies without teeth.
The truth is that nobody knows for sure the real reason behind the collection which makes it more magical for kids. And, a quick reminder for good dental hygiene.
How many teeth will fall out?
Kids normally get 20 baby teeth that start erupting when they are around 6 months old. All twenty baby teeth usually fall between the ages of 6 to 13.
In order to be ready for the multiple visits of the tooth fairy, check out below the permanent eruption chart from the American Dental Association. It gives you an idea of when to expect the permanent teeth to erupt.
As always, use the chart as a reference but keep in mind that the kids’ age may vary. However, I find the chart very helpful and informative. Plus, my daughter lost her first tooth (lower central incisor) when she turned six which matches the age on the chart.
Related: How to improve your child’s transition into Kindergarten
How much money does the tooth fairy leave?
I recently had this question too. As I mentioned before, it wasn’t the tooth fairy’s first visit to our house, but after a long absence I didn’t know how much it had changed.
Especially, taking into consideration the inflation and increase in prices everywhere.
As you know, there’s not a specific amount set for each tooth. And, because of that, the amounts vary. Based on the information that I found, some fairies have given $2, $3, $5, $20, and more per tooth.
Did I confuse you more? I know, with so many variations, it’s hard to decide what to do. However, here is something that will give you a better idea.
According to a poll conducted by Delta Dental, the current average gift in the USA is $3.70 per tooth. Even though the amount has declined in the last years, it may still sound high for previous generations that had a much lower amount.
During my research, I also noticed that some tooth fairies leave a higher pay for the first and last tooth. I understand the emotion and importance behind both.
However, it’s up to you to determine what’s best for your child and your household. The end goal should be to create a special memory for your little one.
Does the tooth fairy bring toys?
Absolutely! Even though cash is used most often, tooth fairies can bring toys too.
This happened to my oldest daughter when she unexpectedly lost a tooth and there weren’t any single bills available around the house.
Fortunately, at that time, I used to keep a toy gift box for last-minute situations. Having that box not only saved the night, but she loved the idea too! Need some ideas?
Taking into consideration the average gift per tooth, you may consider a:
- Coloring book(s) with crayons
- Puzzle
- Small Lego box
- Travel size wood games
The following suggestions are more than the average cost mentioned on the previous section but I feel that they are worth mentioning:
- Dentist Barbie doll and toddler patient
- Dentist with patient lego set
- Ryan’s World – toothbrush and toothpaste – If you are not familiar with Ryan, he is a successful YouTuber that many kids follow, including my daughter!
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Getting ready for the tooth fairy
Losing a tooth is an exciting experience for most kids. They can’t wait for their tooth to finally fall so they can receive a visit from the tooth fairy. But, sometimes, the loose tooth takes a little bit longer to fall.
So, here are two ways to help them cope with their excitement during the waiting period.
Tooth Fairy Books
I always like getting books for my kids that are related to their situation, experience, or season. By doing that, I feel that kids get more interested in reading since they can relate to those stories.
Add books to your tooth fairy tradition. Reading tooth fairy books should help your child to prepare better for the entire experience of losing a tooth.
Here are some tooth fairy book suggestions:
The Night Before the Tooth Fairy
Fancy Nancy and the Too-Loose Tooth
Tooth Fairy’s Night
The Tooth Fairy (Peppa Pig)
The Tooth Fairy Construction Company
Pete the Cat and the Lost Tooth
Printables Related to the Toothy Fairy
Since kids like printables, that’s another way to entertain your child during the waiting period. Here are some helpful printables that I found.
Mama’s Learning Corner has teeth printables that include a maze, dot to dots, puzzles, and more.
Teeth math game has a teeth game that is fun and educational for preschoolers. It helps kids practice number recognition and counting.
Dentist 4 Kids has nice activity sheets to choose from. There’s a word search, crossword, unscramble word problems, and more.
Mom Junction has several dental coloring pages for kids. Some of these pages are a smiling tooth, four dental friends, a happy tooth, dental tooth fairy, and even a dental tooth fairy.
My Family Dentistry has a coloring book and an activity book that you can download for your child. The activity book includes a tooth maze, a super cute connect the dots, and additional coloring pages.
Tooth Fairy Note Ideas
Ask your child to write a note for the tooth fairy. It gives the kids an opportunity to express how their feel and ask any question they still may have. Also, tooth fairy notes serve as memories that you can save forever.
Handmade Charlotte – This printable is super cute and small just like the tooth fairy! You have a note page for your child to write a message on, an envelope for the note, and another envelope for the tooth fairy reward.
Mouth Healthy has a variety printables that I really liked. They include a certificate, a page full of receipts, several door hangers, nice scrapbook pages, and cute tooth fairy doors for your child to cut and color.
Best Tooth Fairy Gift Ideas
Giving money has been the most traditional way to reward kids for their lost teeth. But there are different options for you. This section gives you different ways to celebrate lost teeth.
Money ideas (the traditional way)
- Cash – can be coins or bills
- Gift card – for their favorite store
- A $2 bill – to make it more unique
- Opening a bank account for the kid
Tooth Fairy Certificate Ideas
MomDot, more than a certificate, it’s like a report card. In addition to the design, I like it because it keeps important details that you will like to remember later such as a date, how and where the tooth was lost, and more. Stephanie also has a tooth fairy hanger available.
Creative Certificates has different tooth fairy certificates that are customizable. This includes some templates where you can add a picture of your child. You can also find cute receipts.
Rooftop Post has certificates for every single occasion. There you can find a specific certificate for every single tooth such as the 1st lost tooth, 2nd, 3rd, etc. It also has certificates for Halloween, Summer, a child’s birthday, a swallowed tooth, and even for a lost and found tooth.
Tooth Fairy Ideas Letters
Fun with Mama offers a cute pack that includes a letter and activity sheets related to math, word building, and more.
Three Little Monkeys Studio shares her daughter’s letter, which you can use for inspiration.
Tooth Fairy Receipt
I didn’t know that there was such thing as a tooth fairy receipt. But, I love the idea of getting a receipt after such an important transaction. Plus, it makes the process even more real.
La Petite Academy has a cute receipt that you can print and use. It has a bar code at the bottom that makes it look more real.
Moms & Munchkins, in addition to the receipt, you have a record, a chart, and a door hanger. The chart helps you keep all the dates when your child lost their teeth.
Tooth Fairy Pillow Ideas
The tooth fairy pillows have become a popular idea. There are two options here, you can make the pillow yourself or get one that is already made. Here are some options depending on the option that you prefer:
Kit with Keepsake Notepad and Magic Glitter
Please stop here
Lillian Rose
Tooth Fairy Kit
The benefit of a tooth fairy kit is that it bundles different items for your child to make it more memorable.
Superhero
Box, pillow, letter, and receipt included
5-piece gift set
Good luck and have fun!
There you go! Simple tooth fairy ideas to help you with the entire process. I hope that these resources can help you and your child prepare for the fairy’s visits.
Now, let me hear from you…
Have you used any of these ideas? Leave a comment and let me know how it went.
I would also love to hear any other idea not included in this post. As I said, my youngest daughter just lost her first tooth so I still have many tooth fairy visits to go!
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