Parents traditionally give cash and coins as tooth fairy gifts, but money is not the only gift option from the tooth fairy. Fairy statues and tooth fairy letters fit with the magical fairy theme. Small gifts like special boxes to hold lost teeth and letters from the tooth fairy are special and inexpensive tooth fairy gifts for children.
How Much Money From the Tooth Fairy
The excitement of the moment when a child loses a tooth for the first time can lead parents to set the bar high for subsequent tooth fairy visits. Many parents have given $5 or more for a first tooth, only to discover how many teeth kids lose. Children lose all 20 of their baby teeth or primary teeth, according the WebMD article, “Basic Dental Care – Infants and Children.” Children lose their baby teeth starting around age 6 and have usually lost all 20 by age 11.
If $5 or more per tooth sounds too costly, there are other options. A cost-saving and fun alternative is to give novelty coins and bills. The tooth fairy can leave state quarters, the Sacagawea Golden Dollar coin, $1 presidential coins or $2 bills.
Fairy Statues and Tooth Holders
Some parents prefer to give children gifts based on the tooth fairy theme instead of, or in addition to, money. Jennifer Benson is one mom who chose to use the fairy theme for inspiration. “I always give a small fairy statue for the first tooth lost. Then I usually give little things that a fairy could carry such as a sheet of stickers or a mini book,” Benson said via email. “I also give one or two quarters depending on the gift that goes with it.”
Fairy statues can be purchased in advance and held until the child loses a tooth. Cherished Teddies and Wee Forest Folk both have small statues depicting tooth fairies that are animals in their collections.
Porcelain tooth boxes or decorative pill boxes can be touching tooth fairy gifts that serve a purpose. Each time the child loses a tooth, it can be placed in a tooth box and set out for the tooth fairy on a dresser or a table. When the child outgrows losing teeth, the box can hold earrings or other small trinkets.
Letters From the Tooth Fairy
Gifts of money or toys can be accompanied by letters from the tooth fairy. Tooth fairy letters can be homemade or printed from online. Beate Weiss-Krull or Portland, Ore., skipped money gifts and gave her daughter small trinkets. “Once she received a tiny letter from the Tooth Fairy,” Weiss-Krull said in an email. “In the letter the Tooth Fairy told Alena that she always has to take good care of her teeth ... It is all part of her collection and treasure chest.” Weiss-Krull’s husband used the World’s Smallest Postal Service to craft a miniature letter.
Homemade letters should be small with disguised handwriting. Parents should remember to use block letters or all capital case letters for young readers. Letters can praise dental habits or offer suggestions for better oral care as permanent teeth replace baby teeth.
Giving large cash gifts from the tooth fairy can be a costly endeavor since children lose 20 teeth between ages 6 and 11. Creative parents can give novelty coins and bills, fairy statues, special boxes and letters from the tooth fairy as alternatives to money.
For more articles about gifts for children, read Charms are a Great Gift Idea for Girls and First Communion Gifts Don't Have to be Religious.
Genna Cockerham - Genna Cockerham has been writing online since November 2008. She served as Marriage Feature Writer from December 2008 to February ...
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