In a world full of noisy tech, endless notifications and addictive scrolling, it’s challenging to find entertainment that’s truly freeing. So, when something comes along that nurtures focus and creativity in kids at the same time, it’s highly welcome in our household. Enter the Yoto Mini: a clever, palm-sized audio player designed to give children independence in the happiest of ways. From its cheerful, slightly retro design to the simple magic of Yoto Cards, this little device redefines entertainment for kids. It’s not just about keeping them occupied; it’s about giving them freedom over what they listen to and sparking their imagination along the way.
For this review, we’re focusing only on the Yoto Mini, as tested by my two kids, ages five and nine. The Mini is a charmingly compact player and the smaller sibling to the original Yoto Player. At the point of writing this, the Yoto Mini has already been around for a long while. That said, I meet parents all the time who haven’t yet tried one.
In a nutshell, the Yoto Mini is a Wi-Fi-enabled portable player that fits snugly in a child’s hand. Its lightweight build and soft, rounded edges make it perfect for carrying around on the go. No touch screens or fiddly menus, just press and listen; and despite its simplicity, the build is sturdy and robust enough to survive an accidental drop or two.
Alongside our two players, we purchased two silicone cases, which Yoto calls the Mini Adventure Jacket; these come in a range of options (we chose Frog Soup and Blue Bird). They do a great job of keeping the player safe and help the kids tell their players apart, since all the Mini’s come in one shade of grey.
Screen-Free Magic: Letting Audio Take Centre Stage
For parents keen to curb screen time, this player is a breath of fresh air. For kids, it’s a chance to get away from screens and explore audiobooks, music, podcasts, and more. Combine this with the tactile nature of the cards (that slot neatly into the top), and it adds an element of retro charm.
There’s something so freeing about seeing your child immersed in their player. The stories resemble Audible books, which do all the heavy lifting, conjuring up characters, landscapes, and adventures. For younger kids, it’s a chance to build their attention spans and focus, while older ones can explore audio content independently, developing their tastes along the way.
And for parents? Knowing their kids aren’t disappearing down the rabbit hole of autoplay videos or questionable YouTube content is very reassuring. Instead, the Yoto Mini encourages thoughtful engagement and independence. My kids spend each morning listening to Yoto Daily (a free podcast for kids narrated by Yoto’s presenter, Jake), and they’re forever telling me interesting facts about the world. It’s become a household staple now which I also look forward to hearing.
The Yoto App and Cards
Powering the player is the Yoto app. Available on iOS (which we tested on) and Android, it’s where everything starts — whether you’re curating content or managing settings.
The app allows parents to adjust volume limits, which is especially handy for nighttime; you can also check the battery, and set up bedtime audio routines and timers. There’s a wealth of content, some free and some paid. There are classic tales from Roald Dahl to The Gruffalo and Harry Potter, and for older kids, the Percy Jackson series, Chronicles of Narnia and music compilations from The Beatles, Queen, and Bob Marley. If you’re looking for educational tools, there are also science and natural world podcasts that our kids have been using often; there’s something for every child’s mood and curiosity. There’s also a whole range of sleep noises ranging from rain, to train, camping and household noises. There’s even a sleep radio (which is free), and it works wonders at bedtime.
The main sections of the app are the ‘Library’ where all purchased and saved media is stored, a ‘Create’ tab that lets you make playlists and manage recordings, and a ‘Discover’ tab where Yoto often run seasonal features such as their 24 Days of Yoto at Christmas (a kind of advent calendar for audio where kids get to explore a new addition each day).
“I like my player as I can listen to Yoto Daily, which gives interesting facts, and listen to stories and music. It makes me feel happy.”
— Hari, Age 5.
Make You Own: Playful and Personal
What makes the Yoto Mini shine is its use of physical cards, which gives kids a sense of ownership as their collection grows. Each card holds a different piece of content, whether it’s an audiobook, an album, or an educational series. Slide a card into the player, and the audio begins.
But here’s where it gets really interesting: Yoto sell Make Your Own Cards. Blank cards, which are available for purchase (we bought 10 initially), and through the Yoto app, you can load them with anything from your child’s favourite music to audiobooks or personal recordings. Uploading an MP3 file through the Yoto app is easy. Each card can hold 500mb of data, so there’s plenty of room for around 5-8 large albums or a couple of audiobooks per card (note, the files aren’t actually on the card itself, they’re downloaded to the player and the card activates them). This feature makes the Yoto Mini more than just a gadget. It’s a portable library of family favourites, memories and a creative outlet all rolled into one. The cards are customisable with stickers and also take art pretty well, so ours are covered in various scribbles, which adds to the charm.
“Kids’ radio gives you a lot of different music choices. I like that I can also make my own playlists and add them to the Yoto cards.”
— Mila, Age 9.
Yoto’s Wireless Headphones
As a family that goes on regular trips, the sound of two players blasting out in the backseats on a long journey isn’t a great option, so we bought two sets of headphones from Yoto, which work via Bluetooth. This was a great decision as it gave the kids their listening space and some quiet time for us too. Having tested them, they produce a good, safe sound level for kids aged 3+, and the battery life lasts long enough for all-day use (14 hours). A quick charge for a few hours puts them back to full capacity.
Our Final Thoughts
Whether you read the review or skipped to the end (we know some of you guys will), the takeaway should be that Yoto has nailed this idea. From the very first unboxing to the app, the entire experience has been a pleasure, and if you’re in doubt about getting a Yoto Mini, rest assured this is an excellent bit of kit.
- What We Like: The build quality is very high, and the freedom Yoto gives a child is refreshing. It’s great to train younger kids away from screens, and older kids have lots of podcasts to explore (our 9-year-old loves these, and they’re free, which is a bonus). It’s a real memory maker, a great teacher and helps kids engage with the world in a way that’s rare in today’s busy environments.
- What to Consider: The cards are roughly the same cost as an Audible book, or sometimes even a physical book, but you’re buying an experience and memory for your child, which is worth the extra cost. Occasionally, the players can be temperamental, we’ve experienced glitches and Bluetooth headphones connecting to the wrong player (only an issue if you’ve more than one), but this issue is usually an easy fix with a quick reset.
Finally, where to buy? We got ours directly from Yoto, which was a great choice as their customer service has been brilliant. The players are often on sale in various stores online, but we cannot rate Yoto highly enough.
