Is the tooth fairy about to make her last visit to your child? Make giving up that last baby tooth a special occasion! Children usually start to lose their teeth around the age of 6, with the last one falling out between the ages of 10 and 12. This means that by the time the last one comes out, your child probably has at least a pretty good suspicion that the tooth fairy is not real. Nonetheless, it is still a special occasion that deserves a celebration. Here are some ideas.
- Make a special pillow, box or envelope for the last tooth. Pull out craft supplies and let your child get creative with felt, glitter, stickers, paint, markers, ribbon or whatever suits their fancy. Put the tooth in the special receptacle with a note asking the tooth fairy permission to keep it as a memento. Help your child to find a safe place to keep that last baby tooth.
- Have your child write a letter to the tooth fairy. The letter should thank the tooth fairy for all of her hard work collecting each of the previous teeth and wish her well on her continued work with other children. Your child could include a sugar cube or bit of cookie to give the fairy a burst of energy.
- Write a congratulatory letter to your child from the tooth fairy on losing that last baby tooth. The letter could contain funny anecdotes, such as the time she had a hard time getting access to retrieve the tooth because the room was so messy.
- Ask your child to write down wisdom for other children. They can give tips on keeping teeth clean and gums healthy. They should also make note of how much money the tooth fairy has left in the past for future generations to compare.
- Make a collage of photos of your child throughout the years. Include a recent photo and any toothless shots you have collected.
- Stay up late with your child to try to catch a glimpse of the tooth fairy. Leave a trail of glitter on your child's pillow (fairy dust) once they fall asleep.
No matter how you choose to acknowledge it, losing that last tooth is, for a parent, a bittersweet occasion in a child's development!