With a two-hour daily commute to work, I was looking for a way to pass the time without doomscrolling on social media. Yoto Mini Player was on my shortlist as something to listen to.
The box contains a fancy orange USB-C charger, a safety information booklet, and a Get to know your Yoto Mini booklet.
You’ll need to set up your Yoto Mini. Download the Yoto app and follow the instructions to pair it with your phone. It is Bluetooth-enabled.
You’ll want to play the Welcome Card and listen to ten tips.
Pros
- The Yoto Mini is easy to use. There’s an on/off button on the side. There are two dials, with the left-hand one controlling the volume. Press the left button for the previous track and press the right button to skip to the next track.
- Lightweight and compact size is great for small spaces and travel.
- No microphone. No camera. No ads.
- Listen to family-friendly radio channels.
- Free white noise and sleep sounds.
Cons
- If you’re using the app on your mobile phone, it doesn’t remember where you stopped it last. I would have liked to read the lyrics or a transcript.
- The battery life could be better.
I would have preferred the standard music player buttons. The orange accessories are on brand and fun, but I’d prefer blue headphones and a carry case.
Make Your Own Cards
You can make your own cards by downloading audio files from the web. You can create a playlist with up to 100 tracks in an MP4 or MPEG-4 audio format.
There are plenty of ways to decorate your player cards and store them.
There are groups online where you can buy and swap Yoto cards that your kids might have outgrown.
Suitable for children aged 3 to 12 plus. Adults may envy their kids Yoto’s and long for more music cards.
Yoto Mini’s compact size makes it perfect for road trips, flights and play dates.
About Yoto Mini Player
Inspired by Montessori principles, Ben Drury and Filip Denker founded Yoto in 2017. The very first Yoto Player launched on Kickstarter, then promptly sold out in 2019. The second-generation Yoto Player was designed with renowned design agency, Pentagram and launched in early 2020.
With major markets in the UK, North America, Canada and France, Yoto launched in Australia in July 2024. TIME Magazine named Yoto Player one of the Best Inventions of 2020, and Yoto Mini and Yoto Player (3rd Generation) have both been awarded a prestigious D&AD Pencils.
Yoto’s platform features both award-winning original content and audio that has been licensed or co-created with partners. These partners include Penguin Random House, Universal Music Group, Macmillan, Sony Music, Disney, Roald Dahl Story Company, HarperCollins, Hachette, Viacom, Bonnier and Scholastic.