Disclaimer: The Fandads were provided with a Toniebox for our review. All thoughts, opinions, and fun times are our own.
Parents, we have all been there: Your child is in front of a screen all day due to school, and as soon as class ends they run to a tablet or phone for more screentime. We all know what happens next. We tell them to get off the screen and they say that they are bored and have nothing to do. So what do you do in this situation? You find something that keeps them occupied and does not require a screen and that is where the Toniebox comes in.
The Toniebox is “Your lovable little storytime Friend” that is designed to bring your children hours of imagination without the screens. This is something that our children need right now. After spending hours in front of a screen for school, it is great to have a device where they just need their ears and imagination. The Toniebox is a speaker in a plush covering that can play music and tell stories to your children.
When we received our Toniebox, my daughter and I set it up in no time. We tested out our Toniebox (which you can see in the video below) and really enjoyed our experience with it. The box was everything we were told about and much more. My children loved the assorted Tonies that came with our kit and had fun listening and sometimes dancing to the songs that were played.
My son uses the Toniebox every night at bedtime. He selects one of the characters and sets the box near his bed and listens to the music or stories until he falls asleep. While we still do storytime once in a while before bedtime, it seems that the Toniebox is slowly replacing me as the storyteller at night.
One of the things that I love about the Toniebox that I have not fully taken advantage of is using the blank character to record myself reading a story. I love the idea of recording something for my children, using the free app, and have them listen to it. Not only can I record but other family members can record and tell fun stories as well. Imagine having a grandparent telling their story on how they grew up, came to this country, or sharing embarrassing stories of your childhood. The stories you can collect are limitless.
The Toniebox is a great device to capture your children’s imaginations and is very easy to use. If you watched our video you will see that my daughter and I had no trouble setting it up. The only thing your child might have difficulties with is hitting the Toniebox to fast forward or rewind. It took my daughter a few times to get it to work. I think after your children see how durable the box is, they will not be afraid to hit the box with some force.
The Toniebox will make a great gift for the upcoming holidays and has already claimed a spot in our Holiday Gift Guide coming soon.