The Blippi Tonie and 5 Other Must-Have Characters to Get
Lullabies, songs, stories and facts — we have them all covered.
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At Good Housekeeping, we've long been a fan of the Toniebox — we even gave it a Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award when we first got our hands on one. It's a great choice for adults who are looking give kids the gift of screen-free entertainment.
For the uninitiated, a Toniebox is a speaker that's designed for young kids ages 3+ to be able to use independently (and even younger ones can listen with some help). Kids access stories, songs and more by taking different figures and placing them on top of the speaker. Each one has different content, so an Elsa figure would come with Frozen songs, while a holiday tree might sing Christmas carols. Good Housekeeping Institute testers and experts found that, after the initial setup, the controls were easy to use. They liked that kids can pick out and listen to their own songs (and it has a headphone jack with headphones), and parents also appreciated that there's a vast library of Tonies figures out there.
Which can also be tricky, too. Once you have the starter set, what figures to choose?
That depends on what the kids like most. Certain figures are loaded with more songs or even lullabies for naps and nighttime. Others are more story-based, while some are more of a mix. And more and more, they're coming out with figures that have more in-depth content for older kids. These are the best Tonies characters to buy for kids this year, based on their interests.
Favorite Children's Songs: Sing-Along Songs
Who it's for: Younger kids who don't have the attention span for stories and just want the music.
Why we picked it: This one is positively loaded with those best-of kids' songs — it's like a Parent & Me music class that you don't have to leave the house for.
The details: The 17 songs include classics like "I've Been Working on the Railroad," "Apples and Bananas" and "Baby Bumblebee," for a total of 44 minutes of music. Tonies also has song figures for different occasions, like Celebration Songs, Holiday Songs, Spooky Songs, Animal Songs, European Songs and Songs in Spanish. Ages 3+
Who it's for: Kids who love both music and stories (and Blippi).
Why we picked it: Good Housekeeping Institute testers said this one stood out among other Tonies for being their kids' most-loved figure. "The stories and songs are fun and engaging, and include Meekah who is also her favorite," one parent said. "I've found myself listening to it and find it super engaging!"
"The good mix of songs and stories, plus guest appearances from experts and Blippi's 'friends,' definitely kept my son engaged and excited," another said.
The details: This one is travel-themed, with a tracklist that includes titles like "Road Trip To The Construction Site!" and "Road Trip To The Moon!" Topics covered include vehicles, animals, space and jobs. The songs are original, and the total run time is just over an hour. Ages 3 – 5
Who it's for: Bilingual families who want content in both English and Spanish.
Why we picked it: True to the Dora the Explorer spirit, throughout the stories included on this figure, kids will hear words in both English and Spanish. The stories also include music and counting.
The details: The content is divided into three different stories, with a total runtime of 67 minutes. Other popular bilingual Tonies include Pixar's Coco, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Tracker from PAW Patrol, and Alejandro the Armadillo. Ages 3+
Who it's for: Kids who love superheroes.
Why we picked it: Testers said their hero-loving kids were excited to add this one to their collections, and enjoyed playing with the figure. "He loves the music, and it's tolerable to listen to as an adult too," one parent said.
The details: This one contains just three songs, but also a story called "Going Green Story" (where the heroes run across the Green Goblin). All in all, it's 35 minutes of content. Ages 3 – 5
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Who it's for: Babies and toddlers who prefer to fall asleep to music instead of white noise.
Why we picked it: The calming, peaceful melodies include a mix of timeless favorites ("Hush, Little Baby") and Disney songs ("A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes"). The voices sound reminiscent of classic Disney movies.
The details: Twelve lullabies are included in all, for a runtime that lasts just under half an hour. For families who want non-Disney lullabies, there's also the Sleepy Sheep, which offers more than 140 minutes of soothing sounds. Or, for Disney fans, there are plenty of other Disney Tonies to choose from, with Elsa, Moana, Mirabel and Mickey Mouse being best-sellers. Ages 0+
Who it's for: Older kids who want to ditch the songs and get into something deeper.
Why we picked it: Paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim delves into the world of dinosaurs with content that covers meat-eaters, plant-eaters, dinosaur defenses, how scientists use the fossil record and other dino-related topics. It's aimed at older kids who have longer attention spans and want to listen to something with a little more meat to it (no pun intended).
The details: The content is divided into eight different topics that run for more than 70 minutes. National Geographic has other Tonies figures, too, including an astronaut, penguin, whale, octopus and horse. Ages 6+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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