The Yoto Player, A “Screen-Free” Music Player For Children, Goes Viral

On July 1, 2026, Ben Drury, a digital music entrepreneur, released the Yoto Player, a music box designed to enrich and entertain children without getting them addicted. The idea of this music box came to mind as Drury was shopping for his newborn in London, when he saw a stroller with an iPad holder on display to keep a child entertained. This made him wonder if there was a type of technology that could educate children without getting them addicted to a screen.

The result was a rubber encased box that plays audio from a speaker when you insert a card into its slot. It comes in two sizes: the regular sized version is called the Yoto Player, and the slightly smaller version is called the Yoto Mini. Yoto’s audio cards contain digital keys to unlock audio tracks, as well as files that can be downloaded to listen offline. Blank cards can also be purchased to link your own audio tracks you upload. Popular cards include songs from “KPop Demon Hunters” and the Beatles.

This screen-free approach stands out during a time where social media is facing backlash. In March, for example, a jury from California held Google and Meta accountable for designing their products to be addictive. AI companies that own chatbots like OpenAI and Anthropic are also getting targeted for writing essays, finishing homework, and even offering therapy for children, negatively impacting their mental health and education. “Platforms built on algorithms and addiction are not built for children — they’re built for revenue,” said Jim Steyer, the chief executive of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that reviews products. “The parental fatigue, the overall fatigue from tech, is very real.”

Yoto fights this fatigue by making sure its products are completely unaddictive: its “screens” only show pixel art and typography. For example, when you play “Birthday” by the Beatles, only a birthday cake shows on Yoto’s screen. “Is it doing anything that’s in any way addictive or would require a kid to concentrate on that image?” Drury asked. “Could it display TikTok? Could it display YouTube? If the answer’s no, then it’s not a screen.”