By Kayla DeKraker
Finding screen-free entertainment for your children just got a whole lot easier.
Tonies, a German-founded company, just released an upgraded version of their beloved Toniebox.
“Toniebox 2 builds on everything families already love – but unlocks so much more. We’ve stayed true to our vision of audio-first storytelling, while introducing a new layer of interactive play that empowers kids to discover, imagine, and explore through Tonieplay,” said Tonies CXO Ginny McCormick.
The audio devices play stories and songs when a user places a figurine, called a Tonie, on top of the Toniebox.
Related: You Can’t Expect to Limit Your Child’s Screentime Without Doing This First
“Stories, music and learning content is downloaded directly to the Toniebox when you place a Tonie on top. Designed by parents for parents, this is the ideal first device for your kiddo,” the website explains.
The Toniebox targets children ages 1-9 as an alternative to screen time. Since its release over 10 years ago, its popularity has grown, and the devices are available in stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Kohls. In fact, since 2014 the company has sold “more than 9.5 million Tonieboxes and 125 million Tonies sold.”
“We’re always inspired by what our customers are doing on the Tonies platform and wanted to raise the bar on the long-term value with Toniebox 2,” McCormick told TODAY. “We did a lot of research on customer needs and existing feelings on the original Toniebox to make the best upgrades for Toniebox 2.”
The new edition features “smarter” bedtime and wakeup features like a sleep timer, light features and a sunrise alarm.
McCormick said these features will support “families from morning routines to nighttime wind-downs, creating more opportunities for child independence and easy routines.”
Tonies introduced the Toniebox 2 on Instagram, and parents raved about the update.
“Part of our night routine 👏 so easy my kiddos independently start bedtime 👏🏻💙” one user said. Another person added, “Soooo excited about this!! Got my preorder in 🎉🎉🎉”
Devices like the Toniebox are great options for parents who want to ditch their kids’ screen time, something that has devastating effects on developing brains.
“Children are spending more and more time on screens, for everything from entertainment to homework to messaging friends,” said Professor Michael Noetel of Queensland University, Australia. “We found that increased screen time can lead to emotional and behavioral problems, and kids with those problems often turn to screens to cope.”
It is great to know that there are companies changing the game and working to provide safer entertainment options for kids.
Read Next: Are Child Screen Time and Mental Health Issues Correlated? It’s Complicated…
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