One of the main reasons I started a podcast is to share ideas. Sometimes these ideas just happen to also be products and today I have an amazing idea and story-based product to share with you. I am chatting with Drew Vernon, marketing director for Tonies, USA, but this is not a sponsored episode. Drew and I have similar passions for creative play and screen-free storytelling that develops a young person’s imagination. We both love inspiring creativity in kids and adults and of course for me, it’s always about stories and connection. I think you’re really going to enjoy this conversation and the chance to learn about a product that should be championed and shared. So, what exactly is this product that promotes ALL of these things? It’s a Toniebox. In simple terms it is a box that even young child can learn to use (and not destroy) that plays audio when you attach a small figure, called a Tonie. There are content Tonies for dozens of beloved characters from classic literature to Disney movies and more on the way. In fact, Winnie the Pooh was just added! And Tonies is continually partnering with companies—like Go Noodle and expert personalities—like LeVar Burton—to provide top notch content and an inspiring and elevating listening experience. Even with all of this amazing content, I am still a BIGGER fan of the Creative Tonies (little pointy-eared figures) that work with a FREE app to allow a grandparent (or any other loved one) to send messages and stories to a child. The Creative Tonie also allows kids to create their own content. Drew talked about giving his kids some creative parameters that unleashed 45 minutes of imaginative play—so cool. And, I can just imagine recording my voice sharing a personal, family or family history story in my app and having that instantly made available and enticing to my granddaughter and future grandkids! “Audio stories take children on a journey from consuming to creating. First they create active listeners and then they turn those listeners into authors. ” — Drew Vernon IF you’re a teacher, learn more about Tonies for Teachers and sign up to be in the loop moving forward! Marketing from Tonies: Childhood is a sacred, precious time in life. Even long after we’ve grown, the memories we make in childhood have the power to transport us back to a time or place or person to re-experience what we felt in that moment long ago. The stories we fall in love with in the early days and years of our lives transcend simple entertainment, they seed powerful memories and spark nostalgia. They teach us about the world and about each other. They become a part of a narrative we carry with us throughout our lives. Meet the FoundersWe are Patric Faßbender and Marcus Stahl and we created tonies with one thing in mind: our kids. Childhood should be a magical time full of big adventures and loveable memories. We wanted to create a way for kids to experience storytelling in a digital age, that stimulates their imagination in ways that a screen can’t. We made the Toniebox for kids (and parents) who want to feel good about their entertainment at home and to bring back imagination in its purest form.We built tonies to be an immersive, wondrous experience you can feel good about, but more importantly a community you can be part of now and for many years to come. With quality screen-free audio, we can help our kids become