How did you get your child into Yoto?

[User1706]

If they were on the slightly younger side in particular? I had such high hopes for Yoto, my son loves reading, and being read stories plus any with songs were a huge bonus. He's 2 and a half, so I appreciate slightly under the recommended age but has pretty much worked out how to use it with ease although seems to be struggling without anything visual.

I'm not sure how best to encourage him apart from sitting, talking, singing along with him. I purposely bought it for the car as we have a long drive in a weeks time I want to avoid the usual meltdowns.

Please share your tips so I haven't just poured a load of money down the drain 😵‍💫

[Karwomannghia]

Maybe put it away for a bit! My dd didn’t make the most of hers till she was a bit older. But listening together is a good thing.

[Queijo]

I just put it on every night after a story and as I was leaving Dd to sleep. It became like white noise to her almost.

She’s now 7 and absolutely loves it - we can’t travel anywhere without it. Does also mean if we stay at a hotel etc and I’ve forgotten it it is a disaster, so learn from my mistakes and pack it first!

[MrsALambert]

My DS is a bit older as he got his for his 4th bday. At first he wasn’t hugely interested but we had the Julia Donaldson cards and he loves the books so we started putting one on and looking at the book together as if I was reading it. Then he would ask for one to go to sleep to. Absolutely loves it now

[Peppapog263]

It may be that he is just that little bit too young. We got it for my daughter’s 3rd birthday and also put it on every night for her to fall asleep to. We also have it on sometimes whilst we are eating breakfast to listen to Jake on Yoto Daily which we enjoy and I often just put the Yoto radio on during the day when they are playing downstairs (I love the songs they play 😆)

[Windowshutter]

My DD is the same age and I got one or two Julia Donaldson books to read along with the cards and from there she became interested in the other cards that we don't have books for.

[wubwubwub]

Download books from the library for the MYO cards.

Also things like tidy up timer and toothbrush timer etc are good.

Use it in car for audio books etc

DD turned 4 just before Christmas and used it much more now..

[wubwubwub]

We love yoto daily podcast. Today was "sausages are the answer".

[User1706]

Thank you for all your replies! We've got the Julia Donaldson cards as he loves all her stories ❤️ I'll sit and flick through the books with him and then he can see the pictures whilst we get going.

I think maybe I had pinned too much on it as a wonder product as they have such amazing feedback but we'll get there.

[User1706]

@wubwubwubwub we listened to the sausages podcast today too 😂

[wubwubwub]

It's a device for them to grow into...

Use the tidy up timers, tooth brush timers etc.


The MYO cards are great - we put stickers on ours to reflect the content.

DD is currently keen on Peppa Pig, so has a pig sticker on one, where were downloaded the audio from BorrowBox through the local library... Next week, the card might be Peter Rabbit or Hairy Maclary.... DD likes choosing the stickers for them

[thesleepyhoglet]

@wubwubwub

It's a device for them to grow into...

Use the tidy up timers, tooth brush timers etc.


The MYO cards are great - we put stickers on ours to reflect the content.

DD is currently keen on Peppa Pig, so has a pig sticker on one, where were downloaded the audio from BorrowBox through the local library... Next week, the card might be Peter Rabbit or Hairy Maclary.... DD likes choosing the stickers for them

How do you access the toothbrush timers etc?

[BarbaraVineFan]

DD (4) got one for Christmas and now won't go to sleep without the 'sleepy music'. We also have a lot of cards but she has become obsessed with 101 Dalmatians and will only listen to that one at the moment!

[Impossibletrousers]

DS naturally took to his at 2.5 and enjoys a range of stories, but DD was more reluctant at the same age. She now listens to it every night - always the same card with me and DH reading a story recorded on to it. Try making your own recording (can record over the intro card) and see if that does the trick

[wubwubwub]

Look on the app and it's on the Discover section

Scroll down and find them :)

I've linked the toothbrush timer to a MYO card


The tidy up timer is like magic with my niece LOL

[User1706]

@wubwubwubwub fair point... I suppose they wouldn't have the apparent longevity if it was too much of a gimic for toddlers.

[User1706]

I'll have a look into the MYO cards more, think I could do with some more time to learn how to get the best from it too in all honesty. I set it up whilst wfh in a rush to give it to him after nursery.

[LunaNova]

We don't have a yoto but had similar with the Tonie box, which DD got for Christmas at age 2. She would sit and listen (for 5 mins) if I heavily encouraged it but never sought it out.

I just kept encouraging "shall we put music/a story on while we get dressed" kind of thing and up until probably age 3.5 she would take or leave it. Then suddenly something has switched, she puts it on every morning, she puts in on after school and often asks for it while she's nodding off.

I'm sure it's the same with the yoto in that I'd suggest getting a wide range of content because the things I thought she'd be most interested in (Julia Donaldson stories/Disney) she seems to listen to less than the more "traditional songs/fairy tales" kind of content, which surprised me.

[wubwubwub]

@User1706

@wubwubwubwub fair point... I suppose they wouldn't have the apparent longevity if it was too much of a gimic for toddlers.

The longevity is why we picked Yoto over Tonies. Apparently the kids grow out of the little figures quickly.

We have the mini too, for portability.

[User1706]

He did get him to to have a listen today, he's decided monkey puzzle and snail and the whale are the ones he likes so I'm trying to encourage them whilst we eat breakfast etc.

[wubwubwub]

Just gradually introduce it etc it should last him until at least 10...so plenty of time!

[Yourethebeerthief]

I bought one for my son's second birthday. Immediately realised he was too young for it and put it away without giving it to him. We'll keep it as a 3rd birthday present instead.

I've got to be honest I really don't like Imelda Staunton's readings of the Julia Donaldson books.

[Windowshutter]

@User1706

He did get him to to have a listen today, he's decided monkey puzzle and snail and the whale are the ones he likes so I'm trying to encourage them whilst we eat breakfast etc.

Good idea, I sometimes put it on so it's just playing in the background while we're doing a puzzle or something si not necessarily sitting and listening as such and then parts of the story can spark interest. Also discovered the app works on Apple Car play/Android equivalent which was very useful when stuck in traffic this week!

Nursery rhyme card is also a hit with my DD.

[AppleTree16]

We got one for our then 18 month old at Christmas. She’s now 22 months. We find music stories get the most attention- so like the number train cards and nursery rhymes etc. stories like Mog she will listen for not for as long.

[Takemeawayy]

We found bedtimes worked best. I would read a story and then instead of her asking for book after book I would put a card on and turn the lights off and she would fall asleep listening to it. That’s stuck as our routine and she’s now 5. Means we still get book time together but I’m not stuck reading for hours and her not wanting me to leave the room

[User1706]

@Takemeawayy thank you that's a good suggestion as i have been hesitant about bedtimes. At the moment me and his dad read a story on our bed and then he goes to his own, its my favourite time of day for us all to have a cuddle and a bit of calm before bed so I didn't want yoto to take away from that. However, as you point out its nice to have the option as he ages to 'hand over' to yoto after we've done a story so we're not up for hours!

Mornings are a completely different story... at 4am im completely replaceable 😂