Yoto

Yoto: screen-free audio for childhood

Yoto is an audio platform aimed at children that combines physical players with content cards. Its approach focuses on offering a safe, child-controlled listening experience without screens. The company sells the Yoto Player and Yoto Mini players, along with a catalog of over 1,000 titles on cards (Yoto Cards) covering stories, music, podcasts, activities and their own recordings.

Yoto players: models and features

The company offers two main lines of players, each with different generations. The Yoto Player is designed for home and family use, while the Yoto Mini prioritizes portability and durability for travel. Both play Yoto Cards and playlists created using the Green Button.

• Yoto Player 4th Gen: an all-in-one model for family life, with acoustically engineered stereo sound, full-panel night light, sleep sounds and access to playlists via the Green Button. The company indicated an estimated dispatch date from October 15.
• Yoto Player 3rd Gen: a classic player for listening at home, with stereo sound, Yoto Card playback and night light.
• Yoto Mini 4th Gen: a portable player with Green Button playlists, water and dust resistant (IP67). The company indicated an estimated dispatch date from September 30.
• Yoto Mini 2024 Edition: a portable player with a travel-friendly design, Yoto Card playback and up to 14 hours of battery life.

The Green Button and day and night modes

The 4th Gen models include a Green Button that lets children access their favorite content without inserting a card. It works by twisting to browse titles, seeing the artwork on the display and pressing to play or pause. A long press ejects the audio and returns to the clock; a press when no audio is playing plays the first title in the corresponding list.

There are two playlists: one for daytime and one for nighttime, each holding up to 20 titles. By default, the daytime playlist includes Yoto Daily and Yoto Radio, while the nighttime playlist includes Yoto Sleep Radio. Adults can customize both playlists from the Yoto App, adding audio from their library: stories, music, podcasts, radio stations, soundscapes, timers, sleep sounds and their own recordings. Compatible audio is downloaded to the player for offline listening; some content, such as radio stations and podcasts, requires an internet connection for streaming.

Content catalog: Yoto Cards

The Yoto Cards catalog has over 1,000 titles and is organized by age (0-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9+ years) and by genre. Available categories include music and songs, favorite characters, classics, learning and education, sleep and bedtime, activities, action and adventure stories, animal stories, mindfulness and movement, history and biography, fairy tales, fantasy, as well as a selection of independent creators and Yoto Originals.

The catalog includes brands and franchises such as Disney, Ladybird, Paw Patrol, Frozen, Peppa Pig, The Magic Treehouse, Kidz Bop, Roald Dahl, Harry Potter, Marvel, Daniel Tiger, Narnia, Sesame and Bluey, among others. The company also offers the ability to create your own cards (Make Your Own) and digital cards.

Recommended ages and design to grow with your child

Yoto is designed to grow with your child, from their toddler years right through to their teens. Yoto Mini and Yoto Player are suitable for children ages 3 and up; younger children can listen with an adult supervising and handling the device. For the early years, the catalog includes nursery rhymes, music and well-known characters such as Julia Donaldson, Disney and Winnie-the-Pooh. As they grow, they can access longer stories from authors like Roald Dahl or the world of Harry Potter, along with music from artists they love.

Features for family routines

The players include features designed to fit into family life. Podcasts can get mornings going, while stories and music fill afternoons. For bedtime, Yoto offers calming sounds and toothbrush timers; the Yoto Player 4th Gen adds a full-panel night light. In addition, okay-to-wake cues signal when it's morning, which helps regulate rest and waking up.

Shipping, guarantee and payment methods

The company offers free shipping in the United States for orders over $40 and ships worldwide. Payments can be split with Klarna. Yoto accepts free returns within 60 days of purchase and backs its products with a 2-year guarantee.

Compatibility and platform updates

Almost all Yoto Cards work with Yoto Player 4th Gen and Yoto Mini 4th Gen. The first time you play a card, make sure your player is connected to Wi-Fi so the audio can be downloaded. The company notes that interactive card compatibility is coming soon and that 4th Gen players run on an all-new platform, so a few features aren't available just yet. The company states that it is working to make them available as soon as possible.

The 4th Gen models include internal improvements based on feedback from the community of Yoto families: faster audio downloads, more responsive interactions and improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for connecting to the Yoto App and Bluetooth headphones. The company indicates that the new technology will allow new features and enhancements to be developed over time.