Discovering the Toniebox

I grew up loving “books on tape.” Remember those? I’d stick a storytime cassette tape into my own My First Sony Boombox. A cheery narrator would read an accompanied story as I “read” along. My husband and I still have some of the books and it made me want to share that experience with our daughter, Mabel. Now, thanks to Toniebox, I sort of can.

When Jen offered for Mabel and me to review a Toniebox, I admit I wasn’t entirely sure what it was. As soon as I saw the fun figurines, I realized we had seen them at Target. Little did I know just how entertaining it is and that we needed one in our life.

Our First Toniebox

So, what IS a Toniebox? It’s a compact box that offers kids screen-free digital listening, learning, and playing experiences. Small toy figurines called Tonies are placed magnetically on top of the box and play corresponding songs and stories.

Our generous box came with over half a dozen Tonies. Familiar friends like Mirabel from Encanto and Peppa Pig are already favorites. While Peppa tells a bunch of stories, Mirabel plays the Encanto soundtrack. It was adorable to come downstairs and see Mabel happily enthralled and dancing along to her tunes.

On the educational side, one of our Tonies teaches about space and astronauts. Mabel even enjoyed placing some other space toys on top of her box to have them “listen.” To make or add your recordings or songs, there’s even a figure called Create. He enables listeners to do just that. I see several talks from Mommy and Daddy being recorded soon.

The small and large ears on the box work as several options including the volume. To skip ahead to different chapters on each toy, we just tap the side of our box.

A New World of Activities

Something that gets me anxious is monitoring how much TV Mabel watches. Any chance I get to encourage toy play, an adventure, or going outside, I do. There are those times that I need a break or to do my own thing, so the TV it is. I was skeptical if Toniebox would have any impact on this. Turns out it already has been. We’ve enjoyed listening while eating at the table, chilling in the living room, or gathering up stuffed animals on the play mat.

Another perk is we can enjoy it on the go. As Mabel gets older, she gets more bored when we’re driving. The Toniebox has already come in handy as a “playmate.” It comes with an electric charger and is super easy to use.

The Tonie App

Since the figurine purchases can add up, the Tonie app is a great resource. Many programs are free in their library and it’s kept updated. Also on the app, we can buy more Tonies and manage our box. This is also where we record messages and download our content for the Create Tonie.

Our family absolutely loves the Toniebox. I cannot wait to see what other characters are available and let Mabel pick out her own on special occasions. Although it can be loved at the age of two, it’s especially recommended for ages three and up. The app makes it simple to look for age-appropriate content. Learn more and start your Tonie adventures on their website!

About the Author

Mary is a Los Angeles-based freelance travel writer. She’s written on her blog, Along Comes Mary, since 2012. Her work can also be found in various online outlets including FWT Magazine, Ventura County Mom Collective, Palm Springs Preferred Small Hotels, and GoWorld Travel. Mary is a proud member of IFWTWA, the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association. When she’s not writing or traveling, her favorite place to be is with her husband, daughter, and their two dogs.

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary sample which helped facilitate this review. All images are my own unless otherwise noted. The images shown in this post are used with permission. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.