If you have a Yoto Player or Yoto Mini, you already know how amazing it is for learning and entertainment. But did you know that Make-Your-Own (MYO) Cards unlock a whole new level of creativity? Whether you’re looking for educational activities, bedtime routines, or just plain fun, here are 10 genius ways to use Yoto’s MYO Cards for kids!
Why you can trust me:
- My kids have used Yoto at every age from 1 to 6, so I’ve seen it all!
- We have 100+ Yoto cards in our house. I’m also a MYO enthusiast.
- I am in Yoto’s Creator program. My cards are Tender Tales.
Please note: This post may contain affiliate links. This means when you click the link and make a purchase, it costs you nothing but I get a tiny slice of the pie. This helps me support my family. Thank you!
Here’s one important thing to keep in mind: It can feel overwhelming if you’ve never made a MYO card! If this is you, here’s what I want you to do. Start by making just one card. That’s all. You can keep it simple, with a homemade cover (it can be any sticker, or even a piece of masking tape with the title on it!). It doesn’t need to be Pinterest-perfect from the first go! You can try new things as you go. Don’t let perfection get in the way!
1️⃣ Create a Story Collection Your Kids Will Love
Record yourself reading your child’s favorite books or make up stories with their name as the main character. Kids love hearing familiar voices, and this turns storytime into a special bonding experience—even when you’re not there! To save time, you can record yourself reading to your child at night or whenever you read to them! My kids love hearing their voices on the Yoto card, even if they are just chiming in here and there with a question or observation. You don’t have to aim for studio perfection!
One particularly inexpensive way to do this: go hang out at the library and read some books together! Use your phone’s recorder (my preference) or the Yoto app to record your voice.
2️⃣ Build a Family Audio Library
Ask grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins to record messages, bedtime stories, or even jokes. They, too, can go to a library and grab a book to read and record their voice! This is a perfect way for kids to stay connected to family members who live far away. My kids love hearing stories from when their grandparents were young. It’s perfect Yoto card content that can last for generations.
3️⃣ Turn Flashcards into Audio Learning Tools
Help kids learn letters, numbers, or a new language by pairing visual flashcards with recorded words and phrases. Simply record yourself saying a letter, number, or word then let kids match audio to flashcards you create at home! I recently got the idea from another parent to create a “sight word” MYO card for my Kindergartner. The Yoto will display a word like “see” or “you” and my son will have 10 seconds to sound it out before I say the sound. The site Yoto Icons is a great resource for searching for free icons (donations encouraged for heavy users). There are already lots of letter and number icons that people have made, that you can get for free!
4️⃣ Make a Custom Music Mix
Create a playlist of your child’s favorite songs—from nursery rhymes to pop hits. Yoto MYO Cards make it easy to create dance parties, calming bedtime music, or travel-friendly playlists without ads or interruptions. You can use CDs, or buy music from Amazon or iTunes. I always check artists’ websites to see if there’s a way to buy from them, to support them directly!
5️⃣ Record Affirmations and Mindfulness Moments
Start the day with positive affirmations or short mindfulness exercises. Record calming phrases like “You are strong, kind, and loved” or guide them through a breathing exercise. You can do this with bedtime routines or sleep, too. Many of these already exist for free, so you don’t have to start from scratch if you don’t want to!
6️⃣ Design an Audio Adventure Game
Turn your MYO Card into a choose-your-own-adventure story! Record different choices and let kids decide what happens next by flipping between tracks. This sparks imagination and problem-solving skills! You could even set up a scavenger hunt outside or in your home.
7️⃣ Capture Special Memories & Traditions
Save birthday messages, family stories, or holiday traditions in audio form. Imagine your child listening to a card filled with stories from past birthdays or a recording of a favorite family tradition.
8️⃣ Create a Joke & Riddle Card
Kids love silly jokes! Record a collection of funny jokes, knock-knock gags, or brain-teasing riddles for instant giggles anytime. Yoto has joke cards, so you don’t have to do anything except link the MYO card! You could even go to the library or a grab a book from a bookstore and read some jokes, so you don’t have to come up with anything yourself 😉
9️⃣ Establish Daily Routines
Make morning or bedtime routines fun by recording step-by-step instructions. A Yoto MYO Card can guide kids through getting dressed, brushing teeth, and packing their backpack, making independence easier.
🔟 Make a Road Trip Entertainment Card
Long car rides? No problem! Load up a MYO Card with a mix of stories, fun facts, and music to keep kids entertained without screens. Perfect for travel days, airplane rides, or waiting rooms. As always, you don’t have to come up with anything original yourself! Websites like libro.fm make it easy to download audiobooks. Yoto Space offers free content. You can link podcasts as well–just keep in mind that podcasts generally require wifi to work. Many Yoto parents use listennotes.com to download individual podcasts as MP3s. The MYO world is your oyster!
Ready to Get Creative?
Yoto’s MYO Cards are reusable and endlessly customizable, making them a fantastic tool for screen-free fun, learning, and connection. Try one (or all!) of these ideas, and watch your child’s creativity come to life.
And remember–you can spend as much or as little time on MYO as you’d like. Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress. Save time by linking MYO cards to books, stories, music, and podcasts. Or, create something custom for your child they’ll treasure. One note of caution: MYO can become somewhat addictive 😉 Have fun!
Which MYO Card idea will you try first? 😊🎧Yoto sells MYO cards as a 10 pack (lowest cost per card), 5 pack, and single card (highest cost per card). The 10 pack offers the least expensive price per card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, the Yoto Player or Yoto Mini?
Although you can’t go wrong, I recommend most families purchase the Yoto Mini. It’s the less expensive option, and it’s more portable. The cases, called Adventure Jackets (which you should definitely buy for device protection), allow kids to carry them on their wrists. The larger Yoto does have better sound and bigger pixel icons. For most families, though, the Mini is the best bet.
Where can I find MYO content?
- Free sources: Yoto Space, Internet Archive, your library
- Paid sources: Yoto Club (if you are a subscriber), LibroFM