Audio Players: Yoto Players Vs Tonieboxes?
Have you been considering purchasing an audio player for your child? If you have then it’s likely you will have come across Tonieboxes and Yoto Players.
Kids story boxes have been a great addition to our home. We’ve had a Toniebox for over five years now, Yoto Player (this year) and Yoto Mini for over three years. There’s things we love about each of them. This post will help you answer lots of questions you may have and help you decide which player is best for your child/ren. The contents section below will help you navigate for specific areas you might be interested in.
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Check out information including predictions for the Boxing Day and January Sales for Yoto Players and Tonieboxes here.
Yoto Vs Tonie Blog Post Content
Facebook Group
As of 2024 I’ve started a Facebook group where I will be sharing lots of tips and free content for audio players including Tonieboxes and Yoto Players – you can join the group here.
Where to Buy Yoto Players and Yoto discount codes
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE FROM YOTO FOR YOTO MINI PLAYERS – you will get an email from Yoto directly if you have purchased a Yoto Mini from 2021-2023 but you can find out more information here.
Where to Buy Tonies and Toniebox discount codes
Which Player Is Best?
Let me go through what we love about story boxes for children. This post will explain some of their similarities and differences and will help you can make the right choice for your child.
Which Audio Player Should I Choose?
As I’ve already mentioned, we have a Toniebox, Yoto Player and Yoto Mini Player and we think they are all incredible. However, all children are unique. Depending upon how your child enjoys exploring the world will help guide you to which player is likely to be the best for your child. You want to think about what the main purpose is for purchasing an audio player.
Where to Buy Tonies and Toniebox discount codes
Where to Buy Yoto Players and Yoto discount codes
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE FROM YOTO FOR YOTO MINI PLAYERS – you will get an email from Yoto directly if you have purchased a Yoto Mini from 2021-2023 but you can find out more information here.
Why Pick One Over Another?
In this blog post I’m going to go through some of the reasons why I’d pick one over the other. Having had the players for a number of years and my daughter now eight I’d say that the age of your child, when they first receive a player is important to consider.
Age of Child
We’ve had our Toniebox for over five years. A Yoto Mini for over three years and recently added a Yoto Player to our collection. For us this worked well as our daughter Floss really engaged with the physical characters of Tonies. She was two years old when we first had the Toniebox and Tonie characters.
For me I felt her peak enjoyment time of the Toniebox was from age 2 to around 6. She still uses the Toniebox now. However, the Yoto Players have been the main bedtime players since just before she turned 7. I’ll go through more later about why I think this has been the case.
Toniebox vs. Yoto Player
If you’d like to know more about the basic functions of Toniebox check out my blog post here. If you’re looking for comparison of the Yoto Player and Yoto Mini head to this post. As our daughter Floss has got older, now eight, she still frequently enjoys her Toniebox. Although she now enjoys the range and older stories available on the Yoto Player.
UPDATE (29th October 2024): Just when you think the Toniebox is possibly on the way out Floss has decided it’s the player of choice for bedtime over the last couple of week! I think KungFu Panda release and the new Pocket Tonies have made this change.
When Will You Be Using The Audio Player?
Firstly, it’s important to think about when your child might be using the audio player. They’re great for a wide range of circumstances such as car journeys, anytime during the day, rest time, meal times and of course bedtime. Tonies have a range of accessories for their box both in the home and on your travels. Find out more in my blog post here. Of course the Yoto Mini is the perfect companion if you’re out and about lots. It fits easily into small bags and can travel anywhere.
Audio Players at Bedtime
For us, bedtime has been completely changed with the use of audio players. Our daughter, like many children, find it difficult to get to sleep on a night. I’m sure lots of you can relate! We do our bedtime routine with Floss. Before we leave the room she selects either a Tonie character or a card for the Yoto Player that she will then listen to until she falls asleep.
For me this has been amazing. I’ve been able to get on with the household chores while she’s happily entertained gently before she falls asleep. The other time we’ve found an audio player to be very effective is if Floss wakes in the night. She always used to call for us. Now she pops on an audio story independently while she falls back to sleep. Genius!
Yoto Perk
One thing we’ve found very helpful is that you can control the Yoto Player and Yoto Player Mini from the Yoto app on your phone. This means you can play Yoto Cards and Yoto Make Your Own (MYO) Cards from the app without needing to have the physical card present.
Tonie Characters and Yoto Card Choices
We’ve found that sometimes, especially at bedtime, it can be helpful to use choices to support leaving her room. For example, rather than saying it’s bedtime now and then finding leaving the room to be tricky. Instead we might say which Tonie/ Yoto Card would you like to choose out of these two to play while you rest before sleep.
Bedtime Tips with Audio Players
There’s two key tips here. Firstly, don’t say bedtime or go to sleep, just say rest. You’ll often find they’ll have nodded off whilst resting to an audio book. Secondly, it may be helpful to reduce the number of choice options before bed so you are not there forever going through your entire Tonie Character or Yoto Card collection! Too many can be overwhelming.
Yoto Player or Toniebox Where to Buy
Where to Buy Yoto Players and Yoto discount codes
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE FROM YOTO FOR YOTO MINI PLAYERS – you will get an email from Yoto directly if you have purchased a Yoto Mini from 2021-2023 but you can find out more information here.
Where to Buy Tonies and Toniebox discount codes
Will a Character be Overstimulating at Bedtime?
If you are mainly going to be using the audio player at bedtime I’d consider whether your child would find a physical character soothing or over stimulating when I was making my choice on which player to get.
Bedtime Routine Night Light
If a night light is important to your child then the Yoto Player would be a good choice as it is the only player with a night light function. The Yoto Mini does not have this function.
Independence
Both players we love for the independence it gives to our daughter on making her own choices. There can be lots of times when children don’t get to make their own choices and for us anything that promotes Floss’s autonomy is a positive thing.
Both the Yoto Player and Toniebox can be used independently by children age three plus but content for both are suitable from birth – you’ll find age suggestions on each Tonie character and for each Yoto Card.
From a practical point of view much younger children do find the Toniebox easier to use as they just place the selected character on the box. For Yoto you need to insert the card into the slot which can be a little more fiddly for very young children.
Track Switching
We’ve found that the Yoto Player is easier to change tracks with as the Toniebox you tap on the sides to do this and it can be a bit (pardon the pun) hit and miss! If you have a child who constantly tells you to skip the song on Alexa I’d be more inclined to go with a Yoto for ease of track switching.
Where to Buy Yoto Players and Yoto discount codes
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE FROM YOTO FOR YOTO MINI PLAYERS – you will get an email from Yoto directly if you have purchased a Yoto Mini from 2021-2023 but you can find out more information here.
Adventuring and Robustness!
If you’re the adventuring family then Yoto Player has the handy Adventure Jacket you can get to make your player more portable. The Yoto Mini is also the perfect size for out and about. Although the Toniebox doesn’t have a handle, it’s more than capable of dealing with rigorous play and being taken out and about!
Toniebox and Rigorous Times
I ABSOLUTELY wouldn’t advise it, but our Toniebox accidently took a tumble down the stairs and still worked perfectly fine after. If you have a child who is a little more rough with their play and toys then the Toniebox might be more what you’re looking for with its padded exterior. Neither the Yoto or Yoto Mini are going to be happy with a tumble down the stairs.
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Yoto Mini Player
If you’re mainly going to be using the player out and about it might be worth considering Yoto’s Yoto Mini. We’ve had our mini around four years. We got this mainly as my daughter loves anything miniature and being able to take her toys around in little bags and baskets everywhere.
Hospitals, Appointments and Trips
We’ve also found the Yoto Mini Player essential when we’ve had hospital stays and lots of hospital appointments. It’s small enough to pop in my bag and I love that I can use the app to play content from my phone onto the player. It certainly saved us and helped soothe with many A&E unexpected trips.
Yoto Mini Comparison
Yoto Mini Player is a compact version of the Yoto Player – you can still use the same cards for both Yoto Player and Yoto Mini Player. Check out this post for a comparison of the Yoto Player and Yoto Mini.
Yoto Card and Tonie Character Storage
The Yoto cards can fit nicely into a little wallet holder for easy transportation. Although, as I’ve mentioned you can play cards from your library from an app on your phone without needing the card.
Saying that, we’ve travelled with our Toniebox lots over the last few years. They do some cute little storage cases for your Tonie characters and the Tonie Box and storage cases are lovely and robust.
Audio Player Safety
Yes, you need a WiFi connection to be able to set up both players, but once you have your content connected and downloaded you can then use both without WiFi. As a family we like the fact we are in control of what our daughter could listen to and wouldn’t accidently stumble on content we were unaware of.
Yoto WiFi Needed for Radio and Podcasts
Yoto do have Yoto radio which can be accessed from the Yoto when connected to the internet as well as the Yoto Daily show. My daughter isn’t that fussed about the radio but she does love the Yoto Daily. She particularly loves the draw alongs and jokes. Lots of families love the new content and music available on the radio. Also if you are a family planning to access podcast you will need WiFi. Check out this post to learn all about podcasts and Yoto.
Audio Volume
The Toniebox allows you to adjust the volume percentage that comes from the box and we’ve found this particularly useful at bedtime to promote a more tranquil, sleepy environment. The volume can be adjusted on an app from your phone. This is the same for the Yoto and you can set a daytime and nighttime audio limit.
Headphones
Headphones can be purchased for each audio player and these can have the volume limits set to ensure they are safe for children. The Yoto Player can use wireless Bluetooth headphones. Check out this post on my safety tips and recommendations for headphones for Yoto Players here. The Toniebox needs wired headphones.
Power Cables
Yoto Player and Yoto Mini use a USB C charger although the Yoto Player you can purchase a charging dock for. I wish I’d purchased this when I bought the player as there is a significant discount when you do.
It’s worth noting that a specific cable is needed for the Yoto Mini. IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE FROM YOTO FOR YOTO MINI PLAYERS – you will get an email from Yoto directly if you have purchased one but you can find out more information here.
The Toniebox comes with a specific charging dock.
Yoto Player Vs Toniebox Apps
Both audio players can be controlled using apps. Something I’ve found brilliant with the Yoto Player app is that it stores all of our content on my phone. So, if I need a super quick distraction or a little entertainment I don’t need to have the player with me and still have access to the audio content on my phone.
The Tonie app stores all your purchased content on the app but you can’t play directly from the app.
Creative Tonies and Make Your Own Cards
Whichever audio player you choose you can upload your own content using the apps or through a web browser. This is one of our favourite aspects of the players. Note that for Tonieboxes the Tonie Creative characters are limited to 90 minutes of audio. If you’re looking for more time then Yoto is the player for you as Yoto Cards can store up to 100 tracks or 500 MB. You can find free audio content for Yoto here and Tonie here.
Keeping in Touch – Friends and Family
Particularly, during Covid lockdowns it was a great way to be able to get grandparents and other family and friends to keep in touch through telling stories and singing songs which we were then able to upload onto our daughters player. It would be an ideal way to keep in touch with relatives and friends from across the world too.
More About Audio Player Age Range
For us the Yoto Player was a natural progression as Floss got older and we wanted more depth of content to stories for her. However, as I say, she still ADORES her Toniebox, so the two work very well together for us.
Are They Just a Fad?
A quick update (October 2024) to say that both players are still used daily in our home and I don’t see that dwindling anytime soon. To think I thought they might be a fad that she’d be over by Boxing Day – how wrong I was!
Toniebox Perfect for Little Ones
We found the Toniebox perfect for when Floss was younger. The characters were really engaging and she would use them in her play even without the player. She really enjoyed having the character while reading the actual book to her too.
Where to Buy Tonies and Toniebox discount codes
Yoto Player Better for Older Children?
Floss is at that stage where she’s exploring the world of early chapter books as her passion for reading thrives. With this we’ve found that the Yoto Player was a great aid with this progression; giving her that slightly longer content that she was looking for. Tonie are now starting to introduce some more meatier content but Yoto are still ahead on this front.
Where to Buy Yoto Players and Yoto discount codes
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE FROM YOTO FOR YOTO MINI PLAYERS – you will get an email from Yoto directly if you have purchased a Yoto Mini from 2021-2023 but you can find out more information here.
UPDATE: (October 2024) Tonies have begun to put up a fight for the older audio player audience. The new Pocket Tonies have really captured our eight year olds attention.
Depending upon what age your child is would definitely impact upon which player I would choose.
What Does Your Child Like?
Floss is a total bookworm and adores a wide range of book genres in both physical and audio books. Depending upon how your child engages with stories may help you to decide on a suitable audio player.
New Yoto Club
If your child prefers non-fiction texts to fiction then Yoto has a much bigger selection of non-fiction titles including activity cards. We particularly love the Flags of the World card. Yoto have just had a big update on their Yoto Club and one of the Club options gives free access to Yoto Original content which has lots of non fiction.
Free New Yoto Club Two Week Trial
You can trial the Yoto Club Explorer plan for two weeks currently – use the links below for your region.
Clever Pocket Tonies
As I mentioned above Tonies have just started to forge more into content for older children but also with this is a range of Clever Pocket Tonies that are non-fiction based.
If your child loves sitting and listening to stories then either audio player is likely to be a win. However, if your child isn’t one for sitting with stories then the Tonie characters might be a great way to help your child engage with audio content. Check out my blog post here on incorporating Tonie characters with small world play.
Let’s Talk Money – Yoto Player or Toniebox
Free New Yoto Club Two Week Trial
You can trial the Yoto Club Explorer plan for two weeks currently – use the links below for your region.
The Yoto Player comes in as the most expensive audio player of the three. In the UK at currently retails at £89.99. The Toniebox is next in at £79.95. Finally, the Yoto Mini comes in at £59.99. However, it’s important to consider ongoing costs of cards and characters before basing your decision solely on the cost of the players.
Tonie Characters Variety, Releases and Prices
Generally, we’ve found Toniebox have around four to six new characters a month added including popular Disney stories with original sound tracks and voices from original cast and stories such as Fireman Sam, Oi Frog series, Miffy and Paw Patrol. Creative Tonies are £11.99 and pre-loaded content Tonies are £14.99.
Yoto Player Cards and Yoto Club Prices
Yoto Player have lots more new releases. They also have Yoto Club that we are a member of. Yoto cards have increased significantly in price since their launch but still cheaper than Tonie characters. They also do many bundle offers. Therefore, if ongoing costs are an important factor for you then a Yoto Player might be your preferred choice.
New Yoto Club Free Trial
There are now three different Yoto Club options to choose from. This post compares the three different options available. Free trial details below.
Free New Yoto Club Two Week Trial
You can trial the Yoto Club Explorer plan for two weeks currently – use the links below for your region.
Yoto Player Creativity
If you’ve got a creative little one then Yoto give you the opportunity to design your own pixel art work to feature on your Make Your Own Cards. You can find my post on how to do this here.
Latest Tonie and Yoto Posts:
Yoto Pixel Art: Make Your Own and Free Designs for Yoto Players
Yoto Club – Are You Still Worth It? Changes to Yoto Club
Free Yoto Content for Yoto Player and Yoto Mini – Make Your Own Cards
Free Tonies Content for Toniebox Creative Tonies
Tonie Characters Sale – New 2023 Tonies
Yoto Vs Tonie Player – Disney Content – Creative Tonies and Make Your Own Cards – FAQs.
Yoto Player or Toniebox Top Tips
Set Up Your Players in Advance of Gifting
My top tip is to carefully take the player (either Toniebox or Yoto Player) out of the box and get it charged and set up before you wrap it up to gift. The players are very easy to set up. The instructions are nice and simple when you’re on your own and feeling calm. Everything becomes a little more blurry with ‘little helpers’!
Test Out Before You Buy
Have you ever started listening to an audio book and you just can’t get on with it for some reasons? Maybe the narrator is driving you mad or it’s just not what you thought it would be…
Another top tip is that you can play Tonie Characters and Yoto Cards (not multi-packs) without taking them out of the packaging. This means you can test out if your child likes a card or character before unwrapping. The resale price is much better in original packaging.
Selling on is Easier than you Think
Finally, many children will love audio players, but like all things it may not be your child’s ‘thing’ or you may get a character or card that they just don’t engage with or enjoy. There are groups on social media such as Facebook where you can trade players/ characters/ cards in online communities.
Where to Buy Tonies and Toniebox discount codes
Where to Buy Yoto Players and Yoto discount codes
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE FROM YOTO FOR YOTO MINI PLAYERS – you will get an email from Yoto directly if you have purchased a Yoto Mini from 2021-2023 but you can find out more information here.
My One Wish
I would absolutely wish to see more diverse audio content available for players. For this to happen, we need to be requesting it and telling companies what we’d love to see. I would love for an audio player to team up with the wonderful indie publishers Owlet Press.
Yoto Player or Toniebox – Still Unsure?
I’m very happy to answer any specific questions you have. Just drop me a message in comments, join the Facebook Group or send me an email to lisa@busybusylearning.com and I’ll happily help answer any specific questions you have for your family.
Busy Busy Learning Facebook Groups
Click on the links below to join groups. You will get access to the password for free members content on the site too.
Pin It For Later
This is so helpful! I am trying to decide which one to buy my 3 year old nephew. This really helps!
Thank you. If you’ve got any other questions feel free to ask. 😊
If you loose the character for the tomiebox then will you still be able to play it from the app like you said you can from the yoto box
Hi Bonnie, I haven’t been able to find a way to get a Tonie character to play without the physical character. You can get a list of what characters you have on the Tonie app so I wonder if it’s a feature that they will add in future. I do know that I find being able to play Yoto cards we own without the card being present really useful when we’re out and about or I can find the one card Floss desperately wants played at bedtime!