The viral Toniebox is exactly what both kids and parents want from a smart device (and it’s on sale)

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

My kid had been asking for a Toniebox for two years, but I always talked her out of it. I’m no Grinch, but each set basic starter kit is $100. Then we finally got one during a Prime Day sales event. Testing a Toniebox has not only convinced me that it’s perfect for my kids and worth every penny, but it’s such a great device that I’d recommend it to any parent of young children. Here’s why.

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The Toniebox is a portable audio player covered in a padded, soft fabric that makes it easy for kids to handle. It’s light enough for my three-year-old to carry and kid-friendly enough for my five-year-old to navigate. It’s a fantastic and interactive way for kids to enjoy screen-free entertainment without access to questionable content.

Each Toniebox uses small, colorful figures called Tonies, available in various popular characters. Each Tonie figurine represents a different track list with audio recordings, which can be music and a story or either one, like a modern-day CD or cassette. Unlike a CD, the tracklists are triggered by a built-in NFC chip within each Tonie figurine. 

My kids love Disney princesses, so they got that Toniebox starter bundle. This bundle includes four princesses, a Playtime Puppy Tonie with nursery rhymes, a charging dock, and a pink Toniebox for $180, though it often goes on sale.

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When the kids want to hear music from Cinderella, they place the Cinderella figure on the Toniebox, and the music starts playing. If they want to skip to the story, they tap the right side of the Toniebox, and the Cinderella story begins playing. When they’re tired of Cinderella and decide to switch to Moana, they can replace the Cinderella Tonie with the Moana one, and the music will immediately start playing. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Tilting the Toniebox to one side or the other triggers fast-forward and rewind. The volume controls are at the top of the Toniebox, in the form of two cat ears that kids pinch to turn the volume up or down. 

A simple Amazon search for Tonie will result in dozens of characters that make great birthday gifts and stocking stuffers, like Minnie Mouse, Blippi, Trolls, and the new Ms Rachel Tonie. There’s also plenty of additional bundles to check out, like the Disney Princess Toniebox starter set (pictured above). However, users can also buy Creative Tonies, a blank slate for which parents can add up to 90 minutes of content using the Tonie app. This content can include recordings, so they can even add stories read by a grandparent or family member. 

Why I recommend this product

Our Toniebox is so beloved that my kids listen to at least one story each night as they fall asleep — they cycle through each princess and have added a couple of Tonies to the collection, including a Creative Tonie and a Joy Tonie with both Inside Out and Inside Out 2 stories (each 30 minutes long). Now, the box has its own stand and carrier in their room.

The Toniebox connects to the Tonie app on a smartphone, as the content is initially downloaded from the internet. Once downloaded, the content is stored locally on the device and used offline. Kids can take the wireless Toniebox around the house or when visiting family or camping to enjoy songs and stories with up to seven hours of battery life. 

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