Kids shouldn’t be given screens whenever they have tantrums. Meltdowns are a parent’s nightmare so to avoid such, more often than not, most parents just bring out their phones or tablets to play videos for the kids to watch. Perhaps you have promised yourself you’d never let your baby use a gadget before he’s two but like many parents we know, you’ve already given into the temptation which can very well be a convenience for some adults.
For a change, why not do something different. Instead of screen time, set a music time where the children can be on their own to just listen to music. Kids are visual but they can also be looking for sensory activities. The Yoto Mini is a small audio player that gives kids the experience of having something like a CD player from your youth. This device offers audio playback of kid-friendly tunes to entertain the youngsters.
Designer: Pentagram
Sure, there’s Spotify and YouTube but before the world gets really modernized and taken over by robots and computers, let’s allow the children experience regular things like we used to. The Yoto Mini is a little companion for your little one that will be useful, especially during long trips or boring hours. It looks like a toy but it packs a powerful audio experience the children can appreciate.
The Yoto Mini is a follow-up to the Yoto Player introduced by Pentagram. The latter is a design studio that offers more personalized service as the company owners are also the designers themselves. Pentagram has worked on the Yoto Play to be smaller and more affordable. The device also uses the Yoto platform that is now more accessible by a wider audience, specifically, the kids.
This Yoto Mini appears to be the same shape and color as an older iPhone charger—the square one. It can be protected by a colored silicone jacket with a lanyard so the kids can bring them anywhere. With the cover, the Yoto Mini is protected, safe, and made more portable as it is easier to carry.
In front, there are two kid-friendly knobs, speaker holes, plus a small round screen called a pixel display that shows the time and icons. It offers Bluetooth connectivity, USB-C, and a clock. This one doesn’t take voice commands as there are no mics or a camera. It’s purely an audio player so you are guaranteed less distraction.
No ads will be served so there really is no unnecessary airtime. Kids will simply hear songs or audiobooks that are age-appropriate. The children can also use the Yoto Mini to meditate, relax, learn, or get to sleep. Just insert a card of your choice to listen to as there are plenty of choices. The icons on the pixel display will change. You can choose the track from an album by turning on the right knob. The left button changes the volume level.
If we had the Walkman and the CD players from decades ago, your kids have the Yoto Mini. They can also listen to the Yoto Daily podcast where they can learn new facts, hear jokes, and play games. Just press on the right knob to change the settings.
