A Yoto mini wearing a blue adventure jacket. The mini screen is showing a large wave

Yoto Mini Player Review UK

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The kids audio player that seems to be everywhere at the moment is the Yoto Mini Player. Whenever parents are asking for gift ideas it always seems to come up top. But is it really worth all the hype? We were sent a Yoto Mini to try out and see what if it really is as good as everyone claims.

The packaging for a Yoto mini player, adventure jacket and an array for Yoto cards

What Is A Yoto?

A Yoto player is a screen free way for kids to play music and stories (as well as educational and talking content, but more on that later!). It is a square box with a card slot on the top. In this slot children can play the card for the audio they would like and voila – on it comes!

In addition to audio cards, the Yoto can play Yoto radio or a daily podcast. The podcast changes daily and is a fun way to mix up what you’re listening to. On Halloween the podcast had a game of listening to spooky sounds and see how many you can count.

The front of the Yoto player has a mini screen. The image on this screen changes based on what you are listening to. For example – on Halloween it was a pumpkin for the podcast, when listening to a story card it changed to a wave.

A Yoto mini wearing a blue adventure jacket. The mini screen is showing a pumpkin

What is the difference between Yoto and Yoto Mini?

As the name would suggest, the Yoto mini is smaller than the original Yoto player. This was a huge appeal for us as I really wanted something that could travel with us. The Yoto Mini is just 7cm x 7cm x 4cm which makes it really compact.

Of course a smaller size isn’t always a benefit, it does mean that the digital display isn’t as big. However if you are aiming to reduce screen time then that is no big loss.

A boy holding a Yoto mini up above his head

The final difference between the Yoto and Yoto mini is how it is charged. The Yoto Mini uses a standard USB-C, whereas the Yoto sits on a special charging dock. For us the USB-C is a much more user friendly system as it means we can easily grab a replacement charger if we forget to take one with us. It also means you can plug it in to the USB port in the car if you need to charge on the go.

Does The Yoto Need Wifi?

My first concern when getting the Yoto was that I had to connect to to the wifi to set it up. The wifi is used to download the cards for the first time, however once a card has been connected once you don’t need the wifi again to use it.

Some of the other features like the radio and podcast do require wifi in order to access them. Not having access to these while out and about isn’t a huge deal breaker, but it is something to bear in mind. With that said – these can be listened to through the Yoto App if you’re in a pinch.

A boy lying on a bed looking down at a Yoto mini player. He is wearing blue headphones and his hand is reaching to touch the yellow card in the top

How Does The Yoto Mini Work?

When you first get the Yoto is it worth spending a few minutes setting it up – ideally before the kids get their hands on it. It needs charged and then connected to the wifi and the app. Then you are ready to go!

Each Yoto card can be slotted into the top, which downloads the content. These can then be changed and played over and over whenever and wherever they want.

A Yoto mini in a blue adventure jacket lying on a duvet

The left knob on the top of the Yoto changes the volume, and the right knob lets you skip tracks or move onto the next chapter. To stop the audio they just need to pull the card out of the Yoto. When the card it placed back in it will remember where they left off.

The right hand knob has shortcuts to help you access Yoto radio or other features with just a click. These can be personalised depending on what they like in the Yoto App.

Yoto App

The Yoto app is really useful for personalising your Yoto settings and accessing your stories on the go. There is a range of free Yoto content available on the app too.

Day & Night Settings

You can set the times that the Yoto enters day or night mode. Each mode allows you to control the maximum volume limit, display brightness and right button short cuts.

For us, the day mode shortcuts take us to the Yoto daily podcast and the Yoto radio. The night mode shortcuts are a tidy-up timer and a toothbrush timer. I’ve found them really useful for getting the boys moving in the evenings instead of dragging the heels about getting ready for bed. We like to race the tidy up timer to see if they can get their room tidy before the time is up.

Other shortcut options include Yoto Sleep Radio and a homework timer (30 minutes).

Optional Yoto Settings

You can adjust other optional player settings from within the app. I have found the option to limit the volume through headphones really useful to stop them damaging their ears by blaring it too loud.

You can also set modes such as battery saver, auto power off and blue-tooth paring.

Yoto Library

Your Yoto cards can be added to the Yoto app as well as played through the player. This is a HUGE plus for me, as having 2 kids sharing means they have been known to squabble. I can have one child listening to the Yoto and the other listening to the cards through my phone.

The cards can be scanned into the app with a quick tap and are then accessible when you want them. When playing the cards through the app you are have the choice to play them through your phone or through the player. I can see this being a really useful feature in the future if you’ve lost their favourite card or left it behind when you’re away on holiday.

Check out my top toddler holiday essentials for more tips for travelling with kids

Make Your Own Yoto Audio Card

Each Yoto comes with one blank card for you to set up with your own content (but you can buy more). From the app you can record or add your own audio and put together a more personal card.

I absolutely love this, and currently our make your own card is secretly being filled by my parents. They are leaving us after Christmas for a few months of travelling and the boys are really going to miss them. They are filling the card with stories for the boys to listen to at bedtime while they’re not here.

Within the App you can name each Make Your Own card and add icons to make it easier to tell them apart. Each card can have up to 100 tracks and a 1hr running time.

A boy lying on a bed looking down at a Yoto mini player. He is wearing blue headphones

Free Yoto Podcasts & Radio

One of the things that really sets Yoto apart from other audio players is the sheer volume of free content. Within the Library section of the Yoto App you can access a whole range of cards, podcasts and radio.

Free Yoto Cards

Within the “Discover” section you will find free content for your to try. Each of these audios can be added to one of your make your own cards so you can access them quickly.

There is a soundscapes lab full of different cards, such as a crackling fire, sleigh ride or a construction site.

Yoto Originals has short cards (around 5-10 minutes). Our favourite has been 97 1/2 Jokes For Big Kids – it had Zee in stitches.

There are also some card store snippets for you to have a bit of a “try before you buy” on some of the cards.

Can The Yoto Help Kids Get To Sleep?

Falling asleep is something that one of my kids finds really difficult. It can take hours for him to fully relax enough to fall asleep, and the longer it takes the more agitated he gets.

Yoto has a number of audio options dedicated to aiding sleep. You can select one of the free podcasts on bedtime stories, listen to the bedtime radio, listen to one of the sleep sounds (hair dryer or vacuum cleaner would be very useful for babies) or buy one of the many sleep related cards. Our favourite has been the Sleepy Tales card.

A screenshot of the Yoto app on the sleep sounds page

It is important to have screen free time before bed to help kids switch off, and listening to an audio book or sleep meditation is a great way to do that. Listening to the Yoto helps to encourage a calm and soothing atmosphere so they can drift off to sleep.

Here are more ways we use the Yoto to help wind down when things get a bit much

Do Yoto Cards Break Easily?

When I first heard that the Yoto uses cards I was a little skeptical about their durability. My kids can be a bit rough and I had visions of them bending and breaking easily.

According to the Yoto website the cards are made out of ABS and PETG which are two types of plastic. They are both very durable and hard wearing. So far we haven’t had any issues with my kids (4 and 6 years old), but with very young children you would have to be a little more careful.

2 Yoto cards on a white surface

What Age Is The Yoto Mini Suitable For?

The Yoto Mini is designed for children aged 3-12 years old, however I do think younger children would get plenty of enjoyment out of it too. The cards are sturdy and there is no choking hazard.

There are a huge range of cards to appeal to kids of all ages. Whether it’s Julia Donaldson or Roald Dahl they can change their card library over the years so they always have their favourites to hand.

Yoto cards fanned out on a white surface

How Long Is The Yoto Mini Battery Life?

For a device that is designed for use on the go it is really important to us that the battery life is sufficient. There’s nothing worse than heading out on a trip and then having the batteries die after just a couple of hours.

The Yoto mini has a battery life of 20 hours. This is above and beyond what I think we would ever realistically need. I really appreciate the extra buffer of charge incase we forget to charge it before heading out.

A yoto mini with a blue adventure jacket and wrist strap

Yoto Mini Accessories

There are a number of accessories available for the Yoto Mini. The only one I would say that you “need” is the Adventure Jacket. It is a silicone case that sits on your Yoto Mini and comes with a wrist strap to try and avoid the Yoto being dropped. The adventure jacket comes in 7 different colours and gives you some peace of mind that your Yoto Mini is as protected as it can be.

A boy holding up a yoto player by the wrist strap

The other great accessories you may want to consider are:

Yoto Club

The Yoto Club is a subscription service for Yoto cards. For £9.99 a month or £99 a year you can receive 2 new Yoto cards per month. Once you have chosen them you can listen immediately on the Yoto app and they will arrive in the post soon.

In addition to the 2 cards a month you also get 10% off everything on the website at all times and free shipping. The Yoto club subscription makes a great Christmas or birthday gift so they can keep enjoying new cards all year round.

A Yoto player lying on a grey pillow on a bed

What Makes The Yoto Mini Worth The Price?

In my opinion, the Yoto Mini is really affordable when you consider all the features. The range of usability is huge and there is literally something for everyone – I’ve even seen myself listening to Yoto Radio even when the kids aren’t around!

I love how easy it is to take the Yoto mini with us when we leave the house. The kids can listen in the car when we go on long trips, in bed for sleep meditations and it is so compact for taking on holiday so their bedtime routine won’t need to be disturbed.

A boy holding out a Yoto player in front of him

The huge range of Yoto cards are suitable from toddlers right up to tweens, so even though my kids are young now I know they will be getting use of it for years to come.

It doesn’t require the internet all the time, it is robust and, most importantly for us, it is a screen free activity that they can enjoy together. We do think the Yoto mini is worth the money and I can’t wait to see how their use of it grows and changes as they do.

Yoto Mini Discount Code

The Yoto Mini never goes on sale, but I’ve secured a Yoto discount code to give you 5% off a Yoto or Yoto Mini. Use the discount code AFF-ODDHOGG5 at the checkout and start enjoying your new Yoto.

Yoto Generation 3

You may have seen that Yoto have released a 3rd generation model. I have got my hands on one and am putting it through it’s paces so I can give you a full Yoto 3rd generation review very soon. In the mean time you can read more about it here.

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