Anyone who has bought their kids a Toniebox will appreciate how easy it is to use: Just put the Tonie on the box and off you go.
But while the box has its fixed place on the charging station, the question arises as to where best to store the Tonie figures.
This is where a Tonie shelf comes in, on which the figures can be displayed decoratively.
But which shelf is worth buying? I looked at a few shelves for the children’s room.
How do Tonie figures work?
The Toniebox is basically a playback station for children’s songs and stories. But whereas in the past an extra CD player or, even more complicated, a cassette player had to do this job, the Toniebox is completely simpler.
The developers of the box have set themselves the task of developing the simplest possible playback option for the children’s room.
This is a success, because apart from two volume buttons, there are no other controls on the device.
Magnetic figures provide content
There is a good-sounding loudspeaker on the front of the speaker and a plug underneath the speaker for connecting it to the mains or charging the built-in battery.
The two volume buttons in the shape of ears and a magnetic plate are located on the top. And this is where the secret of the Toniebox comes to light: stories and songs are played by placing certain figures, the so-called Tonies, on this plate.
If you take the figure down, playback stops automatically and only starts again at the exact point where it stopped when you put the figure back up.
Activate new Tonie figure
In order to be able to play the individual data of the respective figures, the figure must first be registered. To do this, place the Tonie on the Toniebox, wait until a connection to the Wi-Fi network has been established, which is essential for the operation of the box, and the data has been transferred accordingly.
After a short time, playback can begin. A new data transfer is not necessary but only required once when using a Tonie on the respective Toniebox for the first time.
Tap to fast-forward
Speaking of picking it up: the box itself is robustly built and is almost completely covered in a soft and protective fabric. This means that the box can be dropped or knocked over without fear of immediate damage.
Practical: individual chapters can be skipped by tapping on the pages, and the individual sections can be fast-forwarded or rewound by tilting the box.
How to store Tonie figures?
Tonie shelf keeps things tidy
It would be far too much of a shame to simply put the lovingly designed Tonie figures in a box. It’s much nicer to put them on a shelf.
In addition to the figures, the Toniebox itself usually also finds a nice place, so that despite the simple placement of the box itself, a whole listening construct can be created here.
Which shelf for Tonies?
This question is by no means easy to answer, as the preferences of children and parents are varied. Basically, the shelf should be made of good materials, and it can also be made of more solid and heavier wood so that it doesn’t break quickly in children’s hands.
There should also be space for a large number of figurines on the shelf, so in addition to the practical benefits, the result is above all a beautiful picture.
Tonie shelf as a letter
For a personal touch in the children’s room, shelves that are shaped like the first letter of the child’s name are particularly suitable, and this can help to avoid conflicts at an early stage, especially if there are several children.
The letter shelves from Boarti have a simple, gray wooden look and offer space for up to 48 Tonies and the box itself in addition to the individual letter.
With a size of approx. 54×60 cm (sample example for the letter M) and a weight of approx. 2 kilograms, the shelves offer appropriate strength and should be able to withstand a lot.
Particularly practical: magnets are incorporated into the individual small shelves, preventing the figures from falling down.
Even though Boarti’s shelves are in the upper price segment, this does not speak against a purchase as the quality of workmanship is clearly high.
Tonie shelf as a cloud
In addition to the letter shelves, there are also other shelf shapes. The cloud is particularly popular, offering space for 33 figures with magnetic holders as well as the Toniebox itself. Even the charging station can be easily integrated.
DIY: Design your own Tonie shelf
If the aforementioned shelves are already completely painted, there are also blank shelves that can be colored according to your own wishes. Numerous motifs are already available on the market which are just waiting to be embellished by children or their parents.
Especially for parents, the individual design of the shelf should be a nice memory. Even if the Toniebox has long since had its day, the shelves can still be used for other things. But then with a personal touch and lots of memories.
Lars Grudzinski has been working as a sound and lighting technician since the 90s, was a DJ for electronic music, has a large collection of vintage speakers, and has been working for various radio stations in Germany for 20 years. At home, he enjoys high-quality home theater products such as soundbars and projectors and has installed an extensive Sonos system in his own home.