Tooth Fairy Traditions You’ll Want to Try ASAP

Slide 1Tooth
Fairy
Traditions
Overview
As your child begins to notice the first signs of a wiggly tooth, you may start asking yourself a lot of questions about how to be the Tooth Fairy. What does the Tooth Fairy pay these days? Does she leave something
besides money? Does the Tooth Fairy take the teeth with her? From tooth fairy letters to tooth fairy pillows to glitter money and more,
we've rounded up some truly creative and fun tooth fairy ideas and traditions that provide inspiration for creating a little tooth fairy magic in
your own home. Plus, we'll tell you what the average kid seems to be collecting for those pearly whites...
Give them a
receipt
To make the teeth-for-treats transaction feel even more legit to your little one, make sure the Tooth Fairy leaves them a receipt under their pillow. Some adorable versions created even have a spot to rate the “tooth quality” and a barcode for authenticity.
Bring in the
Raton de los
Dientes
In many Hispanic cultures, it isn’t some glittery fairy that collects teeth, it’s a rat—but a nice one! In Argentina, before bed, kids put their tooth in a glass of water and El Raton de los Dientes (sometimes called Ratoncito Perez) comes, drinks the water, takes the tooth, and puts a prize in the empty cup. It’s a fun twist on the tradition, especially for kiddos who may not be into fairies.
Tooth Fairy
Traditions
Placing a valuable tooth under a big bed pillow can feel scary—and result in tears if the tooth or the reward gets lost down a crack or in the folds of sheets. Solve this parenting problem by making a super simple pillow with a pocket especially to keep tiny baby teeth safe for delivery to the Tooth Fairy. It’s designed to hang over the bed post or door handle so everyone can rest easier.
Give tiny tooth
fairy letters
Baby teeth are tiny! Fairies are tiny! So it makes perfect sense that the Tooth Fairy would leave teeny tiny letters in return. Any kid obsessed with Barbies, Legomen, or other miniatures will get a kick out of these minute missives.
Keep a tooth
fairy journal
There’s just something so precious about a gap-toothed grin (in a kid, anyhow, adults not so much). Memorialize their changing smile by taking a picture every time your child loses a tooth and putting it in a journal. You can include notes or drawings from your child as well. Your little one can see their “progress” towards adulthood, and you’ll have something to get teary-eyed over when they are in high school.
Toss the
roof
In Japan, when children lose a baby tooth, they’re encouraged to toss them—on the roof, that is. Lower teeth are traditionally chucked upwards while upper teeth are thrown downwards, the idea being that the new tooth will be “pulled” towards the old one. It’s a fun myth and one you could even combine with the American Tooth Fairy tradition. And hey, kids love throwing things.
Give a Tooth
Fairy
Certificate
Make sure that all that flossing and brushing doesn’t go unnoticed by leaving an official “Tooth Fairy Certificate” under the pillow. We love this one from momdot hat allows you to keep track of how clean, shiny, white, and strong the tooth was.
Make a Tooth
Fairy Door
If you build it, the fairies will come! Add a whole lot of magic to your tooth fairy visits by creating a little door, so the Tooth Fairy can find her way into the bedroom with ease. You can make the cutest fairy door by following this tutorial.
Glitter Money
Fairies and glitter go hand in hand (or maybe that’s wing in hand?), so it only makes sense to add an extra coat of sparkle to fairy bling by making Tooth Fairy Glitter Money. Whether you add a hint of glitter to coins or dollar bills, this trick is sure to make the magic real!
Fairy Footsteps
Glitterphobes beware! This activity is definitely not for you. But for those of you who embrace a little sparkle in your life, this trick is really easy to pull off. Dip a doll’s shoe (or foot) into a little glitter to create a trail of magic fairy-sized footprints on the windowsill or nightstand.
Give them a
Tooth Teddy
Snuggling a soft stuffie at bedtime is already a ritual for many kids, so they’ll love to bring their favorite bear (or buy a new stuffed animal) into the Tooth Fairy game. Take the stuffed toy, sew a little pocket on the front out of scrap fabric and—poof!—you have a magical tooth helper. Not a sewer? Super glue that pocket on; your kid will never know the difference,
Leave sparkle
coins under
their pillow
If the going rate for teeth in your house is less than a dollar, take a handful of old pennies and turn them into sparkly fairy coins to exchange for teeth. Simply spray paint the pennies and dust them with glitter while they’re still wet. Let your kids keep the “money” or turn it in for a prize.
Celebrate with
“lost tooth
cookies”
Losing a tooth, especially the first one, is a huge deal to kids. (And one of the little things that makes childhood so magical for parents—who would have thought a little chunk of dead enamel could bring so much joy and entertainment?) Commemorate the moment with a special dessert made by putting marshmallows between two cookies, leaving one out to represent the lost tooth.
Do a little
origami
Some Tooth Fairies are more low-key than others (no judgment here!) and one super simple way to make the money-for-teeth exchange a little more magical is to fold a dollar bill into a heart. Your kid will think it’s so cute they won’t want to spend it!
Bury the teeth
In Mongolia, children take their baby teeth and either feed them to their dogs (we don’t recommend that) or bury them near a favorite tree (safer for all involved). Burying teeth near the roots helps the new teeth grow strong, just like the tree.
Collect their
tin
Many little kids are born hoarders, er, collectors. And as such, they hate to let anything go, especially something that was once part of their body. Keep all their teeth safe in a Tooth Fairy-approved box made out of an old mints tin and some paint.
Get ’em a tooth
tattoo
No, we’re not recommending taking your child to a tattoo parlor (baby’s first ink!) but a cute temporary tattoo is a great way to show the world how proud they are of their lost tooth. Have the Tooth Fairy slip a temporary tooth tattoo under the pillow along with the money.
Tell some tooth
jokes
Hey, why did the tree go to the dentist? To get a root canal! (And good luck explaining what a root canal is to your kindergartner!) Kids love telling silly jokes and Tooth Fairies love hearing them. Help your child come up with a creative pun or use one from a list of toothy jokes and leave a few from the Tooth Fairy along with the tooth.
Deliver a
healthy tooth
gift bag
Dental hygiene is important, and who better to help your child embrace brushing and flossing than the Tooth Fairy herself? Instead of just leaving money, put a gift bag with items for healthy teeth under their pillow. Ideas include xylitol pops, a fancy toothbrush, a tooth timer, toothpaste, and animal-shaped flossers.
Gold Dollar Coins
The United States Mint has several gold coins currently in production. Since the year 2000, they have been producing the Sacagawea, Presidential, and American Innovator dollars that are all gold in color. Almost any bank will be able to cash a few out for you, and their color and uniqueness make them feel particularly special.
Books about
the Tooth
Fairy
What does she do with all those teeth? How will she get into my bedroom? Where does she come from? For the kids who can't stop asking questions (or who try staying up all night trying to figure out if there really is a tooth fairy), this list of books Mwill help answer all their questions—and then some.
Conclusion
Consider getting a bit more creative with your traditions, so you don’t miss this opportunity to really drive home healthy oral habits. These cute
Tooth Fairy traditions might seem a little extra, but they’ll make the experience of losing a tooth memorable for your child and turn into a fun,
teachable moment.