Best Storytelling Toys of 2026

Jimmy Roof Avatar
Jimmy Roof
Last Updated: Feb 2, 2026

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Storytelling toys are a great way to encourage imaginative play and spark creativity in children. These toys come in a variety of forms, from traditional storybooks to interactive toys that allow kids to create their own stories. Some popular storytelling toys include stuffed animals that tell stories when squeezed, board games that require players to create and tell their own stories, and electronic toys that allow children to record and play back their own stories. These toys can help children develop language and communication skills, as well as foster a love of reading and storytelling. Whether playing alone or with friends, storytelling toys provide endless opportunities for fun and learning.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Tonies Simba Figurine from The Lion King Cover #TOP 1
Tonies Simba Figurine from The Lion King
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Little Tikes Story Dream Machine Starter Set Cover #TOP 2
Little Tikes Story Dream Machine Starter Set
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Tonies Moana Audio Toy Figurine Cover #TOP 3
Tonies Moana Audio Toy Figurine
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Storytelling Toys

#TOP 1

Tonies Simba Figurine from The Lion King

10000498
Multicolored
7 x 4 x 2 inches
Tonies Simba Figurine from The Lion King Cover
Tonies Simba Audio Toy Figurine from Disney's The Lion King

The Tonies Simba Lion King brings the beloved story of Simba to life in a fun and educational way. It helps you teach your child about the importance of family and friendship, showing how working together can overcome tough challenges. The story also encourages perseverance and leadership, helping kids learn responsibility as they follow Simba’s journey. Plus, it introduces them to new communities and the value of teamwork. With four classic songs and a story narrated by Robert Guillaume, this audio toy provides an engaging 30-minute experience that your child will enjoy and learn from.

What We Like
Authentic Lion King story narration
Engaging for young children
High sound quality
Excellent pre-reading tool
Nostalgic music selection
What We Don't Like
Occasional audio volume issues
Songs not original cast
#TOP 2

Little Tikes Story Dream Machine Starter Set

663734
Multicolor
Medium
Little Tikes Story Dream Machine Starter Set Cover
Little Tikes Story Dream Machine Starter Set, Storytime, Books, Little Golden Book, Audio Play, The Poky Little Puppy Character, Nightlight, Toy Gift for Toddlers and Kids Girls Boys Ages 3+

Little Tikes Dream Machine brings storytime to life with colorful lights and sound effects. It includes 3 Golden Book stories and 1 character, like The Poky Little Puppy. The machine doubles as a nightlight with white noise sounds for peaceful sleep. Kids can develop reading skills by following along with projected words and a narrator. Easy controls and storage make it convenient for kids.

What We Like
Engaging story projections
Easy for kids to use
Durable, kid-friendly design
Screen-free bedtime routine
Long battery life
What We Don't Like
Occasional focus adjustment
No Spanish stories available

Tonies Moana Audio Toy Figurine

10000623
Multicolored
Medium
Tonies Moana Audio Toy Figurine Cover
Tonies Moana Audio Toy Figurine from Disney

The Tonies Moana Audio Toy lets your child join Moana on a sea adventure to save her people, making storytime exciting and engaging. It encourages lessons in bravery, friendship, and perseverance, helping kids learn important values in a fun way. This toy comes with the Moana character and includes five popular songs plus one story, totaling about 35 minutes of entertainment. Designed for children ages 4 and up, it offers an enjoyable way for your little ones to experience Moana’s journey. Just keep in mind you need a Toniebox Audio Player to listen, which is sold separately.

What We Like
Engaging storytelling and songs
Clear sound quality
Easy to use with Toniebox
Encourages screen-free play
Sturdy and cute figurine
What We Don't Like
Non-original character voices
Story slightly shortened
#TOP 4

Tonies Disney Cinderella Audio Figurine

10000512
Blue
Medium
Tonies Disney Cinderella Audio Figurine Cover
Tonies Cinderella Audio Toy Figurine from Disney

The Tonies Cinderella Audio Toy brings the classic Disney story to life, making it easy for your child to enjoy the tale of Cinderella overcoming challenges with kindness and perseverance. This toy offers a mix of four songs and one story, totaling about 21 minutes, which helps keep your little one engaged while teaching valuable lessons about hard work and caring for others. Narrated in English by Stephanie Stearns, it provides clear storytelling that young kids aged 3 and up can understand. Just place the figurine on a Toniebox Audio Player (sold separately), and your child can listen anytime, making it a convenient and fun way to learn important life values.

What We Like
Engaging storytelling and songs
Sturdy and well-made figure
Easy to set up
Great gift for kids
Sparks imaginative play
What We Don't Like
Singing not original voice
Figure head may detach
#TOP 5

Tonies Curious George Audio Figurine

10000650
Multicolored
Small
Tonies Curious George Audio Figurine Cover
Tonies Curious George Audio Toy Figurine

The Tonies Curious George Stories bring the lovable monkey’s adventures right to your child’s ears. This audio toy offers four engaging stories that teach valuable lessons about curiosity, forgiveness, and adventure, helping your child learn important social skills while being entertained. With a total playtime of about 45 minutes, it provides a perfect listening experience for young children aged 3 and up. The stories feature George’s playful antics and his caring friend, “The Man in the Yellow Hat,” making it both fun and meaningful. Just remember, to listen to these stories, you’ll need the Toniebox Audio Player, which is sold separately.

What We Like
Cute and durable figurine
Engaging songs and stories
Great for young children
High sound quality
Perfect gift option
What We Don't Like
Media not always loads
#TOP 6

Tonies Frozen II Anna Audio Figurine

10000679
Multicolored
Tonies Frozen II Anna Audio Figurine Cover
Tonies Anna Audio Toy Figurine from Disney's Frozen II

The Tonies Frozen II Anna lets you join Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven on an exciting journey beyond Arendelle. This audio toy helps kids explore themes like self-discovery, loyalty, and the importance of strong relationships, making it a great way to teach valuable life lessons. It comes with the Anna character figurine that plays five popular songs and one story, offering about 41 minutes of entertainment. Keep in mind, you'll need the Toniebox Audio Player to enjoy this content, which is sold separately. This product is perfect for children aged 4 and up who love Disney's Frozen.

What We Like
Adorable Frozen-themed design
Encourages screen-free play
High-quality audio stories and songs
Compatible with Toniebox
Great gift for young children
What We Don't Like
Volume could be louder
#TOP 7

Tonies Mirabel Audio Figurine from Disney Encanto

11000202
Multicolored
4-5 inches
Tonies Mirabel Audio Figurine from Disney Encanto Cover
Tonies Mirabel Audio Toy Figurine from Disney's Encanto

The Tonies Mirabel Encanto Toy brings the magic of Disney’s award-winning film right to your home. This storytelling toy helps you teach children important values like family unity, persistence, and staying true to themselves. It includes a Mirabel character figurine with five catchy songs and two engaging stories, providing nearly an hour of entertainment in both English and Spanish. Perfect for kids aged 3 and up, this toy makes learning fun and easy. Just remember, you’ll need the Toniebox Audio Player to enjoy the audio content, which is sold separately.

What We Like
Original movie songs and voices
English and Spanish story versions
Sturdy and durable build
Catchy music and sound quality
Heartwarming, inclusive storytelling
What We Don't Like
Relatively high price
Shorter runtime than expected
#TOP 8

Tonies Finding Nemo Audio Toy Figurine

10000513
Multicolored
Tonies Finding Nemo Audio Toy Figurine Cover
Tonies Nemo Audio Toy Figurine from Disney and Pixar's Finding Nemo

The Tonies Nemo Audio Toy offers an engaging way for kids to explore the classic Finding Nemo story. As Nemo gets caught by a diver and his dad Marlin teams up with Dory to find him, your child can learn valuable lessons about staying strong during hard times and the importance of family support. The toy also encourages curiosity and problem-solving skills, making story time both fun and educational. With four catchy songs and one narrated story, this audio toy keeps your child entertained while teaching kindness and a positive outlook. It’s perfect for young listeners aged 3 and up, bringing the ocean adventure right to your home.

What We Like
High quality material
Easy for toddlers to use
Accurate Nemo story adaptation
Fun and engaging songs
No setup required
What We Don't Like
Song selection feels random
Some kids may lose interest
#TOP 9

Tonies Creative-Tonies DIY Audio Figurine

10000824
Multicolored
Small
Tonies Creative-Tonies DIY Audio Figurine Cover
Tonies DIY Creative Toy Figurine -Record and Upload up to 90 Minutes of Your Own Stories and Songs

The Tonies Creative-Tonies lets you record or upload up to 90 minutes of your own stories and songs, making it perfect for personalizing your child's listening experience. You can easily use the mytonies app or website to add your own recordings or download free content, giving you a variety of options to keep things fresh. It also allows you to invite family and friends from anywhere in the world to add their own stories or messages, creating a shared and interactive audio collection. Plus, you can customize how your Creative-Tonie plays, with a live feature that always starts with your latest recordings, keeping your content up-to-date and engaging.

What We Like
Customizable audio content
Easy to use
Sturdy figurine design
Personalized voice recordings
Great gift idea
What We Don't Like
Limited free downloads in Canada
Slightly higher price at some stores
#TOP 10

Tonies Toniebox 1 Audio Player Starter Set

10000761
Light Blue
Tonies Toniebox 1 Audio Player Starter Set Cover
Toniebox 1 Audio Player Starter Set with Playtime Puppy - Listen, Learn, and Play with One Huggable Little Box - Light Blue

The Tonies Toniebox Audio Player offers a fun and screen-free way for kids aged 3 and up to enjoy stories, music, and learning. Without flashing screens, it helps spark your child’s imagination in a calm and creative way. The starter set comes with a light blue Toniebox, a charging station, and the Playtime Puppy Tonie, which includes 52 minutes of popular children’s songs perfect for playtime. Using the Toniebox is easy—just place the Tonie character on top to start playback, press the ears to adjust the volume, and tap the sides to switch tracks. A Wi-Fi connection is needed for setup and adding new Tonies, making it a convenient and engaging audio player for kids.

What We Like
Screen-free entertainment
Toddler-friendly controls
Durable and portable design
High-quality sound
Collectible character variety
What We Don't Like
No battery level indicator
Characters may seem pricey
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the toy that reads kids stories?

The Toniebox is a popular storytelling toy that allows kids to control storytime. It has interactive features like squeezing an ear to adjust volume, tapping the sides to change chapters, and tilting to fast-forward or rewind. It also makes swapping stories simple and enjoyable for kids.

2. What is the gift of storytelling?

Storytelling is a powerful gift for children as it helps them manage emotions, develop empathy, and gain a better understanding of the world. It also fosters a strong bond between parents and children, building intimacy, resilience, and trust. The benefits of storytelling are invaluable.

3. What age is storytelling for kids?

Storytelling is suitable for toddlers and kids between the ages of 1 and 5. It serves as an effective tool to teach them basic concepts like sizes, colors, emotions, alphabets, and numbers. Storytelling engages young children and helps them learn in a fun and interactive way.

4. What age is Storynory for?

Most of the stories on Storynory are aimed at children aged 7 to 11. However, they also provide nursery stories and rhymes for preschoolers, as well as some more sophisticated stories for older children.

5. Should a 4 year old be able to tell a story?

Yes, it is developmentally normal for 4-year-olds to tell stories. They can follow complex directions, make up their own stories, retell stories, and predict what comes next in familiar stories. Their sentences usually consist of 4 or more words, and their vocabulary continues to expand.

6. How do you tell a 6 year old a story?

When telling a story to a 6-year-old, start with the classic opening words 'Once upon a time...' to grab their attention. It helps to have an interesting character and a few twists in the plot. Additionally, asking questions throughout the story can keep them engaged and interested.

7. Is it normal for a 7 year old to make up stories?

Yes, it is normal for 7-year-olds to make up stories. They enjoy hearing stories and using their imagination to create their own. At this age, children may sometimes blur the line between reality and fantasy, but it is a healthy and creative activity for them.

Editor's Notes

During our storytelling toy research, we found 24 storytelling toy products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 83,158 customer reviews through our big data system to write the storytelling toys list. We found that most customers choose storytelling toys with an average price of $18.55.

The storytelling toys are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of storytelling toys, including Tonies, Little Tikes. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 2,703 consumers with an average rating of 4.9.

Written by
Jimmy Roof Avatar

Jimmy Roof is a toy designer who lives in Chicago with his family. He works in a big toy firm, so he is surrounded by toys every day. Throughout his career, he has developed expertise in children's toys, baby products and preschool education. Jimmy Roof often publishes articles related to toys on key websites.

Storytelling Toys Comparison Table

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#TOP10
Brand Tonies Little Tikes Tonies Tonies Tonies Tonies Tonies Tonies Tonies Tonies
Item Weight 1.6 ounces 1.32 pounds 1.12 ounces 1.6 ounces 1.6 ounces 1.6 ounces 1.6 ounces 1.41 ounces 1.6 ounces 2.76 pounds
Manufacturer recommended age 4 years and up 36 months - 8 years 4 years and up 3 years and up 3 years and up 4 years and up 3 years and up 3 years and up 3 years and up 36 months - 3 years
FTB Score
ftb score rating icon 9.9
ftb score rating icon 9.8
ftb score rating icon 9.6
ftb score rating icon 9.4
ftb score rating icon 9.2
ftb score rating icon 9.1
ftb score rating icon 9.0
ftb score rating icon 8.9
ftb score rating icon 8.8
ftb score rating icon 8.7
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