Yoto for the Win: Our Favorite Audio Tool and Tips to Keep it Affordable

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For years, I had heard about the Yoto play on and off from blogs and social media. I was intrigued, but honestly, it seemed like a lot of money to spend.

Couldn’t we just listen to audiobooks on the bluetooth speaker? Well, we sure could. And we used this method for a long time. However, it became difficult to find content everyone wanted to listen to or for the kids to use it during quiet time.

Then, I noticed that Yoto had the mini’s (which are more portable and individual) than the larger Yoto. So, we decided to grab some for the kids for their Christmas gift last year.

And it has been one of the best decisions ever. Well, you know, as far as buying toys goes—ha!) Even almost a year later, they are still used every single day. Besides LEGO and magnetic tiles, it is the most used and loved “toy” in our house. Plus, they’ve gone on roadtrips, airplanes, and day trips with us :)

Here’s what I love about them:

  • Portable and pretty solid (they’ve been dropped a lot and haven’t broken yet)

  • Easy to use for the kids (no fancy lights, buttons, etc). I like that it takes away the distraction to just monkey with the buttons

  • Everyone can choose audio content they enjoy (and they’ll often enjoy it together too)

  • Can use it for learning and school

  • Gives the kids a screen-free option

What I don’t love:

  • They are small and can get lost easily if the kids aren’t paying attention to where they put it (which has happened many times…)

  • The cost of new content was a bit of surprise for me (but I’ve learned ways to keep it affordable—scroll down for ways I’ve helped keep costs down!)

  • The Yoto club has been good for getting started, but I’m finding less and less options we like as time goes on.

Next, I’ll share some of my favorite ways to get audio content:

Yoto’s Website and Club:

This is the simplest way to get new cards, but the costs can add up. It’s $10 per month for two cards and free shipping—which I think is a great deal if you are just starting. Right now, I plan to do a few more months of the club and then cancel since we have most of the cards I’m interested in. They only offer a certain selection for the club members.

Still, Yoto has a great library of titles that aren’t part of the club. Here are some of our favorites that we have in our home (most of these we’ve gotten through the club). This is not a list of all the cards we have, but I’m just picking our favorites :)

Stories and books:

Music:

Buying the Yoto cards directly is definitely the most convenient, but it is not always the most affordable way to get Yoto cards. What we do most of the time is use the blank Yoto cards to make our own cards. I don’t have a lot of blank cards (just one pack of 10), but I can remove the old content and put on new content very easily. There are a lot of tutorials for how to make your own cards online. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel like you are bringing back those days of burning CDs in your dorm room ;)

A few tips for making your own cards:

  • Have a “library card” for each kiddo. I have a card for each of my boys and they can use it to put on any content from our audio library.

  • I sometimes use vinyl printer paper to make my own labels for cards. But I’m often lazy, so I just put a piece of tape on the card and write the title on there with a sharpie.

My favorite resources for getting audio content for the cards are these places:

  • Momma Bear Audio: I love this monthly subscription for fresh (and wholesome!) content for Yoto every month. It’s super affordable (just 2.99 per month). Plus, if you use this code: COLORANDKINDNESS10 you’ll get 10% off monthly or yearly subscriptions. Ps. I am an affiliate—but because I truly love the content!

  • Libro. I have gotten a lot of content for a much lower price than Yoto. For example, I’ve gotten deals on the entire Narnia collection, Henry Huggins, etc. I find a lot through Libro, so I do have a subscription. But you do not need a subscription to purchase on their site. Ps. You can use this link to start a membership and get a free audiobook. The memberships can be canceled at any time. So, even if you don’t continue using it, you still get one free download ;) I’ve also used Downpour to find affordable content. Both Libro and Downpour make it easy to download the audiobooks and add them to your Yoto library.

  • Podcasts. Hands down, these are such an easy way to get quality audio for FREE! You can link the RSS feed and put it on a card. And suddenly, you have hours of content without paying a dime.

Here are a few favorites from other resources:

All in all, the Yoto player has been a much loved item in our home. For me, the biggest downside is the cost of new content, but there are definitely ways to keep it more affordable if you are creative and keep on the lookout for good deals. Plus, Yoto cards have excellent resell value, so you can sell them and use the funds to order new ones (I’ve done this through Facebook Yoto card selling groups).

However, there are many ways to add audiobooks into rotation at home—so this is definitely not the only way (nor the best way for your family). Ultimately, do what works best for your family and budget :)