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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),

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