Favorite Tonies By Age: Toddler, Preschool, & Early Elementary
Hi friend! 👋
If you’ve been around here for a bit, you already know how much we love our Toniebox. It’s easily one of our most-used and most-loved toys (we have 3 Tonieboxes - one for each of our 3 kids, and over 70 Tonies) — and it continues to grow with our kids.
What I love most about Tonies is that they make screen-free entertainment easy — whether it’s quiet time, bedtime, or long car rides. And the best part? There’s a Tonie for every age and stage.
Today I’m sharing our family’s favorite Tonies, broken down by age group — toddler, preschool, and early elementary — with a few notes about why we love each one.
🧸 Favorite Tonies for Toddlers (Ages 2–3)
1️⃣ Laurie Berkner Songs
Full of upbeat, catchy tunes that toddlers instantly love. These songs get little ones moving, clapping, and dancing — and you’ll find yourself humming them too.
2️⃣ Daniel Tiger
Familiar, comforting stories with sweet life lessons. Daniel helps little ones learn about emotions, friendship, and kindness in a way that’s gentle and relatable.
3️⃣ Bedtime Songs (Fox)
Calming, easy-listening songs perfect for winding down at bedtime or nap time. The music is soothing, sweet, and has just the right pace for sleepy toddlers.
4️⃣ Elmo
Interactive and educational, this Tonie keeps toddlers engaged with songs, counting, and classic Elmo charm. A great one for playtime learning.
5️⃣ Playtime Puppy
This is the tonie that comes with the Toniebox. Yep, you don’t even have to buy it separately and it made my top 5 for toddlers. It has all your favorite, classic children’s songs which are so great for language development!
🎨 Favorite Tonies for Preschoolers (Ages 3–5)
1️⃣ Paw Patrol (any character!)
Fun, familiar, and full of adventure. These stories are engaging without being overstimulating — and perfect for kids who love teamwork and hero play.
2️⃣ Cat in the Hat / Green Eggs and Ham
Classic Dr. Seuss fun with a mix of stories and songs. The rhymes keep preschoolers giggling and guessing what comes next.
3️⃣ Curious George
Just stories — no songs — which makes it great for quiet time or bedtime listening. The curious little monkey keeps kids entertained with funny, familiar adventures.
4️⃣ Disney Favorites (Moana, Elsa, Lion King, Aladdin, Olaf, Mulan, etc.)
These combine songs kids already know and love with the full storylines. Perfect for car rides, imaginative play, or dance parties in the living room.
5️⃣ Wild Kratts
A must for curious and adventurous kids! This Tonie mixes storytelling and science, teaching fun facts about animals while keeping things exciting and fast-paced.
📚Favorite Tonies for Early Elementary (Ages 6–8)
1️⃣ Animal World Series
Fascinating, fact-filled stories for kids who love learning about nature and wildlife. These spark great conversations and curiosity about the world.
2️⃣ Ada Twist Short Novel Series
STEM-focused and full of imagination! Ada Twist inspires kids to explore, experiment, and ask “why?” — all in an engaging, story-based format. These novel-style Tonies paired with a set of headphones are a great screen-free alternative for long road trips!
3️⃣ National Geographic Kids
We have the dinosaur, outerspace, rain forest/parrot, whale, penguin, and octopus - and love them all! Educational and entertaining, with just the right amount of detail to hold interest. Very kid-friendly non-fiction. These are also awesome for long car rides or independent quiet time.
4️⃣ Disney Character Tonies (Minions, Monsters Inc., The Incredibles)
These tell the full movie stories — perfect for kids who love revisiting their favorite films without screens. Great screen-free alternative for road trips or cozy nights at home.
5️⃣ Willy Wonka Jr. Novel
Whimsical and creative, with all the fun and magic of the original story. A favorite for kids who enjoy longer, more detailed storytelling.
💡 A Few Tips for Toniebox Success
Keep your Tonies organized with a clear, storage bag like this one — it makes clean-up and picking out the perfect Tonie easier for kids.
Let kids choose their own Tonie for bedtime or quiet time — it gives them ownership of their routine.
Use the Toniebox for transitions (like winding down after school or before dinner) to encourage calm, independent play.
❤️ Why We Love Tonies So Much
The Toniebox has been one of the best investments we’ve made for screen-free entertainment. It helps kids build listening skills, imagination, and independence — and it truly grows right along with them.
If you haven’t tried one yet, you can check out the Toniebox Starter Set and browse tons of character Tonies that match your child’s interests and stage.
Interested in reading more about how we utilize our Toniebox during quiet times and what that part of our day looks like? Check out my Quiet Time blog post!
Looking for more screen-free travel activities for kids? Check out this blog post here!
