If your child is about to lose a first tooth–or maybe getting ready to lose a second or third–there are so many wonderful tooth fairy traditions you can create besides the old tooth-for-cash swap. Some are old, some new, some crafty, some high tech. So on behalf of our sponsor Wishingtooth, the first app that brings the lost legend of the Tooth Fairy to life, we’ve put together some of our favorite ways to celebrate a lost tooth and create more magic for a child around that very Big Kid milestone.
1. Write a Note to the Tooth Fairy
This is the most adorable free printable tooth fairy note (at top) from Handmade Charlotte. It’s easy to make, and so empowering for kids to be able to jot their own short note welcoming the tooth fairy–or maybe even thanking her the morning after? There’s even a printable that she can use to write back. But of course, any stationery at all will do.
2. Introduce Kids to the Real Tooth Fairy, Zora Swift
Yes, she is real, and she has a name: Zora Swift. (Cute, right?) The new Wishingtooth Storybook Adventure app (iOS, Android, Kindle) is a magical introduction to the lost legend of the real tooth fairy, bringing it life in an interactive, multimedia, magical adventure about empowering kids to believe in their dreams. You can check out the Wishingtooth Storybook online for a great sense of the experience, or visit Cool Mom Tech for more details.
Bonus: The download is totally free for a limited time.
3. Have Your Child Interact with the Real Tooth Fairy Over Twitter
A clever idea in a social media world: This Friday, February 28 is National Tooth Fairy Day (for real!) which also happens to be Zora Swift’s birthday. You can tweet your child’s wishes and questions to @ZoraSwift starting now, and she’ll respond during the Wishingtooth Twitter party at 6PM ET on Friday, plus there will be digital giveaways. How cool would it be to see your child’s face as he gets a real response from her?
But even after the Twitter party is over, keep @ZoraSwift in mind so that your child can tweet her any time (through your account, of course). She’d probably love to see a photo of a smiling child with that first missing tooth she’s already collected.
4. Make Your Own Tooth Fairy Box
Since children are so excited already about losing a tooth, keep this tooth fairy keepsake box craft kit on hand when that first tooth gets wiggly and put your kid’s energy and creativity to work. Stash the final result on the dresser or night table, which is of course way easier for the actual tooth fairy to access in the middle of the night. You can also use a plain wooden treasure box found at a craft store, and let kids decorate to their hearts’ content.
6. Give a Small Gift Instead of Money
A lot of parents like to celebrate a first lost tooth with little toys or gifts instead of money, as their own tooth fairy traditions. Maybe a LEGO Minifig or temporary tattoos. Another option for that special first tooth is this personalized wooden tooth fairy box from Etsy’s Urban Timber Woodworks. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, since kids can use it for the rest of those baby teeth that will be coming out.
7. Sprinkle Fairy Dust Under the Pillow or Leading Up to the Door
If you can handle the glitter clean-up, some parents like to sprinkle just a wee bit of glitter around the money or gift that’s left under your child’s pillow as proof that she’s been there to visit. Magical. Another option is to spray glitter on a coin or bill itself. We’ve even heard about trails of glitter leading up to a child’s bedroom door, with teeny footprints in them–just about the size of a Barbie shoe, coincidentally. Just be sure you don’t have wall-to-wall carpeting for that one.
8. Pick Out a Tooth Fairy Pillow
If you’ve ever tried to sneak a few coins (or cash) under the pillow of a sleeping child without waking him up, you know it can be downright terrifying. That’s why we’ve always have loved all sorts of tooth fairy pillows like this one from Sparkle Power on Etsy, which is handmade from vintage fabrics in fun colors for boys or girls. Leave it at the foot of the bed or on a nearby chair.
Another option are these tiny tooth fairy house pillows from New Mom Designs. A little pouch on the back holds a bill or a few coins, but we love that our kids would play with them all the time. What a nice way to welcome Zora to your home.
If the tooth fairy can sometimes be a little louder than usual, or the floorboards creakier than you’d like, these custom tiny tooth fairy pillows from Hannalah are perfect. Just 4″ tall with a little pocket on back with your child’s name, they’re the right size to hang on a doorknob–outside the room, preferably.
9. Place the Tooth in a Tooth Fairy Dish
An alternative to a pillow is a tooth fairy dish like these super cute ones we found from Brick Kiln on Etsy. We like how lovingly handmade they are, and that there are designs that both boys and girls can appreciate. (Our girls would probably like the pirate.)
10. Deliver a Tooth Fairy Thank You Note
We are so taken with this adorable miniature tooth fairy thank you note from Etsy’s Luxely, encased in a teeny cork-topped bottle. Like, super teeny. The artist can even create custom notes, should you want to make yours extra special for a first tooth. A perfect keepsake for a perfectly wonderful milestone.
Thanks to our sponsor, the new Wishingtooth Storybook Adventure which is a free download for iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire for a limited time. (So get it now!) Also, be sure to stop by the Wishingtooth Twitter party at 6PM ET on Friday, February 28 which happens to be National Tooth Fairy Day. Follow @ZoraSwift on Twitter, and tweet her starting now using #ToothFairyDay, with questions and wish requests from your child–she’s bound to respond. Plus? Giveaways!
Very cute ideas…I love #7 – the fairy dust.
Wow! I wish I was a kid again! The type of wood used for the Personalized Wooden Engraved Tooth Fairy Box is unspecified. Most woods have antimicrobial properties. I assume this is true here.
Just curious…could the storybook wishingbook app be restricted to some areas? I cannot find it in a search. I live in Australia. Cheers.
I enjoyed the fun ideas about the tooth fairy.
I like all the neat ideas.