BUILD 001

The story box

~€24 in parts · print 7.5 h · build one evening · ages 3+

We have a Toniebox. I got tired of paying €20 per figure, so I built the open version. Kid taps a printed card on the box, a story plays. No app, no subscription, no screen. Mine has survived eleven months of bedtime, which is longer than most of my purchases.

What's in the Build Sheet

01STL files, ready to slice, no supports
02Priced bill of materials with shop links
03Wiring diagram, all seven connections
04Firmware, ready to flash
05The exact AI prompts that wrote the code

⚠ SAFETY, BY DESIGNAges 3+. RFID cards are a choking size for under-3s. Glue the case shut if your kid is a dismantler. Full note in the Build Sheet.

Parts, priced

PART	EST.
ESP32 dev board	€ 6.50
RC522 RFID reader	€ 3.20
DFPlayer Mini + SD card	€ 7.80

+ 4 more parts · TOTAL ~€24full list in the Build Sheet ↓full list in the Build Sheet ↑

Get the Build Sheet

Everything above, in your inbox, free. That's the whole deal.

Questions dads ask

Is it safe for a toddler?

Ages 3 and up as built. The cards are a choking size for under-3s, and the sheet flags every small part. You are the safety officer.

What does it really cost?

About €24 in parts if you order from the linked shops, plus roughly 180 g of PLA. Every line in the BOM has a real price next to it.

I've never soldered.

You don't have to. All seven connections are dupont jumper wires. The diagram shows every one.

Can I skip the AI part?

Yes. The firmware comes ready to flash. The prompts are there so you can change how it works, not because you have to.