I Cut Down My Kid’s Screen Time & I’m Overjoyed

I started noticing that my sweet daughter, Olivia, was becoming more and more absorbed in her tablet. Screen time seemed to be taking over playtime, and she wasn’t as eager to engage in the creative games and activities she once loved. With her just turning 6 and just starting kindergarten, I worried that too much screen time might hold her back from developing important social and problem-solving skills.

I was at my wit’s end and had to do something.

When I turned to my neighborhood Mom Group for advice, they assured me that I’m not alone. Thankfully, they had an ingenious solution — I could reduce Olivia’s screentime with the Toniebox. It’s a musical story box bursting with entertaining stories and songs for kids 3+. My Mom Group adores the Toniebox because it’s squishable, snuggable, and tough enough to withstand the bumps and tumbles that childhood throws at it. And they assured me it could be a great way to reduce Olivia’s screentime.

I jumped on their site to see how it works. Stellar 5-Star reviews with pics of real kids enjoying their Tonies in the real world. Studies have also found that listening to stories that are read aloud, like the Toniebox is both entertaining and educational, boosting vocabulary and literacy skills. So, perhaps the Toniebox could entertain Olivia and boost her development at the same time?

I discovered how educational listening to Tonies can be and its many positive effects on children’s attention, comprehension and language skills. Ongoing engagement benefits kids by expanding their vocabulary, increasing verbal fluency, and even improving literacy. 

The Toniebox itself costs about $99.99, and only $19.99 for an individual Tonie. Or you can save up to 15% with their bundles! So I bought the box with a few characters I know Olivia likes.

The shipping was super quick. Setting the Toniebox up was super easy, and Olivia could start playing with it and all the Tonies I got for her. 

It was designed by parents to be completely safe for little listeners to operate on their own. Olivia was able to place a Tonie on the box and pop, tap, tilt, and squeeze the ears to navigate through your favorite stories and songs. 

At the end of the day, Olivia fell. In. Love.

She cherishes her Toniebox and doesn’t need to go through a screen detox. She dropped all that really quickly. And all summer long, she’s been singing and dancing and chatting with her Tonies. Lately, Olivia’s been telling her own funny stories. 

I’ve noticed a huge improvement in Olivia, and I’m convinced it’s because she’s been getting more consistent sleep. As a result of our ongoing use of the Toniebox at bedtime, we’ve established a wonderful routine that calms her down and helps her be more mindful, more imaginative, and more caring. I think she’s ready for school.

As parents, fostering skills like attention, comprehension and literacy — especially during those early school years — is key. With the Toniebox, children can journey far beyond their screens and back to school. 

From breakfast to bedtime, our lovely Toniebox keeps the peace and fills our lives with joy!