Ways to beat the Blue Monday and January blues

Here are some ways to transform the so-called gloomiest day of the year into a happy one for the whole family. And don’t worry these tips are handy for every day too, not just Blue Monday!

Do something creative 

Tonies are great for inspiring creative ways of playing. Check out Penny doing some abstract painting and listening along to her Elmer Tonie, all inspired by her favourite colourful elephant. Or why not set up a Gruffalo play tray like Edwards for your little Julia Donaldson fans, complete with woodland props and the Gruffalo Tonie. Having a story in the background of their activity often extends play and keeps them in the zone for longer.

Get them out into the fresh air

This could be round your garden, through the park, or along a pleasant street nearby. Just an hour or so in nature will boost your family’s energy and mood, plus it gives loads of scope for fun and discovery.

Start the day with a song

Now this HAS to be a song that never fails to perk the whole family up, like something from Encanto or The Lion King. Play it at breakfast to get the day started on the right foot. You could even make a whole playlist to play throughout the day. Head over to the mytonies app and tap recordings, this is where you can record your little performers' songs and assign them to their Creative-Tonie. 

Learn a new fact (or two) 

Whether we’re young or old, we never stop learning. The Today with tonies Podcast Tonie is packed full of fun facts and cool things to know. With a brand new 10 minute episode every day your little listeners are going to be bursting to wow friends and family with their new-found knowledge.

Find a mindful balance

Help the kids (and you!) take five with a little bit of calm time. Start by assigning the free Mindful Moments audio on the mytonies app to their Creative-Tonie. Then together, lay back, relax and listen to the five minutes of peaceful music and calming words that can help settle a muddled mind.

Help someone in need 

We all love that warm and fuzzy feeling we get when we help someone out or do something good so why not gather up the kids and spend Blue Monday doing just that. Teaching children the importance of giving back will help them build valuable life skills like compassion and self-esteem. Your random act of kindness could be to a family member or friend, or aim for something bigger like donating to a local charity. Many hospitals and schools have Tonieboxes, so if there’s a Tonie (or two) that’s not in your kids’ top hits anymore, why not try donating it? 

Make a new year memory box

Before forgetting favourite memories from the year that’s just passed, why not spend the day creating a new year memory box. You can use this box to store highlights of the last year and also things to look forward to in the year ahead. If you have multiple Creative-Tonies, then you could record the messages to listen to on the Toniebox throughout the year, almost like a time capsule Tonie! Here’s some ideas to get you started:

• My favourite memory of 2023 was…

• In 2024, I am looking forward to…

• I was so happy with… last year 

• This year, I want to learn…

Home makeover

This is a great time of year for looking at your space afresh. Of course there’s always benefit in reorganising their Tonies, but here are a few fun things to try that your Tonie fans can get involved in too. First up, we’ve got this clever dollhouse storage hack from @arnoldandthecaterpillar. Next, we’ve got this stylish (and cheap!) IKEA storage hack from @helenahomestyle. Don’t forget to share your storage snaps with us on Instagram @tonies_uk and use the hashtag #toniesregal to be featured!