Why We Chose to Invest in the Yoto Player (+3 Ways We Adapt It for Catholic Content and Homeschooling)

As it grows in popularity, more families are hearing about the Yoto Player—a screen-free audio device designed for kids. While I’m usually a bit hesitant to jump on any new trend, I found that the Yoto Player truly checks a lot of boxes for our family. After carefully considering what we were looking for and whether it would be a good use of our resources, we decided to give it a try. Now, a year later, I can honestly say it’s been well worth the time and financial investment for the value it’s brought to our home.

This post isn’t sponsored—just a heartfelt recommendation of something that’s genuinely served our family well.

Why We Chose the Yoto

I first heard of the Yoto from a friend, and I was instantly intrigued. I’ve shared before how important read-alouds are to our homeschool, but with five young children, it can be tough to read to everyone’s interests and find time in the day for all the books we’d love to get to.

We had already tried using a cassette player with children's tapes that I had come across, but the tape inevitably got pulled out. We also had a growing collection of audiobooks on CD from library sales, but shiny discs and curious toddlers don’t mix well—many ended up scratched or broken. That’s when it hit me: the Yoto is really just this generation’s version of the audiobook cassettes and CDs I grew up loving.

There are a few kid-focused audio devices on the market, even a newer Faith based one we might look into in the future! While we were considering the options available at the time, there were a few key features that ultimately led us to purchase a Yoto.

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Features That Sold Us on the Yoto

🎧 Versatility:

The Yoto platform allows you to purchase audio cards, and upload your own content or link to podcasts. This was essential for me—it meant I could curate the content we wanted while staying within budget. It also keeps the device relevant for a wide range of ages.

📇 Cards:

I wanted a system my children could use independently. Yoto has durable, credit-card-sized audio cards. You can buy pre-made ones or create your own using blank “Make Your Own” (MYO) cards that play custom content when inserted. And unlike CDs, they’re practically indestructible!

📶 Offline Use:

Once a card’s content is downloaded, it plays without needing Wi-Fi—perfect for road trips or when our rural internet isn’t cooperating. This gives the kids more freedom to use it on their own without needing constant oversight.

🔊 Bluetooth Capability:

Another big selling point: the Yoto Player also works as a Bluetooth speaker. I frequently used to play audiobooks from the library app on my phone, so having a high-quality Bluetooth speaker was already on my wishlist. The Yoto’s audio quality (on the full-sized version) is comparable to a solid standalone speaker. While I am shifting to content that can be added directly to the Yoto ‘library’, its still a nice backup to be able to play free library audiobooks via bluetooth or stream music from my phone through the Yoto.

📱 App Access:

Some similar devices only allow control through a parent’s app, but with Yoto, I can stream content directly from the app to our car speakers or use it while out and about—no need to bring the device itself.

⏰ Routines & Clock Functions:

Besides being an audio player, the Yoto creators took into account a lot of other considerations parents are looking for and thoughtfully combined them into this one single device. It also functions as a clock with visual and audio alarms (great for signaling clean-up time, school blocks, or bedtime), a nightlight with sleep sounds, and an “okay-to-wake” function that changes color at designated times. These features have been a great support for rhythm and routine in our home.

👧 Kid-Friendly Design:

People often ask, “Why not just use an MP3 player or iPod?”. While we still have a classic ipod kicking around in a drawer somewhere, the process of managing the content, syncing files, and keeping the devices charged and functional isn't a very practical solution for our family at this stage. Most MP3 players aren’t built with younger children in mind, often require headphones, and break easily, and the kids wouldn’t be able to reliable navigate it on their own. While this may still be a good option for middle schoolers, the Yoto is intentionally designed for younger children to use confidently and independently—perfect for our season of life.

How We Adapt It for Catholic Homeschooling

While Yoto isn't a faith-based platform, we've found it incredibly helpful in our Catholic homeschool—especially during these preschool and elementary years. Here's how we use it to support both faith formation and learning:

1. Make Your Own

Yoto's MYO system lets you upload or record your own audio files and play them on blank Yoto cards. This has been a game-changer for us—both budget-friendly and flexible! Because of this function we have been able to:

• Upload content: Any MP3 downloadable content that you own can be used to make MYO playlists.

• Rip CDs: Remember that CD collection I said we had? I was able to rip those and put the content in our Yoto library as well. This included numerous literary pieces, as well as classical music, Gregorian Chant, and liturgical hymns that we use throughout the year.

• Yoto space- this is a community space sponsored by Yoto in a separate app where people share non-copyrighted audio. Many books that are in the public domain are available here for free, including Thornton burgess, Peter Rabbit, Aesop's Fables, etc.

While the process can seem initially overwhelming, I was surprised how simple it was once I got started. Here is a helpful step by step guide for making your first MYO cards.

2. Podcasts

There are so many wonderful Catholic podcasts for children! You can link podcast RSS feeds through the Yoto app and either play them directly or assign them to MYO cards for the kids to use freely. A few of our favorites are:

-Saints alive

-The Merry Beggars

Catholic Sprouts

Cuddle up

These are such a beautiful, effortless way to bring faith into our day-to-day listening.

3. Your Own Recordings

Technically this still falls under the MYO category, but it’s such a unique and personal way to use the Yoto that I think it deserves its own mention. I’ll Record myself reading books to the kids that I know they will want to listen to repeatedly. Sometimes this is just a picture book or a favorite story, but frequently it's enriching content that is not accessible in audio format. Bonus - this is a completely free way to build your Yoto library!

This is how we made a good portion of our Faith related content and built our collection of saint stories, Catechism Q&As, and Devotionals for First Communion prep. We simply read them together and record while we do so. The kids love hearing themselves ask questions and talk about the content on the recording, so we don't worry about making it uninterrupted or professional quality. It actually adds to the appeal to them for it to be more casual!

Final Thoughts

While we still prioritize reading together as a family, the Yoto has been a helpful tool for building independence, supporting our homeschool rhythm, and filling in the gaps when we can’t read everything ourselves.

We use it:

-At nap time and bedtime as a calming transition

-On car rides

-During quiet time or while doing quite activities

-As a peaceful, screen-free alternative to TV

-To bring beautiful, faith-filled content into our day

At the end of the day, our goal isn’t just to find the perfect homeschool tool—it’s to build a home filled with peace, beauty, and the presence of God. For our family, the Yoto Player has become a small but meaningful part of that rhythm. Whether it’s saint stories at bedtime or Bible during quiet time, it’s helped us bring faith into the little moments of our day.

If you’re looking for more Catholic resources to bring Faith into your homeschool, be sure to check out our free downloads and back to school sale in our shop—we’re always adding tools to help you create a joyful, faith-filled homeschool.