Tooth Fairy Tips for Parents

Got a first time tooth fairy visit coming up? We’ve got the best tooth fairy tips for parents (along with tooth fairy advice to help you avoid future problems!) to help you learn how to be a good tooth fairy for your kids.

First time tooth fairy hacks, including how to make glitter dollars

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Traps to Avoid in Your First Time Tooth Fairy Visit

Setting Unrealistic Expectations

Fairy doors! Glitter! Elaborate pictures of a tiny pixie photoshopped onto your kid’s pillow in the dark of night! The possibilities are endless! And – let’s face it – overwhelming. So before your child even has a first wiggle, you need to start thinking about what the Tooth Fairy will look like in your house. Pick one thing – maybe two – and then STOP. You don’t need to overwhelm yourself with doing all the things. Find what feels right to you, and remember that you’ll be executing these plans with very little notice and in the dark of night when you’re exhausted.

little girl sleeping on a pillow

Giving Too Much Money

We get it. You’re excited. Your kid finally lost a tooth and this is your big moment! First step – put that $20 back in your wallet Mama! Sure, this is one tooth and the novelty hasn’t worn off. Twenty dollars might seem like a reasonable way to celebrate this momentous occasion. After all, a first time tooth fairy visit is a big deal! But are you prepared for the week your kiddo loses three teeth in one week? (Yeah, we weren’t either!) So do yourself a solid and keep the Tooth Fairy a fun chick full of whimsy – but not necessarily flush with cash.

Glitter

This one’s controversial (and we do have some fun ways to incorporate a little sparkle) but we are staunchly anti-glitter. This basically goes for any treatment by the Tooth Fairy that causes a mess. Just remember, “she” might make the mess, but it’s probably going to be you that cleans it up. Think that through before you dump a whole bag of glitter in your kid’s bed.

Related Post: Toddler Dentist Tips to Get All Smiles at Your First Visit

Tooth Fairy Pro Tip: Be Inconsistent

Yes, in so much of child rearing, consistency is key. Here’s one area where being inconsistent can be a lifesaver. In our house, the Tooth Fairy is an unpredictably little pixie that likes to mix it up. Was this borne out of necessity because we were never quite prepared for her imminent arrival? Maybe! Is it now one of our favorite pieces of Tooth Fairy advice? ABSOLUTELY! Work your way through our list of creative rewards and keep your kid on their toes – and always excited to find out what she left!little boy who has lost a tooth

Create a Tooth Fairy Supply Kit

We are, admittedly, a little bit Type A. Which means being prepared is key to managing our anxiety about a variety of situations. Apparently, as a Mom, that now includes visits from the Tooth Fairy. So before your kid even has a wiggler, get your supply kit ready. Grab a little box and fill it with an assortment of trinkets from the list below. Then when the time comes you don’t have to panic. Just sneak over to your Tooth Fairy Supply Kit and grab an item or two and you’re set!

Related Post: Saving Money on Kids’ Birthday Party Gifts

Creative Tooth Fairy Ideas

Glitter Dollars

One way to get around the “no glitter rule” is by using a glitter spray. It adds some fun and festive excitement to the dollar. Order yourself a can of glitter spray now (so you won’t be in a lurch when the time comes!) and you’ll be so glad you planned ahead! If you want to go a little more DIY route, grab some regular school glue and a little tube of glitter. (Remember, a little glitter goes a long way!) Brush the dollar bill with a little glue and sprinkle on as much glitter as you can handle.

a dollar bill with glue and glitter

Much like the whole supply kit, do this ahead of time! No one wants to be secretly trying to spray paint a dollar at the last minute. The next time your kids are at school, Grandma’s or on a walk with Dad, make those dollar bills sparkle! Put the dollars in a plastic baggie so you don’t get glitter on everything (or skip this step if you’re not glitter averse) and you’ll have some magic money all ready to go.

Specialty Dollars or Coins

Regular dollars are great, but silver dollars are exciting! Why give two one dollar bills when you can plan ahead and give a MAGICAL two dollar bill! It gives a small cash amount while still blowing minds! Sometimes our tooth fairy even gives coins from other countries! If you know anyone that’s traveling abroad, ask if they can bring you back a couple coins. Foreign money is a fun way to add a little magic to the Tooth Fairy’s delivery. If your Tooth Fairy stays domestic, consider tossing in some chocolate coins to your Tooth Fairy

random assortment of coins

Tooth Fairy Origami

Did you know you can fold a dollar into just about anything? You can! And our kids go totally nuts for it! Whether our kids are feeling the love with a folded dollar heart or lucky with this oragami fish, it’s always exciting to see if the Tooth Fairy has learned any new folds. You can even learn how to fold a dollar bill into a Tie Fighter! (But maybe don’t keep that delicate fold under a pillow!) Whatever your child’s interest, there’s probably a cool bill fold for you! (Thank you Google!)

No-Money Tooth Fairy Ideas

Jazz up a low dollar amount delivery with a little something special included. Next time you’re at the grocery story, buy that thing your kid always asks for out of the quarter machines. Mommy might always say “No” to the fifty cent glitter sticker we don’t need when we’re rushing out of the store, but the Tooth Fairy is fun like that. Party stores often have little bins of party favor style trinkets, so go and grab an assortment of little toys and treats your kids will love.

You can also grab a set of party favors off Amazon to use. Put several items in your Tooth Fairy Supply Kit and share the rest with a Mom friend. Or ask your child’s teacher if they have a treasure chest you can contribute to. You can be a great Tooth Fairy and a teacher’s hero all at once!
Related Post: A Genius Hack for Saving Money at the Pumpkin Patch

Special Tooth Fairy Circumstances

How to Be the Tooth Fairy Away from Home

Nothing throws you for a loop like a surprise tooth loss. This is even more of a reason to panic when you’re not home with your Tooth Fairy Supplies. If your child has a wiggly tooth, you might want to consider making a quick mobile supply kit. It can’t hurt to have a baggie with some coins and treats in your suitcase just in case!

Does the Tooth Fairy Bring Extra if Your Tooth is Pulled?

When my son went to his biannual dentist visit this year, the dentist gave him some tough news. If his teeth didn’t start falling out on their own, we’d probably have to pull a couple at his next visit. So now this poor kid is seven and a half and hasn’t lost a tooth. He hasn’t had a visit from the tooth fairy, and, despite being the tallest kid in his class by a mile, is still woefully smiling with a mouth full of baby chompers. So we talked about it, and while we are very anti-going-overboard, we decided this kid deserved a little something extra. Maybe the Tooth Fairy will leave a little extra money, or maybe one of his coveted Lego minifigs. But a special circumstance deserves a special reward.

We have a good friend whose child had several teeth pulled at a young age. She waited a VERY long time to have her teeth and since the Tooth Fairy would have come when she was quite little, the Tooth Fairy had a surprise visit to celebrate her teeth coming IN! So don’t feel like the Tooth Fairy is constrained to only losing teeth. Any tooth related reasons to celebrate are a great time to have the fairy come around.

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Now you have all the tools you need to be a good Tooth Fairy and nail that first time Tooth Fairy visit!

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