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The Yoto Player: Product Review

The Yoto Player – Screen Free Storytelling and More

We bought a Yoto Player* for our daughter for Christmas as we wanted to reduce screen time and encourage her love of reading. My older daughter used to listen to story CD’s and this is an even better version of that as some stories are a few hours long. The range of stories available is vast. From classic stories to modern Disney films. I can thoroughly recommend it but read on if you want to know why.

Introducing the Yoto Player, a screen-free audio player designed specifically for kids. With no microphone, camera, or adverts, this small box-shaped device offers a unique audio experience. The concept is simple: just insert a credit card-sized card called a Yoto Card into the slot on top of the player. This card will download audio books, songs, stories, or any other audio files onto the Yoto Player, allowing kids to listen to their favorite content whenever they want.

The new Yoto Player goes beyond audio playback. It features a nightlight function, a clock with sleep trainer settings (including an “ok-to-wake” feature), and a handy room thermometer. Additionally, each Yoto Player comes with a Make Your Own card, enabling users to add their own audio content via the accompanying app.

To expand your audio library, you can purchase more Yoto Cards from the online store. Alternatively, there is plenty of free content available, including sleep sounds like white noise and a daily podcast. Plus, you have the opportunity to join the Yoto Space community, where Yoto users come together to share original content and ideas.

Controlling the Yoto Player is a breeze. Two small knobs on the top of the device allow you to adjust the volume or nightlight brightness, navigate through the track listing, and power the player on and off. With its simple and quirky design, the Yoto Player is incredibly user-friendly for children of all ages.

Yoto player SEN children review

Yoto Player Features

Whilst I said we wanted to reduce screen time the Yoto player actually has a small screen that can show the weather and the time as well as small pixelated representations of the story it is playing. It is rechargeable and can be taken in the car. It connects to the internet to enable it to be controlled by the app. Your child has no need of the app if you want to use it in offline mode. If you just wanted to use the cards you don’t need the internet after the initial set up.

Yoto player SEN children product review

Each story comes loaded onto credit card sized cards that for young children used to apps are nicely tangible. Easy to store and use, these are pretty tough and safe for children to handle.

Yoto Added Value

Podcasts

The Yoto player has a great range of curated, child friendly podcasts that are suitable from 3-8 year olds. These are updates frequently and feature some popular characters including CBBC and more.

Record You Own Story

This is brilliant for those parents who may be there to read their child a story every night. Use the app on your phone and send the recording to the card in the Yoto player. You could even use one of my Sensory Stories!

Yoto player SEN children review record your own stories for free

Sleep Sounds

One of the features of the Yoto Player I didn’t expect was the sleep sounds function. This has options for White noise, Pink noise, and Brown noises as well as weather sounds etc. This is brilliant as a dedicated noise machine with good sound quality is not cheap. You can use it for helping with Sensory Processing Disorder during the day.

Phonics Lessons

The last feature I want to talk about is the available Phonics cards* and sounds set. This is great for reinforcing what is being taught at school.

The pack includes 7 cards with exercises which will play at random to keep your child’s ears and mind engaged. Also included is a guide to Phonics with imagery to assist with some of the exercises.

  • What’s That Sound? – This card develops your child’s environmental awareness and listening skills by having them distinguish between sounds from daily life – from a dog barking to the sound of a lawnmower.
  • What’s That Instrument? – This card asks your child to identify the different sounds instruments make.
  • Body Beats – This card develops your child’s ability to copy sounds and rhythms. Identifying and copying patterns is key to kids’ social and intellectual development.
  • Rhythm & Rhyme – This card helps your child recognise that some words rhyme and encourage them to find pairs of rhyming words.
  • Tongue Testers – This card introduces your child to alliteration.
  • Make That Sound – This card encourages children to use their mouths to make fun sounds. Making different vocal sounds develops children’s pronunciation confidence and awareness of the many sounds that make up speech.
  • Make That Word – This card introduces your child to blending and segmenting. This is the final step before entering the more formal aspects of learning to read.

*Denotes affiliate links that will pay us a very small commision from amazon at no additional cost to you. This helps contribute to the hosting costs.

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