Tooth Fairy--going Rate?

Updated on February 24, 2011
K.P. asks from Bothell, WA
27 answers

What does the "tooth fairy" leave your child when he or she loses a tooth? My daughter is close to losing her first tooth, and I'm trying to figure out what to have the tooth fairy give her. When I was a child, we received a quarter, or maybe two. I'd be interested in hearing what parents are doing these days.

Thanks!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Thanks, everyone! I love hearing everyone's stories and ideas. I think we'll do coins, too. Probably 4 quarters or a special 1-dollar coin. I remember when I was a kid I loved those silver dollars. :-)

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.R.

answers from Seattle on

When my son lost his first tooth, he got 4 quarters, 2 paper dollars, and 1silver dollar - the quarters and the silver dollar were for his piggy bank (silver dollar for the actual tooth, then to a child, quarters are fun to put into the bank), the 2 dollars were for him to save and spend when there was something he really wanted. since then, he gets 1 silver dollar and 2-3 paper dollars (he learned quickly that those were better!).

I made a "tooth fairy" pouch for him - I took an old pair of pants that had velcro back pockets. I cut the pocket out and voila, he loved his tooth pouch! With my daughter, I will have to make something frilly as she is girly-girly already!

I also use my computer to print out a "Tooth Fairy" letter - I have done that with each tooth - each time, I say something about taking care of his teeth and how shiny and white the one he lost was. There are letters online that you can look up and get ideas. I also save that letter as I "created" a sort of stationery for the tooth fairy - each letter is on the same stationery (it has clipart). And I sign for the TF each time in the same outrageous swirly handwriting.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from San Francisco on

We always got dollar coins growing up,, they were so special to us. It made it magical because we never really saw those besides coming from the tooth fairy. I will be doing the same with my daughter.

1 mom found this helpful

C.C.

answers from Sacramento on

We give gold dollars. FYI, if you go to the post office and buy stamps from one of their machines using a $20 bill, it will give you change in gold dollars usually. Just in case you ever have an impending tooth fairy visit and the tooth fairy's pocketbook is empty! ;)

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.M.

answers from Dallas on

We did $5 for the first tooth and $1 for every tooth after that.

Updated

We did $5 for the first tooth and $1 for every tooth after that.

1 mom found this helpful

A.S.

answers from Spokane on

Honestly, our children get whatever change happens to be around the house or in our wallets at the time so it ranges up to maybe a dollar bill. (We've never given them more than $1). My kids have never noticed the different amounts and have always been happy to get something. It's not always money either. It might be a small toy and they've always liked that too. We did hit a snag on this a couple of weeks ago when my son lost three teeth in one week. We only had change for the first tooth and had to be creative for the other teeth. He really liked that week.

Loosing teeth is a special time and I don't believe in making it about monetary gain which is why we give them small amounts of money or a small toy. I've even given them coupons for special things such as an extra bedtime story or extra time in the bathtub and they really liked those too. We make it special by having a celebratory dinner (we had a plate made that says "it's your special day" that we pull out for occasions such as this) and the tooth goes into a special pillow that my grandmother made for my mother when she was losing her teeth (over 40 years ago).

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R..

answers from Chattanooga on

I have always heard $5 for the first tooth, $1 for each following. When I was a kid, we got 'paid' according to the quality of the tooth. A perfect tooth was worth $1. (no cavities, nice and white) each cavity in the tooth lost .25.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.G.

answers from Provo on

We do a dollar. Funny story - when my cousin was little, she lost a tooth and my aunt sent my uncle upstairs to leave 'the dollar'. It was dark...and he accidently grabbed a $20 bill out of his wallet. Needless to say...she was pretty excited the next morning as she ran downstairs yelling, "Mom! The Tooth Fairy left me twenty bucks!"

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

We use a gold dollar coin. It seems more special that way.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.!.

answers from Columbus on

I am not quite their yet w my children but I would have guessed .25 to .50. Maybe a $1 for the first tooth.

Interested to see what others say.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.M.

answers from Washington DC on

For what it's worth - none of my 3 kids would have been able to make sense of $5.00 for the first and $1 after that! Once we committed to an amount that was it - anything else would have resulted in confusion and many tears (plus a grudge against the tooth fairy - LOL). We've always done $1 - either w/4 quarters or a dollar coin. For whatever reason coins were always more "real" and special than paper money for my guys.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

We're not there yet, but I like the idea of a $1 coin.

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

We do $1 a tooth (in quarters)!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.J.

answers from Seattle on

We do golden dollar coins. ((Except the few times the toothfairy forgot to go to the bank... then I scrounged up some euros & yen from various trips! Kiddo "made out" on those, just because of the exchange rate. But he doesn't spend them, just keeps them in a special "toothfairy money" place.))

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.♥.

answers from Las Vegas on

I got a dollar as a kid, I think it's still a fair rate for a younger child of this age.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

We do gold dollars. The kids think the tooth fairy makes them :) We started this when my 15 year old was tiny. It was our way of keeping up with the people that gave 5 dollars or some even 10....yikes!

M.H.

answers from Raleigh on

Not there quite yet, but I figure somewhere between $1 and $2 for the first tooth and between $.50-$1 for the rest (it will probably depend on what the tooth fairy has lying around that night!). Have fun! :)

C.S.

answers from Redding on

I have heard everything from $5 to $20!!! I personally give $1 per tooth. I sprinkle tooth fairy dust around where we leave the tooth and leave 1 dollar. We leave the tooth in a jar on the window sill in the leavingroom because our daughter is a light sleeper...

K.G.

answers from Boca Raton on

We will probably do 5.00 per tooth~

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.D.

answers from Seattle on

well, my daughters first tooth, I forgot to get change so she got $5 big ones!! crazy. i got .50 growing up don't forget there are about another 22 to go!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

$5 for the first tooth and $1 after that. Once though the tooth fairy was out of dollars and had to leave a ten. Ugh!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.R.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter just lost her first tooth and the Tooth Fairy visited last night and left $1.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.G.

answers from Jacksonville on

My daughter is 10 and lost her last baby tooth last summer :( She got 5 bucks for the first, a dollar there after and she happened to be at her bio dads when she lost the last one and he gave her 5 as well. I also found a free printable letter from the Tooth Fairy that she got the first time too. Sorry but I can't find it now.

My son is 4, almost 5 and will probably be starting to loose his late this year and he will get 5 for the first as well and a buck there after too. I see no reason why a child should get any more than a dollar.

But they have a little stuffed teddy bear that holds a small bag for the tooth so it makes it super easy to pick that up and go to a different room to get the tooth and put in the money than feeling around under their pillow!

S.

M.B.

answers from St. Louis on

Do a dollar!! I thought I would be cool and do $5, but that was before she lost 7 teeth in like 2 months! Its breaking me!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

A dollar.
Or gold coins.
Or a half dollar coin.
Or a collectible coin from my own collection.

My daughter's classmates, I have heard from her, even get $20.
So, not needed. Even my daughter's Teachers, echo the same thing.

I tell my Daughter, her tooth Fairy is not about money... it is about tradition and thoughtfulness.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.W.

answers from Portland on

I think a dollar in quarters is pretty fun. My mom always had us leave the tooth in a little A&W mug on the kitchen windowsill, so when the Tooth fairy 'flew by' she'd see it. Worked better than waking up her light-sleeping daughters while exchanging the tooth for cash. We'll be doing this with my son when it's time.

K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

i read an article that there are two tooth fairies. they are sisters. but one is very giving to the children who lose a tooth and the other is not. i read this after my son had lost some teeth and i found out that he has the giving tooth fairy. it's kinda fun to talk to other mothers to see which sister they have come to their house!!! my son got $5 for his first tooth and about $2-3 there after!!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.P.

answers from Portland on

I like the idea of a special trinket. My friend had a girl who was given a charm bracelet for her first lost tooth with a note that said she would bring her a charm for the next tooth. Her mom picked charms that were relevant to her daughter, a ballet slipper (she did dance), a purse (she was a girly girl), a soccer ball (she played too) etc.

We're not there yet and I have boys but I like the sentimental idea better than the money one. I'm leaning towards those tiny porcelain figurines for my son.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions