Latest news with #Toniebox
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Must-have tech that'll keep kids entertained this summer WITHOUT an iPad & boredom buster games that won't cost a penny
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. My games console alternative is less than HALF the price of Sony's new PlayStation, says The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach FREE-SY DOES IT Must-have tech that'll keep kids entertained this summer WITHOUT an iPad & boredom buster games that won't cost a penny IT'S no secret that a tablet will keep a kid entertained for hours – but there are loads of other tech-y options out there for children and teens. If you want something that isn't just an Apple iPad, try out these brilliant toys, fun free apps and games, and even some gadgets that you'll want to use just as much as your child. You'll even save hundreds versus buying a posh tablet. 12 The Sphero Mini is a robotic ball that you can control (and program) using a phone app Credit: Sphero / Amazon 12 It'll whiz around your floor – great fun, but try not to trip over it! Credit: Sphero / Amazon 12 The Toniebox is another top gadget for kids – and they won't need to touch a screen Credit: Toniebox Sphero Mini – £50 First up is the Sphero Mini, which is a robotic ball. It's currently available on Amazon for about £50 and you can race it around the floor at lightning speed using a phone app as the remote control. Sphero Mini, £51.55 Even if that's all this did, it would be great fun. I've used Sphero balls and they're very easy to control if you just want to roll around – but you can go much deeper. But you can use the robotic ball and the app's Blocks mode to learn to code. So if you have a computer whiz at home, this is a great option. You can give the robot commands (assigned by dragging and dropping from preset code) that it can carry out. You can even go further with Sphero's official education software, which lets you properly program the ball. Toniebox – £77 For younger kids, look no further than the Toniebox. This fun mini-speaker has earned rave reviews for entertaining (and educating) kids without any screens. The idea is that you buy little figurines called Tonies, and place them on top of the box. Different Tonies have their own audio – like unique stories and songs – that get downloaded to the Toniebox so you can play it through the speaker. So to get more content, you're meant to collect Tonies. There are more than 200, so you won't run out anytime soon. Toniebox, £76.99 The Toniebox itself is £77, and then you'll bag some Tonies separately. For instance, there's a Paddington Bear Tonie loaded with audiobooks that costs £15 – or you could grab The Tiger Who Came To Tea. There's even a Disney collection of Tonies featuring the Lion King, Aladdin, Jungle Book and more. You can also get some free Tonies content. Google Gemini – FREE OK, this one will need a phone or tablet – but it's brilliant fun, is very interactive, and you don't actually need to stare at the screen. 12 Gemini Live is a special Google Gemini feature that lets you have conversations out loud with a chatbot 12 You can download Google Gemini for free on your iPhone or Android Credit: Google / Apple / The Sun And you can do it together, which makes it even better. If your youngster is older than 13, they're allowed to use a feature called Google Gemini. It's Google's official chatbot, which you'd normally type to. But it also has a free feature called Gemini Live for out-loud conversations. Gemini will speak to you just like a real person would, and you can answer back in real time or even interrupt. One great way to use this feature is to create your own choose-your-own-adventure or Dungeons & Dragons-style game. Part of the fun can be setting up the game. You can ask Gemini to run the game, tell it what sort of story you'd like and the character you'd like to play, and that it should be age-appropriate. Then you can start playing, with Gemini setting the scene and you telling the chatbot what you'd like your character to do next. You could play alone or as a family (just ask Gemini to take it in turns with the different characters) for hours. And because it's all being created in the moment, based on your own ideas, every game will be different. And you don't need any gear – just a phone or tablet, and you're good to go. Lego Technic and Lego Powered Up – £55 Obviously, kids love Lego. I'm not here to tell you that. But it's easy to forget that Lego isn't just those eye-catching Harry Potter, Marvel, and Peppa Pig sets. You can grab something that is a little more educational – and potentially create a budding engineer in your own home. Then, when they're older, they'll rake in a giant salary designing bridges on the Moon, remember your thoughtful Lego gift that started it all, and buy you a bungalow near a beach as thanks. Hopefully. There are two great ranges that you want to look at. The first is Lego Technic, which has moving parts and more complicated designs. Several models are rated fine for nine and ten-year-olds. There's even a Ferrari for £55 that'll easily keep car fanatics busy. 12 The Lego Ferrari is made up of nearly 900 pieces, so it'll take a while to put together Credit: Lego Lego Technic Ferrari FXX K, £54.89 If you want to get even fancier, there's the Lego Powered Up series. These are motorised products that let you bring your creations to life: think cars, trains, and cranes. Does that sound like a clutter nightmare? One savvy way around this is to bag something from Lego's non-tech Botanicals range instead. 12 Lego Botanicals are aimed at adults (hence the 18+ branding) but they're simple to build, even for kids, and you can make them together Credit: Sean Keach These are pretty sets of Lego flowers that your child can build, and won't look naff on the windowsill. They're happy and engaged, and you end up with a lovely ornament. Everyone's a winner. The best part? There are loads that won't break the bank. You can buy cherry blossoms from Boots for £13, orchids at The Entertainer for £19, and a wildflower bouquet at Tesco for £15 at current pricing. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World – £429 Arguably the must-have gadget right now: the Nintendo Switch 2. 12 The Nintendo Switch 2 is this year's big console – and it'll be a hit with the kids over summer Credit: Nintendo It's the new Nintendo console, now just a few months old. The blockbuster launch title is Mario Kart World, an immensely fun racing game that almost needs no introduction. It's brilliant and easy to pick up, even if you're new to gaming. The bundle with the console and game comes to £429. I also recently tried out Super Mario Party Jamboree, which is another great multiplayer option. This is a gadget for the whole family – not just your child. FREE GAMES GALORE! Want to enjoy some games without paying extra? You might find you're already owed some freebies... For a start, your Netflix subscription includes free games. Some of them can be played on the TV with your phone working as the controller. And others can be downloaded for free on your mobile phone or tablet. Sky TV also includes loads of child-friendly free games. Just look for the Games by app and you'll be able to unlock hours of fun. Third, Amazon Prime subscribers can get free games in two ways. The first is through Prime Gaming, which gives you a rolling monthly roster of free games to unlock and keep. And the second is Amazon Luna, which is a cloud gaming service. This lets you stream top-tier games to your TV without a console – a bit like Netflix, but for gaming. Normally it would cost you £8.99 a month for Luna+, but Prime members get access to a rolling selection of games for free – including Fortnite. Just download the Luna app on your Fire TV or Fire Stick, or LG or Samsung telly. Then you can connect a Bluetooth gaming controller and away you go. Picture Credit: Netflix / The Sun The Nintendo Switch 2 is a brilliant pick because it's so versatile. You can plug it into your TV, sure, but you can also undock it and carry it around as a portable gaming machine. And it also has a kickstand. So if you're on a train or aeroplane, you can plonk it down on the tray table, and play together – you just each need to grab one of the two Joy-Con controllers attached to the side of the machine. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World, £429.99 12 You can grab the Joy-Cons and use them for multiplayer gaming if the Nintendo Switch 2 is on its kickstand (or connected to the TV) Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 12 Mario Kart World is fun for all the family – and has a new mode where you can explore the vast world between the race courses Credit: Nintendo Just keep the volume down if you're playing in public! Meta Quest 3 – £279 Virtual reality headsets were once enormously expensive. Not only that, you previously needed to plug them into a similarly costly gaming PC. Ouch. Now? They're not so bad at all. In fact, there's a brilliant one that's cheaper than most consoles. It's called the Meta Quest 3S, and it costs £289. That's less than most consoles. It's cheaper than the Nintendo Switch 2 and the Xbox Series X. You could buy two of them and have money to spare versus a £700 PS5 Pro. 12 The Meta Quest 3S immerses you in virtual worlds – with handheld controllers that let you interact as if it was real Credit: Meta This headset lets you step into imaginary worlds, play virtual reality computer games, visit far-off places and more. You can roleplay as Batman, slash and dance your way to rhythm-action glory in Beat Saber, and play shockingly realistic table tennis or golf without leaving your living room. Unless you have two headsets, the person playing is mostly isolated – but you can beam their view to the TV to get everyone involved. It's incredibly cheap for what you get. 12 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach testing out the Meta Quest 3S last year at Meta HQ in Silicon Valley Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun The only catch? Meta recommends that the headset only be used by those aged 10 and up, so this isn't for very young children. Meta Quest 3S, £289 Meta offers guidance for parents on how to manage play sessions, so it's worth following the safety advice on the Meta Quest 3S website. All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. Always do your own research before making any purchase.
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Must-have tech that'll keep kids entertained this summer WITHOUT an iPad & boredom buster games that won't cost a penny
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. My games console alternative is less than HALF the price of Sony's new PlayStation, says The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach FREE-SY DOES IT Must-have tech that'll keep kids entertained this summer WITHOUT an iPad & boredom buster games that won't cost a penny Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT'S no secret that a tablet will keep a kid entertained for hours – but there are loads of other tech-y options out there for children and teens. If you want something that isn't just an Apple iPad, try out these brilliant toys, fun free apps and games, and even some gadgets that you'll want to use just as much as your child. You'll even save hundreds versus buying a posh tablet. 12 The Sphero Mini is a robotic ball that you can control (and program) using a phone app Credit: Sphero / Amazon 12 It'll whiz around your floor – great fun, but try not to trip over it! Credit: Sphero / Amazon 12 The Toniebox is another top gadget for kids – and they won't need to touch a screen Credit: Toniebox Sphero Mini – £50 First up is the Sphero Mini, which is a robotic ball. It's currently available on Amazon for about £50 and you can race it around the floor at lightning speed using a phone app as the remote control. Sphero Mini, £51.55 Even if that's all this did, it would be great fun. I've used Sphero balls and they're very easy to control if you just want to roll around – but you can go much deeper. But you can use the robotic ball and the app's Blocks mode to learn to code. So if you have a computer whiz at home, this is a great option. You can give the robot commands (assigned by dragging and dropping from preset code) that it can carry out. You can even go further with Sphero's official education software, which lets you properly program the ball. Toniebox – £77 For younger kids, look no further than the Toniebox. This fun mini-speaker has earned rave reviews for entertaining (and educating) kids without any screens. The idea is that you buy little figurines called Tonies, and place them on top of the box. Different Tonies have their own audio – like unique stories and songs – that get downloaded to the Toniebox so you can play it through the speaker. So to get more content, you're meant to collect Tonies. There are more than 200, so you won't run out anytime soon. Toniebox, £76.99 The Toniebox itself is £77, and then you'll bag some Tonies separately. For instance, there's a Paddington Bear Tonie loaded with audiobooks that costs £15 – or you could grab The Tiger Who Came To Tea. There's even a Disney collection of Tonies featuring the Lion King, Aladdin, Jungle Book and more. You can also get some free Tonies content. Google Gemini – FREE OK, this one will need a phone or tablet – but it's brilliant fun, is very interactive, and you don't actually need to stare at the screen. 12 Gemini Live is a special Google Gemini feature that lets you have conversations out loud with a chatbot 12 You can download Google Gemini for free on your iPhone or Android Credit: Google / Apple / The Sun And you can do it together, which makes it even better. If your youngster is older than 13, they're allowed to use a feature called Google Gemini. It's Google's official chatbot, which you'd normally type to. But it also has a free feature called Gemini Live for out-loud conversations. Gemini will speak to you just like a real person would, and you can answer back in real time or even interrupt. One great way to use this feature is to create your own choose-your-own-adventure or Dungeons & Dragons-style game. Part of the fun can be setting up the game. You can ask Gemini to run the game, tell it what sort of story you'd like and the character you'd like to play, and that it should be age-appropriate. Then you can start playing, with Gemini setting the scene and you telling the chatbot what you'd like your character to do next. You could play alone or as a family (just ask Gemini to take it in turns with the different characters) for hours. And because it's all being created in the moment, based on your own ideas, every game will be different. And you don't need any gear – just a phone or tablet, and you're good to go. Lego Technic and Lego Powered Up – £55 Obviously, kids love Lego. I'm not here to tell you that. But it's easy to forget that Lego isn't just those eye-catching Harry Potter, Marvel, and Peppa Pig sets. You can grab something that is a little more educational – and potentially create a budding engineer in your own home. Then, when they're older, they'll rake in a giant salary designing bridges on the Moon, remember your thoughtful Lego gift that started it all, and buy you a bungalow near a beach as thanks. Hopefully. There are two great ranges that you want to look at. The first is Lego Technic, which has moving parts and more complicated designs. Several models are rated fine for nine and ten-year-olds. There's even a Ferrari for £55 that'll easily keep car fanatics busy. 12 The Lego Ferrari is made up of nearly 900 pieces, so it'll take a while to put together Credit: Lego Lego Technic Ferrari FXX K, £54.89 If you want to get even fancier, there's the Lego Powered Up series. These are motorised products that let you bring your creations to life: think cars, trains, and cranes. Does that sound like a clutter nightmare? One savvy way around this is to bag something from Lego's non-tech Botanicals range instead. 12 Lego Botanicals are aimed at adults (hence the 18+ branding) but they're simple to build, even for kids, and you can make them together Credit: Sean Keach These are pretty sets of Lego flowers that your child can build, and won't look naff on the windowsill. They're happy and engaged, and you end up with a lovely ornament. Everyone's a winner. The best part? There are loads that won't break the bank. You can buy cherry blossoms from Boots for £13, orchids at The Entertainer for £19, and a wildflower bouquet at Tesco for £15 at current pricing. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World – £429 Arguably the must-have gadget right now: the Nintendo Switch 2. 12 The Nintendo Switch 2 is this year's big console – and it'll be a hit with the kids over summer Credit: Nintendo It's the new Nintendo console, now just a few months old. The blockbuster launch title is Mario Kart World, an immensely fun racing game that almost needs no introduction. It's brilliant and easy to pick up, even if you're new to gaming. The bundle with the console and game comes to £429. I also recently tried out Super Mario Party Jamboree, which is another great multiplayer option. This is a gadget for the whole family – not just your child. FREE GAMES GALORE! Want to enjoy some games without paying extra? You might find you're already owed some freebies... For a start, your Netflix subscription includes free games. Some of them can be played on the TV with your phone working as the controller. And others can be downloaded for free on your mobile phone or tablet. Sky TV also includes loads of child-friendly free games. Just look for the Games by app and you'll be able to unlock hours of fun. Third, Amazon Prime subscribers can get free games in two ways. The first is through Prime Gaming, which gives you a rolling monthly roster of free games to unlock and keep. And the second is Amazon Luna, which is a cloud gaming service. This lets you stream top-tier games to your TV without a console – a bit like Netflix, but for gaming. Normally it would cost you £8.99 a month for Luna+, but Prime members get access to a rolling selection of games for free – including Fortnite. Just download the Luna app on your Fire TV or Fire Stick, or LG or Samsung telly. Then you can connect a Bluetooth gaming controller and away you go. Picture Credit: Netflix / The Sun The Nintendo Switch 2 is a brilliant pick because it's so versatile. You can plug it into your TV, sure, but you can also undock it and carry it around as a portable gaming machine. And it also has a kickstand. So if you're on a train or aeroplane, you can plonk it down on the tray table, and play together – you just each need to grab one of the two Joy-Con controllers attached to the side of the machine. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World, £429.99 12 You can grab the Joy-Cons and use them for multiplayer gaming if the Nintendo Switch 2 is on its kickstand (or connected to the TV) Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 12 Mario Kart World is fun for all the family – and has a new mode where you can explore the vast world between the race courses Credit: Nintendo Just keep the volume down if you're playing in public! Meta Quest 3 – £279 Virtual reality headsets were once enormously expensive. Not only that, you previously needed to plug them into a similarly costly gaming PC. Ouch. Now? They're not so bad at all. In fact, there's a brilliant one that's cheaper than most consoles. It's called the Meta Quest 3S, and it costs £289. That's less than most consoles. It's cheaper than the Nintendo Switch 2 and the Xbox Series X. You could buy two of them and have money to spare versus a £700 PS5 Pro. 12 The Meta Quest 3S immerses you in virtual worlds – with handheld controllers that let you interact as if it was real Credit: Meta This headset lets you step into imaginary worlds, play virtual reality computer games, visit far-off places and more. You can roleplay as Batman, slash and dance your way to rhythm-action glory in Beat Saber, and play shockingly realistic table tennis or golf without leaving your living room. Unless you have two headsets, the person playing is mostly isolated – but you can beam their view to the TV to get everyone involved. It's incredibly cheap for what you get. 12 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach testing out the Meta Quest 3S last year at Meta HQ in Silicon Valley Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun The only catch? Meta recommends that the headset only be used by those aged 10 and up, so this isn't for very young children. Meta Quest 3S, £289 Meta offers guidance for parents on how to manage play sessions, so it's worth following the safety advice on the Meta Quest 3S website. All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. Always do your own research before making any purchase.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Must-have tech that'll keep kids entertained this summer WITHOUT an iPad & boredom buster games that won't cost a penny
IT'S no secret that a tablet will keep a kid entertained for hours – but there are loads of other tech-y options out there for children and teens. If you want something that isn't just an Apple iPad, try out these brilliant toys, fun free apps and games, and even some gadgets that you'll want to use just as much as your child. You'll even save hundreds versus buying a posh tablet. Sphero Mini – £50 First up is the Sphero Mini, which is a robotic ball. It's currently available on Amazon for about £50 and you can race it around the floor at lightning speed using a phone app as the remote control. Sphero Mini, £51.55 Even if that's all this did, it would be great fun. I've used Sphero balls and they're very easy to control if you just want to roll around – but you can go much deeper. But you can use the robotic ball and the app's Blocks mode to learn to code. So if you have a computer whiz at home, this is a great option. You can give the robot commands (assigned by dragging and dropping from preset code) that it can carry out. You can even go further with Sphero's official education software, which lets you properly program the ball. Toniebox – £77 For younger kids, look no further than the Toniebox. This fun mini-speaker has earned rave reviews for entertaining (and educating) kids without any screens. The idea is that you buy little figurines called Tonies, and place them on top of the box. Different Tonies have their own audio – like unique stories and songs – that get downloaded to the Toniebox so you can play it through the speaker. So to get more content, you're meant to collect Tonies. There are more than 200, so you won't run out anytime soon. Toniebox, £76.99 Buy at Amazon The Toniebox itself is £77, and then you'll bag some Tonies separately. For instance, there's a Paddington Bear Tonie loaded with audiobooks that costs £15 – or you could grab The Tiger Who Came To Tea. There's even a Disney collection of Tonies featuring the Lion King, Aladdin, Jungle Book and more. You can also get some free Tonies content. Google Gemini – FREE OK, this one will need a phone or tablet – but it's brilliant fun, is very interactive, and you don't actually need to stare at the screen. And you can do it together, which makes it even better. If your youngster is older than 13, they're allowed to use a feature called Google Gemini. It's Google's official chatbot, which you'd normally type to. But it also has a free feature called Gemini Live for out-loud conversations. Gemini will speak to you just like a real person would, and you can answer back in real time or even interrupt. One great way to use this feature is to create your own choose-your-own-adventure or Dungeons & Dragons-style game. Part of the fun can be setting up the game. You can ask Gemini to run the game, tell it what sort of story you'd like and the character you'd like to play, and that it should be age-appropriate. Then you can start playing, with Gemini setting the scene and you telling the chatbot what you'd like your character to do next. You could play alone or as a family (just ask Gemini to take it in turns with the different characters) for hours. And because it's all being created in the moment, based on your own ideas, every game will be different. And you don't need any gear – just a phone or tablet, and you're good to go. Lego Technic and Lego Powered Up – £55 Obviously, kids love Lego. I'm not here to tell you that. But it's easy to forget that Lego isn't just those eye-catching Harry Potter, Marvel, and Peppa Pig sets. You can grab something that is a little more educational – and potentially create a budding engineer in your own home. Then, when they're older, they'll rake in a giant salary designing bridges on the Moon, remember your thoughtful Lego gift that started it all, and buy you a bungalow near a beach as thanks. Hopefully. There are two great ranges that you want to look at. The first is Lego Technic, which has moving parts and more complicated designs. Several models are rated fine for nine and ten-year-olds. There's even a Ferrari for £55 that'll easily keep car fanatics busy. Lego Technic Ferrari FXX K, £54.89 If you want to get even fancier, there's the Lego Powered Up series. These are motorised products that let you bring your creations to life: think cars, trains, and cranes. Does that sound like a clutter nightmare? One savvy way around this is to bag something from Lego's non-tech Botanicals range instead. These are pretty sets of Lego flowers that your child can build, and won't look naff on the windowsill. They're happy and engaged, and you end up with a lovely ornament. Everyone's a winner. The best part? There are loads that won't break the bank. You can buy cherry blossoms from Boots for £13, orchids at The Entertainer for £19, and a wildflower bouquet at Tesco for £15 at current pricing. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World – £429 Arguably the must-have gadget right now: the Nintendo Switch 2. It's the new Nintendo console, now just a few months old. The blockbuster launch title is Mario Kart World, an immensely fun racing game that almost needs no introduction. It's brilliant and easy to pick up, even if you're new to gaming. The bundle with the console and game comes to £429. I also recently tried out Super Mario Party Jamboree, which is another great multiplayer option. This is a gadget for the whole family – not just your child. FREE GAMES GALORE! Want to enjoy some games without paying extra? You might find you're already owed some freebies... For a start, your Netflix subscription includes free games. Some of them can be played on the TV with your phone working as the controller. And others can be downloaded for free on your mobile phone or tablet. Sky TV also includes loads of child-friendly free games. Just look for the Games by app and you'll be able to unlock hours of fun. Third, Amazon Prime subscribers can get free games in two ways. The first is through Prime Gaming, which gives you a rolling monthly roster of free games to unlock and keep. And the second is Amazon Luna, which is a cloud gaming service. This lets you stream top-tier games to your TV without a console – a bit like Netflix, but for gaming. Normally it would cost you £8.99 a month for Luna+, but Prime members get access to a rolling selection of games for free – including Fortnite. Just download the Luna app on your Fire TV or Fire Stick, or LG or Samsung telly. Then you can connect a Bluetooth gaming controller and away you go. Picture Credit: Netflix / The Sun The Nintendo Switch 2 is a brilliant pick because it's so versatile. You can plug it into your TV, sure, but you can also undock it and carry it around as a portable gaming machine. And it also has a kickstand. So if you're on a train or aeroplane, you can plonk it down on the tray table, and play together – you just each need to grab one of the two Joy-Con controllers attached to the side of the machine. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World, £429.99 Buy at Amazon 12 Just keep the volume down if you're playing in public! Meta Quest 3 – £279 Virtual reality headsets were once enormously expensive. Not only that, you previously needed to plug them into a similarly costly gaming PC. Ouch. Now? They're not so bad at all. In fact, there's a brilliant one that's cheaper than most consoles. It's called the Meta Quest 3S, and it costs £289. That's less than most consoles. It's cheaper than the Nintendo Switch 2 and the Xbox Series X. You could buy two of them and have money to spare versus a £700 PS5 Pro. This headset lets you step into imaginary worlds, play virtual reality computer games, visit far-off places and more. You can roleplay as Batman, slash and dance your way to rhythm-action glory in Beat Saber, and play shockingly realistic table tennis or golf without leaving your living room. Unless you have two headsets, the person playing is mostly isolated – but you can beam their view to the TV to get everyone involved. It's incredibly cheap for what you get. The only catch? Meta recommends that the headset only be used by those aged 10 and up, so this isn't for very young children. Meta Quest 3S, £289 Meta offers guidance for parents on how to manage play sessions, so it's worth following the safety advice on the Meta Quest 3S website. All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed. Always do your own research before making any purchase. Of course, there are plenty of ways to have fun on the iPad too... For a start, you can enjoy loads of free books just by launching up the Apple Books app. It effectively turns the iPad into a Kindle-style e-reader. If you've recently bought the iPad (or you're willing to pay £6.99 a month) then you can try Apple Arcade. This gives you access to more than 200 games that have zero ads and no microtransactions. So you can be sure your child won't accidentally spend any money in them. Find it in the Arcade tab on the Apple App Store. And don't forget that YouTube has a dedicated child-friendly video service. It's called YouTube Kids, which you can download as a standalone app on the iPad. So you can feel safer that videos you choose won't run on to inappropriate content once they've finished. Picture Credit: Apple / The Sun
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Not To Brag, But I've Finally Found A Toy That Keeps My Kid Busy For 20+ Minutes
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI ― prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication. As a working mum of two young kids, the most important quality I look for in toys is the ability to keep my child occupied for chunks of time so I can get things done – whether that's cooking dinner, tidying up, or sending a few work emails. While it's all too easy to stick the TV on, I've definitely noticed that my eldest child's behaviour can rapidly go downhill afterwards – so screen-free time is much preferred. When she turned two, we bought her a Toniebox after hearing friends rave about it. It felt like an expensive purchase at the time – but we've certainly got our money's worth. Let me explain why... What's a Toniebox? The Toniebox is essentially a durable audio player for kids. You can buy little figures (Tonies) for it which sit on the top of the player and tell stories and sing songs. There are also other accessories that go with it like night lights (we have the sheep one), headphones and cases for transporting the characters around. The figures, while not cheap at £14.99 each, double up as toys – my daughter spends 20+ minute chunks playing games with them, while also sitting and listening to the stories and songs when she puts one on top of her Toniebox. In fact, every bedtime we sit and play 'nursery' with all the characters, where I'm the teacher and have to read them all some stories. After we've done that, we'll say goodnight – which includes a fairly lengthy process of me saying goodbye to each individual Tonie and us having a chat about her day. Then she'll lie in bed and listen to one (or two, as we discovered during the heatwave) of the Tonies before going to sleep. She recently got the Anna and ElsaTonies for her third birthday which went down an absolute storm (she's listened to them every night since). She's also a huge fan of Peppa Pig's Bedtime Stories, as well as the Julia Donaldson characters, like the Snail and the Whale, and – of course – the Gruffalo. Listening to a Tonie before bed has become a bit of a ritual that enables me to go and clean the kitchen or take the bins out, while she winds down. If you find bedtime drags out for a thousand years, a Toniebox might just be your saviour. The other perk is that kids can listen to it while travelling – ours get car sick, especially if looking at books or watching something on a tablet, but they don't have this problem listening to the Toniebox. We also take it on holiday with us for moments when our eldest needs a bit of quiet time, and to stick to our bedtime routine as much as possible. The squishy (and therefore, drop-proof) box is £79.95 and comes in a range of colours – red, blue, green, pink, purple and grey. It's suitable for kids aged three and up, and there are over 250 Tonies to choose from. Is it more expensive than most 'toys'? Yes. But a moment's peace is priceless when you're a parent – so boy is it worth the Well, This List Of The 'Top 100 Toys Of All Time' Has Sent Me Down Memory Lane Don't Throw Old Toys Away. Here's What To Do Instead Kids Keep Saying 'Chat' And It's (Probably) Not What You Think It Means
Tom's Guide
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I tested the Toniebox and Yoto Player for 2 weeks, and they helped my kids cut down their TV time
The Toniebox offers a lighter, simpler media player, unlocking the door for its many cutesy and beautifully rendered figurines, which are a highlight of this device. The box itself is very durable, bright, and has a satisfying squidginess to it, and even though its audio isn't quite stellar, it's a big hit for younger folk. The Yoto Player delivers a solid audio performance coupled with an adorable lo-fi screen. Its cards keep things simple and pack in a fair bit of media, making them easy to travel with. Its app also offers plenty of control and packs in heaps of free content, representing excellent value. As a busy dad of two, I'm always looking for ways to reduce my children's screen time, which is why kids' audioplayers like the Toniebox and Yoto Player seem like a good proposition. Devoid of a typical display, both allow kids to listen to songs and stories without needing to focus on a screen. They also give them the independence to choose what to play, so parents don't have to worry about YouTube's algorithm going off reservation or their kids turning into TV zombies after long sessions in charge of the remote. While they work in similar ways, the Toniebox and Yoto Player have some key differences, which we'll outline further on. And not only will you read my thoughts on the two devices, you'll also discover what my 6-year-old thinks of them. Plus, do they actually reduce screen time? Toniebox Yoto Player (3rd Gen) Ages 3+ 3-12+ Dimensions 120mm x 120mm x 120mm 110mm x 110mm x 105mm Weight 600g 678g Battery life 7 hours 24+ hours A Toniebox Starter Set is available from the Tonies website for $99.99, with a choice of six colours. Some come bundled with a licensed figure, such as Moana or Spider-Man. Tonies also sell bigger discounted bundles, which is great if you're looking to build your collection quickly. The Tonies figures themselves typically range from $9.99 to $19.99. The third-gen Yoto Player can be yours for $99.99 from the Yoto website and comes with a Welcome Card for overwriting with your own recorded audio. It only comes in a dual white and gray color, though jackets in varying shades are available for an additional $20 when bought together. There's a bit more variance in how much Yoto cards cost, with the cheapest cards starting from around $4 and rising to around $14.99 for more popular compendiums. The Toniebox is the slightly bigger box, which features a tactile, squidgy cube design with a plastic, magnetized top to help secure figurines, LED status square, and asymmetric rubber ears serving as the volume buttons. It's clearly built for some rough and tumble, which I tested immediately when I accidentally dropped it, emerging completely unscathed. You wouldn't want to drop the Yoto Player — its chunkier, all-plastic design feels more fragile. It's got a clean, retro alarm clock look to it, with orange dials on the top corners for volume and track selection, and a card slot on the top. Its key feature is its display, which doesn't play video but pixelated stills — seeing fan favorites like Elmo and Paddington brought to life in vibrant mosaic style is genuinely charming. On the rear is a wedge design for tilting and an integrated nightlight. The Toniebox integrates a minimalist control setup, perfect for smaller kids. Simply place a figurine on the top, and it'll start playing. You're supposed to tap the sides to skip a track or repeat the previous, though it requires a fairly firm tap to acknowledge your input. I tried teaching the technique to my daughter, and while it took a few goes, we eventually got the hang of it. You can also tilt the box to fast forward and rewind. The Yoto Player offers a greater level of control but needs more nuanced inputs. During playback with a card, you can click the dials to track forward or back and twist the left dial to control volume. With a spin of the right dial, you can bring up a track selector, represented onscreen by the card's track number and relevant icon. The power button on the side also doubles as a pause button. The Toniebox does a moderate job in the sound quality department — its single speaker has a comparable volume to the Yoto, but there's a slight muffling in the audio that dampens its crispness. Putting Moana's You're Welcome on, I also noticed a lack of oomph in the rap elements, and audiobooks, while offering decent clarity, do carry some tinniness in the vocals. The Yoto Player's dual speaker setup is the winner here. With the volume cranked up, clarity is excellent for such a diminutive box, and there's even a surprisingly decent bass response — just don't expect it to compete with your Bose. I stuck on Moana: The Songs, and its mid-range notes filled the room with crisp lucidity. Both players work similarly, involving a concealed NFC chip in a figurine or card. Once placed or inserted, the player can determine if the media tied to the chip needs to be downloaded, played from local memory, or streamed via Wi-Fi. With the Toniebox, an attractive prospect for kids is collecting the figurines, particularly the licensed models. Queen Elsa and Moana came with my sample pack, and both models represent excellent detail and quality and near-perfect representations of their big screen counterparts. A word of warning though — keep these figures safe, as if they're lost in a toy box or go walkabout, you won't be able to play that media again. The Yoto gets around this issue with its cards — once downloaded, the media syncs with your phone's app, so you can quickly zap over your kid's favourite story without having to rifle through your card library or control the device directly; handy while on car journeys, for example. Due to their size, neither system is particularly portable, and you'd argue that the Tonies figurines are trickier to haul around. Though the Yoto cards don't offer the aesthetic appeal of the Tonies, they're easier to lug around in a card wallet. There is an impressive array of over 200 Tonies available, including Disney's Encanto, Frozen, and Tangled as well as popular characters from Toy Story, Sesame Street, and Cocomelon. I can see kids wanting to build up a vast collection of them, so they can make for great stocking fillers or smaller gifts from relatives. One licensed figurine generally crams in between 30 and 60 minutes of audio. And while the Frozen figure features an abridged story, it would have been nice to pack in a few extra songs than the four included for $20. It's also worth pointing out that not all Tonies feature their film's original songs, instead sung by different vocalists. I was slightly disappointed this was the case, seeing as the company has gone to great lengths to ensure their figurines look authentic. Both the Moana and Frozen tracks feature alternate singers, though Encanto does carry the original vocals, so it's worth checking out product previews to hear what you're getting. That said, while it might cause some uncanny feelings in parents, having different vocals didn't perturb my daughter at all, and she was content playing through all of them. Yoto also carries popular favourites such as Frozen, Moana, and Peppa Pig. While their cards have fewer of the Disney brands, they have much more expansive audiobook selection, with Paddington, The Gruffalo, and the works of Julia Donaldson and Roald Dahl on their roster. The choice is staggering too, with over 1,200 storybooks, music albums, and compilations available. These cards might not be as exciting as the Tonies, but the range means they can suit younger and older kids. I also checked with Yoto HQ, and they confirmed that all their Disney range features the original vocalists on its licensed songs. Another difference is that while the Tonies generally feature a handful of songs plus a shortened story, the Yoto splits them up, selling one card with more songs and another packing in a longer story — both Encanto cards are $14.99. So really, it's a toss-up between the Tonies figurine with less content, and the Yoto card with more. As the Toniebox emphasizes user independence, there's no way to control playback via smartphone app, but you can check out Tonies for sale, review the Tonies you've registered, adjust volume limits and record your own audio. There's also a Free section that carries a decent selection of audiobook samples and free songs and books. The app is looks very clean and is very easily navigable. The Yoto app handily carries all of the media that's tied to your account, so you can operate it like a remote for your player. It also has a create studio feature and news section for product announcements. The standout feature is the Discover section, which has a host of sleep sounds, free podcasts, and exclusive radio stations, giving it a big boost to its value offering. The app itself can be a little trickier to navigate due to its many sections, but most won't have any issues. The Toniebox yields around 7 hours on a single charge. It relies on a bespoke charging base rather than USB-C, so you'll need to remember to pack that if you're on the road. The Yoto Player handily accepts USB-C charging and delivers over 24 hours of playback. Unsurprisingly, my six-year-old was immediately drawn to the Tonies. She loved the songs, figures, and design and squidgyness of the Toniebox. As stated before, when I questioned the use of alternate vocals, she didn't mind at all. And while it took a few goes to get the skipping tracks tap technique right, she enjoyed the tactile experience. She also liked the Yoto Player — albeit to a lesser extent — particularly its cute, pixelated display that she said was very colorful. At the age of six, however, she was more interested in the licensed content that she knew of, rather than giving new stuff a chance. We've been testing both for nearly two weeks, and she's only been too happy to slot in a card or figurine and have a big sing-off with Queen Elsa, Mirabel, and co. Importantly, getting her off the TV has felt less of a chore, and it's great that she's engaging so well with the licensed content. With all that said, in my daughter's view, the Toniebox emerges victorious. Both the Toniebox and Yoto Player have a lot to offer for kids, and their media libraries are extensive. Importantly, both represent a novel way for them to take charge of their media consumption and are much safer and appropriate than letting them loose on an iPad or YouTube. It can be all too easy for them to be hooked on screens these days, so having these devices around is beneficial to give their eyes a rest and get their imaginations flowing. Just be aware that investing in either device locks you into an ecosystem of having to buy more and more figurines and cards, and at around $10-20 a pop, costs can soon spiral. Younger kids will no doubt prefer the colorful Toniebox and its exciting range of gorgeous figurines. With that said, older kids, particularly preteens, will get a lot of enjoyment out of discovering newer books and free content with the Yoto Player. For its functions, superior audio performance, and longevity, the Yoto gets my vote, but there's no denying the Toniebox's vibrant appeal among smaller audiences, including my 6-year-old.
