The Yoto Player | One Mom’s journey to no screen time.
Oh how I have longed for a space to write things about my own life.
So i’m making one.
Tahegri is going to be a blog that’s all things kids, home, life, struggle, lessons and hopefully…. joy and wonder.
First up, my review of the Yoto Player.
We recently purchased a Yoto player (and about a zillion cards for it) as a way to totally replace screen time. We got rid of regular, everyday cartoon watching and instead, we are reading. Or listening, rather, on the Yoto player. For context, my kids are 5 and 7, so on the younger side, but old enough to both enjoy many of the chapter book options, as well as song cards.
This is a kids audio device that allows you to use their little cards (think the stiffness and quality of a credit card) to play all kinds of audio content.
Books, music, meditations, sound effects (crackling fire is a card, and it’s as amazing as it sounds) and even Yoto Radio. The radio station is built in and accessible by pressing one of the top buttons, so it’s always on the ready.
This thing is a game changer. Can I say that again, A GAME CHANGER.
We have listened to numerous Roald Dahl stories, Heidi, classic fairy tales, meditations. Amazing.
Specifically at bedtime, this thing comes in REALLY handy. The daytime radio station, turns into nighttime radio. AND, parents get to choose what time it switches over! For us, it switches at 6:30PM because my kids go to bed at 7:30PM. We also have a bunch of nighttime meditations, sleep sounds and other cards that the kiddos sometimes like to choose from as well. It’s totally up to them. They design their part of their bedtime routine, and it definitely helps them feel in control and included.
The Yoto player can also lay face down at night, and there is a nightlight ring around the back that turns on. The color of the light can be changed VIA the app on a parents cell phone, which is good. It kind of keeps them from messing with it constantly, which my kids totally would.
Another neat feature, are the custom cards! You can upload and link any custom audio to these cards, and MAN is it fun! We have recorded us singing bedtime songs (one recording my son even snuck in the word “poop” and the rest of the track is just us laughing.) and our own readings of books. The kids even made up their own stories to record one day, and drew pictures to accompany them.
It was awesome.
This device has become a staple in our home, and if y’all have any other questions about it lmk. I have so many thoughts about ways to use the Yoto. I love it!
