Review: The Yoto Mini Is Great But Can It Swim?

Let me set the scene: It’s a normal weekday evening and we’re trying to wind everyone down. Bedtime has been a struggle for our 3-year-old daughter, like it is for many kids. To help, we’re trying to create a new routine and tried adding the Yoto Mini because it’s been so helpful in other contexts.

We try the Yoto as part of potty time and I’m not sure what happened next. I just know that moments later there was a splash. Then tears and wails about the loss of Sesame Street.

I panic, grab it out of the toilet and start Google how to dry it out. Answers are not forthcoming and I break out sanitizing wipes, a healthy dose of shaking and a hair dryer. In a positive sign, it was still playing when I pulled it out of the toilet. And, I remembered the app, that was kind of a pain to set up, could still play all the same content.

The cute little device is now drying out next to a heater vent but I’m not sure if it will make it or be the same.

This - and the concern I still feel two days later - is a perfect encapsulation of how this little device has become integrated in our lives.

3 month update: the Yoto still works! However, there is a recall for older Yoto mini models due to a battery issue. It sounds like the problem has been fixed in 2024 models.

Love at First Sight (Sort Of)

When we first got the Yoto Mini, I was immediately charmed. It’s a cute, kid-friendly audio player that’s a little retro, a little futuristic, and designed to be almost totally screen-free. There’s just a small screen big enough for a character’s face on the bottom right. My kid was excited too, immediately claiming it as her own and diving in.

But then came the app setup—a potentially skippable chore that sucked a bit of the joy out of the unboxing moment. The app is sleek, well-designed, and probably matching us to an advertising data set to better identify us. It was a bit of a buzzkill, but we pushed through, uploaded some content from the cards we purchased, and set the whole thing up.

We also struggled with the Wifi connection and we’re still not sure if it needs to be connected to play the radio on the go.

But the next day, something magical happened. Our daughter picked the Yoto up again. Without our nudging, without our assistance, she just started doing things. Playing cards, exploring buttons, and wandering around the house happily listening to Daniel Tiger stories. It quickly became her go-to companion. She didn’t even want to put it down to go to school.

And, it turns out the app we struggled with is helpful when the Yoto is out of battery or falls in a toilet.

From Sesame Street Meltdowns to Cartography

The Yoto Mini quickly replaced screens for certain moments. After one potentially overstimulating Sesame Street session on the TV while we made dinner, and when nothing else seemed to work, I handed her the Yoto. It was like hitting the reset button.

She loves the Yoto Radio function (though navigating back to it is a bit tricky) and started engaging with its surprisingly creative content.

At one point, she listened to a guided activity that asked her to draw a map of our house—complete with discussions about cartography, perspective, and intention. Suddenly, we were debating the best walking paths versus boating routes in imaginary worlds. Another card led to a game where she had to say "sausages" in response to prompts from the speaker without laughing, a challenge that predictably sent her into giggles.

Each of these moments usually spawned a game or imaginary play when we were done listening. Sometimes she wanted to be Oscar The Grouch or ride the trolley like Daniel Tiger.

And the music? It’s a hit. We’ve adjusted the max volume in the app (it can get a bit loud), and she’s fallen in love with headphones: “I can listen, and nobody else can hear!” she declared at one point.

The device is about $70, though I think we found a discount and paid less, the cards of content are about $7 and there are a few subscription options that we haven’t dug into yet. Her grandparents are excited to buy her cards and record messages and stories on blank cards. There’s also the excellent Yoto original content that’s free on the player. The whole thing isn’t cheap, but fit perfectly into moments where content consumption made sense, but we didn’t want a screen.

The Splash Heard Round the House

A month later, the Yoto Mini had cemented itself as a cornerstone of our lives. It was the perfect tool for quiet moments, a substitute for screen time, and a catalyst for creativity. It was helpful and valuable enough that we tried adding it to bedtime - a moment where we’ve struggled.

The wails of despair were immediate and heartfelt. I tried to stay calm as I retrieved it, patting it dry like a soggy pet. I’ve already decided we’ll buy another one. That’s how good it is—it’s worth the re-purchase.

In the meantime, the app has come to the rescue, and Sesame Street is back in rotation. But the house feels quieter without the little Yoto Mini roaming around, narrating adventures and serenading us with songs.

Final Thoughts: Worth the Hype?

Yes, the Yoto Mini has quirks. The WiFi mystery (do we need it for on-the-go listening?) and the slightly clunky setup were worth it for a device that gets my kid wandering, thinking, and giggling in ways that are distinctly different than screen-forward consumption experiences.

If a gadget can survive being dropped in the toilet, metaphorically speaking, and still feel like a must-have, that’s saying something. And soon, we’ll know if the device survived the toilet - an even more impressive feat.

Until then, we’ll be listening to Daniel Tiger and Yoto Radio through the app—just without the charm of that tiny nearly screen-free box.