We take a look at the best educational Tonies you can get, and why they make perfect additions to any Tonies collection.
If you're new to the world of Tonies, Tonies are handmade magnetic characters, filled with stories, facts and songs - to play them, you simply sit them on top of an audio player called a Toniebox. You can read our Toniebox guide to understand all the benefits of this kind of toy, or you can take a look at our in-depth Toniebox review to see if it's the right choice for your family.
If you've decided on a Toniebox, then you'll need to buy some Tonies to play on it, but with more than 700 available, it can be hard to know where to begin. We'd definitely recommend taking at look at the most popular Tonies as a starting point, and keeping up to date with the latest Tonies to see what's new. While some Tonies are designed for entertainment purposes, there is a growing number of educational Tonies that kids will love too. To curate this list, we've not only called on our extensive product knowledge, but also a personal experiences and the first-hand opinions of kiddos we know and love.
9 educational Tonies to help your child learn about the world around them
Age suitability: 6+ | Running time: 55 minutes
For fun (or gruesome) facts that teachers might not cover in the classroom, then Horrible Histories is the way to go. This Terrible Tudors Tonie is filled with fun facts the period and the Tonie itself is from modelled after one of the most famous, recognisable and captivating figures from the era - Henry VIII.
Age suitability: 5+ | Running time: 60 minutes
For a kid, there's probably very little distinction between dinosaurs and whales - they're all enormous, powerful and fascinating creatures that you don't see everyday. This Nat Geo Kids Tonie is jam packed full of fun facts and details about whales, their habitat and more. Even I learned something listening to this one!
Age suitability: 3+ | Running time: 75 minutes
For Peppa Pig fans like my little nephew (age four), this Learn with Peppa Tonie is perfect. He adored it. Not only did he love the super recognisable figurine, but he was also super engaged in learning about everything from bodies and emotions to community and the wider world alongside his favourite piglet.
Age suitability: 4+ | Running time: 74 minutes
As we know, exposing children to the wonders of different cultures from a young age is really important, and this West African Tales Tonie will be a fascinating introduction for many. As well as listening to the traditional folk tales, there is also a fun quiz at the end to test your little one's newly acquired folklore knowledge.
Age suitability: 7+ | Running time: 61 minutes
Horrible Histories books have been around for decades, and now Tonies are getting in on the gruesome and gross side of history that, let's face it, kids find the most interesting. With 11 chapters covering everything from superstitions to the gladiators, learning about the Romans has never been so fun - and there's not a screen in sight!
Age suitability: 5+ | Running time: 60 minutes
My four year old nephew was super excited when he spotted this Nat Geo Kids Dinosaur Tonie in my testing pile (testing toys for a living gives me loads of cool aunt points). As he was a little bit younger than the recommended age, we listened to it together and he was completely engrossed from start to finish. And so the dino obsession continues.
Age suitability: 5+ | Running time: 60 minutes
For an out of this world (ahem) screen-free experience, then you can't go wrong with this space-themed National Geographic Kids Tonie. Full of facts and tales about everything space - from the solar system, space explorations and even aliens, this Tonie is perfect for budding astronauts and adventurers.
Age suitability: 5+ | Running time: 60 minutes
Whether your child has seen penguins on TV or in real life, take the opportunity to broaden their knowledge with this hour-long National Geographic Kids Tonie that is all about penguins - from their habitat and what they eat, to how they play and how they differ from other birds.
Age suitability: 3+ | Running time: 70 minutes
The wonder of Blippi in Tonie form. This audio character is filled with fun facts and songs that will keep kiddies engaged as they learn. As they can operate the audio player themselves, this Tonie offers a great opportunity for your three-year-old to start playing (and learning) more independently.
How are Tonies educational?
All Tonies are designed to support your child's language development, encourage independent play and learning, and boost their imagination, but there are a selection of Tonies that are specifically designed to be educational as well as entertaining. And the topic selection is broad - in terms of both subject and age suitability. Some cover facts and figures about fascinating creatures (past and present), others will focus on historical figures and civilisations, while others will teach your children about other cultures from around the world. With the recently launched Blippi Tonie and the new Learn with Peppa audio character, even three-year-olds can get in on the education action.
What's really great about Tonies is that the hand-painted figures are really detailed - adding a great visual cue to accompany the audio tracks.
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