Inside Yoto 4th Gen Launch – Where Stories, Calm Spaces And Disco Lights Came To Life!
I spent yesterday in the happiest bubble at the Yoto 4th Generation launch event, and it felt like stepping straight into the next chapter of family listening. It was the first day of pre order, the 10th of September (Minis have an estimated dispatch date of 30th September and the Player is expected to dispatch on the 15th of October), and the whole room had that lovely excited hum that only happens when something genuinely brilliant is about to land in family life. I got to not only hear the back story from one of the founders, but also see the brand new Yoto Player fourth generation and Yoto Mini fourth generation up close, play with them, chat to the team and even meet Jake who hosts the weekly Yoto podcast. My lot adore him, so that was a real treat. And yes, the pink Mini is coming home for Posie which has made her entire week (new colourways for the jackets are penguin blue, fresh frog soup green, sunny side up yellow and the dancing flamingo pink – which was my fave)!
There was something wonderfully wholesome about the whole event. No screens anywhere, just stories, music, imagination and the kind of child first tech that lets kids explore without being pulled into anything distracting. They even handed me a hot chocolate which made the whole thing feel cosy and thoughtful. It set the tone for what Yoto is all about. Calm, creative moments that fit into real family life.
One of my favourite parts was stepping into the slumber party space where they were showing the new night light. It was softly lit and incredibly calming, the sort of space where you instantly breathe a little deeper. The night light on the Player can glow in seven colours and it can be gentle and soothing for bedtime or bright and playful for a disco moment. Seeing it in a real room made it clear how much it can shape the atmosphere at home. It felt magical in the quiet space and I could imagine it being just as joyful when the children want to dance around before bed. It’s super easy to hand a child a screen, we’ve all done it because sometimes needs must, and I don’t just mean on long car journeys. Occasionally life dictates we need children entertained in a way that they can occupy themselves and despite it not being what we want to do we hand over tech because… Well, you’re a better one than me if you don’t! Yoto changes that, you know… It’s something without a screen but still tech and though they can and will use it to entertain themselves, it is also something which can become part of your day together. Read a story, then share one on the player. Use it as a vehicle to soothe before bed after the routine but so that you leave them to soothe themselves with it. It’s very clever and serves lots of purpose, with meaningful elements rather than that quick fix. Basically, it leaves no guilt and I love that!
The new players feel familiar in all the right ways but smoother, quicker and more intuitive. Yoto has always been clever at listening to families and shaping their tech around real life and this update is exactly that. The new Green Button is the star of the show. Kids can press, twist and dive straight into their favourite stories, music and soundscapes without needing a card in their hand. It gives them instant independence and that lovely sense of pride because they can do it all by themselves. You set up the playlists in the app, choosing up to twenty titles, and then the player remembers them. It works for physical cards, digital cards and all the bonus audio tucked away in the app.
Both new players come with a free digital card ready to go. Five Minute Stories From Around the World for the Player and Journey Jams for the Mini. There is also a Make Your Own Card and stickers in the box which means families can start building their playlists straight away.
The Yoto Player fourth generation has sharp and rich stereo sound, a full panel night light, sixty four gigabytes of storage for one thousand hours of offline listening, Bluetooth six point one, Wi Fi six, USB C and wireless charging, a headphone jack port and a replaceable battery planned for next year. It is built for modern family life in every sense.
The Yoto Mini fourth generation is the pocket sized adventurer. It has the same Green Button magic, the same huge storage, the same speedy Wi Fi and Bluetooth and a simple set up that takes no time at all. It is splash and dust resistant with an IP sixty seven rating which means it is puddle proof and ready for the rough and tumble of childhood. It has a headphone jack port, USB C charging and up to twelve hours of battery life.
Ben Drury who is the co founder of Yoto who opened the event yesterday and he talked about wanting Yoto to get better with time, to evolve with families and to make the experience more joyful and independent for kids. That is exactly what this update feels like. It is not a reinvention. It is a thoughtful and clever improvement to something families already love.
The Yoto Player fourth generation is £119.99 and the Yoto Mini fourth generation £89.99. Both are available at Yotoplay with the Mini also on Amazon. Pre orders are open!
I left the event feeling inspired and already planning how the new Green Button playlists will work for my own crew. And when Posie receives her pink Mini she’s going to be super thrilled, I think her current one will be handed over to her brother so don’t worry about waste! Thanks for having me yesterday Yoto, and more to come here so watch this space!