To feel sad ds isn’t into big present

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I know - my issue and all but thought they’d enjoy it. He is enjoying presents though so that’s the main thing. But we’re still - over £100 😂😂

What did you get him? How old is he?

Maybe he will warm to it. Was it something he asked for?

Be patient, they might come round to decide its their best thing ever. Some things are slow burners. If not, sell it on!

No but he’s only 3 so hadn’t really asked for anything specific. I got him a Toniebox. He’s not really bothered and isn’t interested in listening to any stories. I did have a few doubts but so many people said their 3 year olds loved it!

Christmas was only 2 days ago, there's plenty of time.
FWIW of all the presents my 2 yo received, his favourite is the giant gift bag some of them came in!!

My 4 year and 1 year old absolutely love theirs! My 1 year old actually carries his around all over 😂 maybe you need singing ones rather than stories?

Tonie box might take time. Mine does love it. But we play at bedtime as a sleep cue mostly.

And despite having 20+ Tonies it’s bloody Peppa every time that he loves.

I thought the Tonie was something they listened to at quiet time, rather than constantly? So regular use rather than excitement.

But 3yos don't know the value of money. Its the same to him as a book from the library...

Oh yeah I get that but he just isn’t really interested at all. I did think he might not be into it but was swayed by all the reviews.

I got my 3 year old one for Christmas last year and he's only recently started liking it. He doesn't like the Tonies with stories on but I got him some that are all music and he likes to have them on when he's playing in his bedroom

I’ll have to look at getting ones that are just music. Have to admit I don’t find it the easiest thing to use (embarrassing as I know it’s designed for very young children 🤣)

My 4 year old now loves listening to stories as she falls asleep, once I turn out the light and go. Saves me lying in the dark for 20 minutes! I’ll bet the tonie box comes into its own in due course. Just give it time…

We had this, I got our 3yo a Yoto. She wasn’t interested in it at all at first. She’s 4 now and loves it. Gets used all the time. She just didn’t know what it was at first, or what it could do. But she explored it in her own time and now loves it.

Big turning point was sorting music cards with songs on that she liked/knew & then story cards with characters on that she was obsessed with.

give it time

My 7 year old has a tonie box. She got it when she was 2 and to begin with wasn't that fussed but over time it has come into its own. She loves it so much and it is still used multiple times a day now. She loves the actual tonies but her favourite is the one I recorded myself reading her favourite book on. Give it time and I'm sure he will love it.

Persevere with it - I got my son one when he was 2 and he wasn’t into it at all to begin with but now it’s his all time favourite thing and he uses it constantly. It took him a couple of weeks to figure it all out and then he was obsessed.

Mine have yoto players but actually aren't so into the audiobooks either.

What they do love is cards with all their favourite songs on. I made them a christmas themed one, one with pop songs, one with nursery rhymes/kids music, one with classical/jazz/instrumental stuff. They LOVE these and play these a lot. Can you do music on tonie boxes?

I would give it 12 months and try a few song ones as well as just having it playing in the background. Think of it as if you had got him a book and he didn’t look at it. You would not conclude he didn’t like books but that he might not be interested in it for now or that there are other books he might find more interesting. The good news is that if he never uses it you will get most of the money back selling it second hand.

My 3 year old gave absolutely zero fucks about xmas day. He has enjoyed singing xmas songs at nursery, and seeing some xmas lights, but didn’t want to unwrap presents at all.

I’ve heard kids ‘get’ xmas a bit more when they are 4.

Just to add he also didn’t care about most presents once opened. He liked a duggee book and a £4 duggee cup.

I considered one of those as seen so many people say how great they are but I knew deep down it would be a waste as it didn't have wheels and he couldn't whizz it across the floor so I didn't bother. I think people must have very different children to mine!

As above, give it time. Mine has a Yoto, she’s had it 2 years (since she was 2). She tends to find a story card she loves and listen to it on repeat for weeks!! I find stories where she recognises the characters are more interesting to them at this age - peppa, paw patrol, Gruffalo etc. Or as above, try music. And try it at bedtime and in the car - those are the two times ours gets used most!

@CornishGem1975 that has crossed my mind as well.

It is also very quiet so hard to have on in the background.

How do you record yourself reading a story? I haven’t been massively impressed by the audio book readings.

Surely it will mainly be used at bedtime, there have only been two bedtimes since he opened it and those bedtimes have probably been a bit all over the place due to it being Christmas. As he gets back to his usual routine and it becomes part of that, I am sure he will enjoy it.
Also, though, he's 3. One of the "delights" about a 3yo is their sheer unpredictability. They're much more likely to adore some random stocking filler which cost 49p than that big present which well be something you chose knowing they will like it & benefit from it in the longer term.

Give it time. I got my daughter one for her birthday in summer and she's using it lots more now. I guess it's one of those presents that kids aren't going to open and be super excited about but will hopefully get plenty of use.
It goes pretty loud, just keep pinching the big ear!

You can increase the volume - pinch the big ear for louder and the small ear for quieter. You can also skip between the various stories on a tonie by hitting the side of the box.