How Much Does the Tooth Fairy Give for a Tooth?

I have a 15month old so it will be a while before I have to think about this stuff...but I read an idea years ago that has really stuck with me.
My plan is to give my son coins from other countries for each tooth lost. The amount of the coins is not relevant, just that they come from other countries. (Along with this will come a story about how the tooth fairy has money from all over the world since she travels everywhere to collect teeth. We might even have a ditzy tooth fairy that just can't seem to remember that my little guy lives in the USA and thus he gets coins from all over the place.)
This may become difficult with so many countries using the euro, rather than their own currency, but I'm hopeful I can scrounge up some deuchmarks or francs when the time comes...or perhaps a canadian quarter. ;)

2 moms found this helpful

I've heard of some tooth fairies leaving outrageous amounts of money under the pillows of my five year old's friends, but our tooth fairy has a budget (and some common sense)! After putting her first tooth under her pillow, my daughter awoke to find a note from the tooth fairy congratulating her and encouraging her practice good dental hygiene. Along with the note was some fluoride rinse and $2. After the second tooth, she left another note, $2 (in coins -- for counting practice)and a pack of sugarless gum. My daughter was delighted. I think she liked the notes and goodies more than the money!

1 mom found this helpful

My parents always left a Two Dollar Bill. Since those are something you don't see often it was a special bill the Tooth Fairy gives. I always thought it was so cool to have a Two Dollar Bill, so I plan on doing the same for my children!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi B.,
When our 5 year old lost her first tooth, we felt it was best to give her several coins since she couldn't count them yet and it would look to her like a lot of money! But when she lost her second front tooth not long after, she expected paper money and was disappointed the tooth fairy had left her coins. I still think they should start off with coins, but we will be doing dollars from now on! I explained to her that some teeth were worth more to the tooth fairy, that it depended on how white and clean they are, or how big. Hope that helps.

Aw... How Sweet! I used to give only a quarter, but that was a long time ago. With the cost of living these days, perhaps give her just enough to buy a chocolate bar or cookie that she likes. Or, if she is saving money already, give her coins that will make her piggy bank jingle.

Good luck and God bless!

I think we did $5 for the first tooth and then I was collecting the $1 coins and use those for the rest. She just lost her first molar, so I gave her 2 of the $1 gold coins, when she found them in the morning, she gave one each to her other sisters. I was so shocked. I am glad I gave her the extra one, her thoughtfulness was worth it!

For my kids I had a pillowcase with a small pocket sewn on it. Whoever was about to loose a tooth, got to use it. For my grandaughter I crosstitched a tooth fairy pillow.
She got a dollar for her first. She was so happy about it, it could have been a million! Remember it's more about the surprise than the actual amount.--But beware, the larger the amount the first time, the more she'll want next time!

I like the idea of change. But, at least for my kids, they don't think of it as any big deal... they have been spoiled with change from grandparents and aunts and uncles to the point that it means nothing to them. I gave my son a $2 bill for his first. After that, I stocked up on small toys and we did those for awhile. He is 10 now, and has lost 4 teeth in the past 3 or 4 months alone! (I guess this is the age).. so I have periodically been caught without anything on hand (he will pull the tooth out at bedtime without any warning that he has a loose one until just before he pulls it out...) I have been giving him 2 single dollar bills when I don't have a toy on hand. His last toy was a metal slinky... Little sis still gets small toys (yo-yo, etc).. But she hasn't hit a tooth losing streak yet like brother. And she works at hers for WEEKS before they come out, so I have plenty of time to prepare.
So, my advice would be, to mix it up a little. When they lose a tooth on vacation for the first time, you will be glad that some cash from your wallet will suffice. LOL.
(it has happened to us TWICE). My daughter's tooth came out in a fast food bathroom on a road trip to grandma's house...

B.,

My son is 6 and has lost several teeth. We unfortunately did not get most of those teeth because he either swallowed them or lost them in the dirt, however the tooth fairy still left him a dollar for each tooth lost. I think that for such young children you really don't want to go over that.

Good luck.

S.
35 y/o SAHM of 3 boys
13, 6 and 3

I guess I'm a bit of a cheap skate, cause more than a dollar sounds like a bit much to me. I usually just give a couple coins. There was one tooth that we forgot to give money at night and I felt terrible about it. So I had my hubby distract her while I wrote a letter from the tooth ferry that she was very sorry it was late, but that she was so busy with so many others she couldn't get to hers on time. I think I gave a couple dollars that time. She has always been very happy to get any money from the tooth fairy, but she seemed even more happy to get a personal letter from her.

In my opinion the first tooth is the most special. We told our son that the first tooth would be 5$ and the rest are a $1.00. He was thrilled. He sometimes gets something at his grandparents and they tell him that the tooth fairy went by there house to. ;)