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Original poster

Toniebox or Yoto.. or something else?

47 replies

SalviaOfficinalis · 13/10/2022 13:42

Any experience with toniebox, yoto or similar audio player thing?

DS will only be 20 months at Xmas so will be more interested in music that stories at first.

Recommendations much appreciated, thanks.

OP posts:
Hugasauras · 13/10/2022 13:43

Love our Yoto. I think they're more versatile and last longer.

ItsCorn89 · 13/10/2022 13:45

Definitely the yoto! Loads more you can do with it than the Tonies. I have a referral code for 10% off if you want it too, feel free to PM me!

JessTal · 13/10/2022 18:40

I’ve just ordered the Tonie box today, hope my lo loves it 😬 I was stuck between both too but after reading reviews I went for the Tonie.

They have a deal on at the moment…the box starter set, any 4 full price Tonies plus 1 discounted £10 Tonie all for £99.99 if you use a £15 off referral code! Here’s mine if you’d like to use it:

rfx-7g2-w4a-b1m

44PumpLane · 13/10/2022 20:42

Another vote for Yoto player here. I think it has a lot more longevity than the Tonie, and the make your own are significantly less expensive too.

We love our yoto in this house.

user1019273703 · 13/10/2022 20:43

We have the tonies box and it is amazing, would recommend without a doubt.

stargirl1701 · 13/10/2022 20:43

Yoto. Lasts longer.

Plus you never lose a story as you can Make Your Own card.

Junibug · 13/10/2022 20:44

Yoto can be used as a nightlight and Gro clock too !

Bemyclementine · 13/10/2022 20:45

I think the Tonie is great for younger children but they do outgrow it sooner than a yoto.

Original poster
SalviaOfficinalis · 13/10/2022 20:58

stargirl1701 · 13/10/2022 20:43

Yoto. Lasts longer.

Plus you never lose a story as you can Make Your Own card.

Yes I was worried a little that the tonies figures might get lost, as DS will want to play with them probably.

Thanks all for the recommendation, leaning towards yoto, but good to hear people are happy with both!

OP posts:
LoveJK · 13/10/2022 21:04

I like our Yotos, but recording our own material or putting our audio CDs onto it is really quite a pain. It means that I’ve got a lot less on there than I hoped fore.

For example (and hooefully someone will tell me if I’m being dense by doing it this way) to get a car with Thomas and Friends Story Time Imhad to trawl the net for a site that hosted each episode as an MP3, download each one, name it, import it into the app, and then associate a card with it.

I’d really thought that I’d have just been able to associate a card with the actual normal podcast feed.

bravelittletiger · 13/10/2022 21:05

Absolutely love our Tonie box. Better for younger children I think- I know my 2 year old wouldn't have been interested in the yoto cards.

Paddingtonsmarmlade · 13/10/2022 21:27

we love our Yoto i thought it would last longer than the tonnie. We also use it as a night light which switches off when they're allowed up. It can play from Bluetooth so I also use audible.

LoveJK · 13/10/2022 21:34

Paddingtonsmarmlade · 13/10/2022 21:27

we love our Yoto i thought it would last longer than the tonnie. We also use it as a night light which switches off when they're allowed up. It can play from Bluetooth so I also use audible.

Apologies for using you as Google, but…

How do you use Audible with it? I’ve the maximum number of unused tokens, and lose another each month, so giving some to the children would be great.

Glitterandmud · 13/10/2022 22:01

We have a yoto, had it a couple of years now and it's great, but I think a 20 month old would be a bit little for it... in that i don't think it would stand up to much rough and tumble, the tonie box looks a bit sturdier to me and the figures easier for little hands to handle. The yoto cards are easy to lose (you can use a make journey own card to replace them though!).

We got the yoto when dd was 5 and ds 3, it quickly moved to dds room as I couldn't trust ds not to pick it up on his wanderings and drop it... you get adventure jackets for them but I don't know if they would be ds proof! Dd was a fab age for it and loved choosing her own story, they fall asleep listening to it now.

The yoto radio is amazing, they both enjoy the music and the daily programme.

Imnotlost · 13/10/2022 22:28

Have both. Definitely to for us.

Imnotlost · 13/10/2022 22:28

Sorry definitely yoto is the better for us

Paddingtonsmarmlade · 14/10/2022 07:23

@LoveJK you can connect to the Yoto with Bluetooth so connect you phone. (Go into the app and turn on Bluetooth capability, then push yoto button (left one I think) until the Bluetooth symbol comes up, first time you get a code to link to new device then play audible.)

Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov · 14/10/2022 07:28

My almost 2 year old loves his brothers Tonie and I'll hear him pop on the stories in their room when we're pottering upstairs. So it's super easy to use. My 4 and 6 year old share it, but I'm
thinking of getting the 6 year old a Yoto, I think that's probably more age appropriate. We'll keep the Tonie for the 4 year old.

NameChange30 · 19/10/2022 17:24

Yoto with screen protector and adventure jacket - my youngest loved her older sibling's Yoto so much that we got her one for her second birthday. With the adventure jacket it's fine.

We also have a Tonie box but much much prefer the Yoto. There's so much free content; the radio and podcasts, the "discover" section of the app, the tidy up and toothbrush timers (game changers for us!), and if you don't mind a small amount of faff, make your own cards are a very cost-effective way of giving them easy access to their favourite music and audiobooks on Yoto. We've done MYO cards with a favourite nursery rhyme CD, Encanto album, etc etc.

NameChange30 · 19/10/2022 17:26

PS Also the Yoto cards are much easier to store than Tonies, and take with you if travelling.

redjoker · 20/10/2022 11:31

Do you feel your Yoto gets in the way of storytime together? we read every night at bed, im worried the yoto would take away from this?

MotherWol · 20/10/2022 11:37

LoveJK · 13/10/2022 21:04

I like our Yotos, but recording our own material or putting our audio CDs onto it is really quite a pain. It means that I’ve got a lot less on there than I hoped fore.

For example (and hooefully someone will tell me if I’m being dense by doing it this way) to get a car with Thomas and Friends Story Time Imhad to trawl the net for a site that hosted each episode as an MP3, download each one, name it, import it into the app, and then associate a card with it.

I’d really thought that I’d have just been able to associate a card with the actual normal podcast feed.

They've updated the app now so you can link a podcast to a card much more easily, you just need the web address for the RSS feed of the podcast. I've made a few podcast cards recently and they're handy because they update automatically.

emmsyg · 26/10/2022 11:53

Yoto has been a big hit here, we now have two original ones that I managed to pick up cheaply preloved (one in each kids room) and the kids are getting mini ones for travelling at Christmas. My son in particular (he's 5) has taken a real shine to it - he loves all the factual cards like Adam Kay and Horrible Histories and listens all the time. My daughter is nearly 2 and likes pressing the buttons a lot (but you can deactivate the effects of this in the app if it gets annoying) and is well able to insert the cards.

The main reason for getting one here was to cut down on screen time, and for that it has made a big difference. They can do other activities while listening instead of being glued to a screen. I also find the make your own cards a great function, and pretty easy to use if you're from a generation who had to upload music from CDs to iTunes etc in order to listen to it!

The yoto club is also great as you get discounted cards and free shipping.

If you want 10% off please feel free to use my referral: prz.io/r3emK8kt0

emmsyg · 26/10/2022 12:14

Also @redjoker to an extent it has, yes. My son loves going to sleep to the Yoto now, but will still happily take a story if it's offered!

I think the advantage is they can listen to reading material at an older level than they can read, and my son is just soaking up that information which is great for him. I'm hoping as his reading develops the Yoto will compliment that.

44PumpLane · 26/10/2022 16:33

@LoveJK as well as being able to use the Yoto player as a Bluetooth speaker, you can also put audible books onto MYO cards if you convert them to MP3 first.

I downloaded "openaudible" which cost me about £12 I think, and converted some kids books that if bought with credits to MP3, linked them to the Yoto app and put them on MYO cards.

Another option is to purchase books in MP3 format from the likes of Hive.co.uk which I have also done. My two enjoyed the "Mummy Fairy and Me" books by Sophie Kinsella so I bought the set from hive and popped into a MYO card. Super easy.