With two-thirds of UK parents now in favour of capping their children's screen time, the best audio players are stepping into the spotlight. Of course, self-directed play, getting outside, playing with friends and reading are all incredibly important but, every now and then, we all need a bit of downtime.
Nifty audio players enable your child to listen to their favourite books, as well as music, podcasts and child-friendly radio stations, without having to engage with a screen at all. While nothing will ever beat a bedtime story with parents, an audio player can supplement your child’s reading and broaden their literary horizons.
Whether you’re after a model that comes complete with all manner of bells and whistles or you’re looking for a stripped back, wifi-free option, I’ve got you covered. With help from my six- and three-year-old co-testers, I’ve put a range of the latest kids’ audio players through their paces. Keep scrolling to find out which ones impressed me the most.
Read more: Best kids’ headphones, tested
The best kids’ audio players for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Yoto player: £89.99, Yotoplay.com
- Best budget buy – Voxblock audio player: £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for a wide age range – Toniebox 2: £109.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for battery life – StoryPhones: £79.99, Currys.co.uk
- Best for travel – Yoto mini player: £59.99, Yotoplay.com
Read more: Best gifts for six-year-olds, reviewed
Yoto player (3rd generation)
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Best: kids' audio player overall
Why we love it
- Huge library
- Loads of useful features
- Simple to use
Take note
- Adventure jacket costs extra
It's easy to see why this remains such a popular audio player among children and parents. It's simple and easy to use, yet packed to the rafters with genuinely useful features.
Despite being a self-declared luddite, I had this audio player set up in less than five minutes. You do need to download an app and connect to wifi, but it’s incredibly straightforward. From there, simply pop your story card of choice into the slot and it will start playing immediately. The credit-card-sized story cards are super convenient to store, too.
That’s good news, as Yoto's audio library is huge, with more than 1,100 titles available. Plus, they're always releasing new options, and you can even make your own card if they don't have exactly what you want. The expansive library means this audio player can grow with your child's interests. My six-year-old loved the Magic Faraway Tree trilogy pack, and the Mermaids and Fairy Dust Meditation card is perfect for winding down before bed. Meanwhile, my three-year-old loved singing along to the Frozen II soundtrack while doing her best Elsa impersonation.
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The Yoto is also a great option if you’re looking to reduce nightstand clutter. In my youngest’s room, we’ve currently got a white-noise machine and a Groclock (£24.99, Johnlewis.com) but their capabilities are effectively covered by the Yoto.
During testing, both of my children loved the retro-style pixel icon art that conveys whatever is happening in each chapter. When not in use, it displays the weather and time. If you don't want that distraction, simply tip the display forward and the back panel transforms into a warm nightlight.
There's built-in free access to Yoto Daily (a child-friendly podcast) and Yoto Radio (child-friendly music), while the app enables you to see the room temperature, which I found to be a handy feature during summer heatwaves
I’d recommend investing in the adventure jacket, too, as the audio player’s hard plastic shell could break if dropped on hard flooring. It's also a bit bulky to take with you for travelling. If that’s a deal-breaker for you, check out the Yoto mini player, which is also included in this roundup.
Key specifications
Read our full Yoto player review
Buy now £89.99, Yotoplay.com
Voxblock audio player
Best: budget kids' audio player
Why we love it
- Easy setup
- No wifi or Bluetooth
- Straightforward to use
Take note
- Bulky book blocks
I fell big time for the Voxblock audio player. It’s a reasonably priced, straightforward audio player that does exactly what it says on the tin. There’s no fiddly setup, no app requirement, no wifi or Bluetooth connection – just plug it in to charge with the USB-C cable, then slot your audio book of choice in place and you’re away. Even better, if you remove the audio book and then put it back in again, it will pick up where you left off.
There’s an excellent selection of titles available, including those by Roald Dahl, Terry Pratchett and Julia Donaldson, with new titles added often.
The buttons are big, tactile and intuitive to use and your children can either listen out loud or use the wired headphones. We listened to The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton, narrated by Kate Winslet, and it was beautifully told and a real pleasure to listen to.
All of the essentials have been covered by this audio player, without the addition of anything distracting. There’s a handy battery light indicator at the bottom, so you can see when it’s nearing time for a charge. You can also put it into bedtime mode by pressing the two furthest buttons until the light turns orange, which gives you 20 minutes of listening before turning off. You can also put a travel lock on it by pressing the volume buttons until the light turns pink (same again to unlock).
You'll need to find a place to store the book blocks, though – they'll take up more room compared with the debit-card sized Yoto cards.
Key specifications
Buy now £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
Toniebox 2
Best: kids' audio player for a wide age range
Why we love it
- Super durable
- Great longevity
- Huge range of stories to choose from
Take note
- Games requires extra purchases
- Very short cable
If you're looking for an audio player that will grow with your child, the Toniebox 2 is certified for kids aged 12 months and up. The latest device has kept the same hyper-kid-friendly padded design and ergonomic ear controls, and the audio is still played via the character figurines that snap satisfyingly into place on top of the player. There are more than 250 to choose from, including classic favourites such as Paddington and Peter Rabbit.
Conveniently, this model also comes with a sunrise alarm, and the option to use wireless headphones. There is also the rather exciting addition of audio gaming, featuring everything from Disney quizzes to rescue missions with the Paw Patrol, though this does require extra purchases. There is plenty here to keep your child entertained for years.
The slight drawback is that in order to get it certified for 12-month-olds, the cable is a teeny 10cm, which is a bit impractical. If you’ve got older kids, you may want to buy a longer replacement cable.
Key specifications
Buy now £109.99, Amazon.co.uk
StoryPhones
Best: kids' audio player for battery life
Why we love it
- Ultra-portable
- Exceptional battery life
- Comfortable to wear
Take note
- Limited library compared with some other audio players
The biggest pain point of traditional audio players is bulk. However, the StoryPhones player is built directly into a pair of super comfortable, volume-limited headphones, offering a screen-free entertainment experience that doesn't take up precious bag space.
With no need for a separate audio player, you simply click the magnetic StoryShield discs into place directly in the headphones, then the story begins to play. The really cool thing is, once the StoryShield has downloaded, it's available offline, making it perfect for long car rides. It boasts exceptionally good battery life, too, with up to 20 hours of playback on a single charge.
There's also built-in hearing protection, and my eldest said that the padded headphones were comfortable to wear. The library is smaller than many competitors, but there’s plenty of official Disney content to choose from. We listened to Monsters Inc, Toy Story and Frozen, with each being about half an hour in length.
Just make sure you find a secure way to store the discs, as they are prime candidates for getting lost under plane or car seats.
Key specifications
Buy now £79.99, Currys.co.uk
Yoto mini player (2024 edition)
Best: kids' audio player for travel
Why we love it
- Weighs less than 200g
- Perfect for travelling
- Uses the same Yoto cards as the larger Yoto Player
Take note
- Less impressive sound quality
Weighing less than 200g, the Yoto mini is a palm-sized audio player that’s perfect for taking with you on the go. There's no ambient nightlight or room thermometer here but, if you're not fussed about losing some of the features found in the main Yoto player (reviewed above), this mini version works fantastically as a basic audio player.
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The drawbacks are that some small toddlers might find the volume dials a little tricky, and if you're fussy about sound quality, the built-in mono speaker doesn't boast the same smooth stereo sound as the third-generation Yoto player.
Plus, like its larger peer, you'll want to plump for the adventure jacket to protect the plastic casing. However, if you're looking for a relatively budget-friendly audio player that works brilliantly when travelling, look no further.
Key specifications
Buy now £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
Baby Clementoni Disney storytime projector
Best: kids' audio player with images
Why we love it
- Combines simple visual storytelling with audio
- Instant setup
Take note
- No option to add more stories
- An adult will need to set the manual focus
If you're looking for an audio story device suitable for younger children who love Disney, this fun Baby Clementoni Disney storytime projector is aimed at those aged 12+ months.
It comes with preinstalled batteries, and there's no need to connect to wifi or download any apps, so it's easy to use straight away. Simply pop in whichever story you want to play, then watch the full-colour projector images and listen to the story.
You'll need a spot of plain wall on which to project, then you can use the focus dial to get a clear image. Each set comes with eight cards – seven Disney classics (including 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland and The Lion King) and a lullaby card.
That is your lot, though. There's no option to buy extra cards. Each story is also quite short, condensed down to eight slides. While it's designed for ages 12 months and older, a parent will probably need to set the manual focus – my three-year-old kept knocking it out of alignment in excitement.
Key specifications
Buy now £24.99, Amazon.co.uk
Fisher-Price classics music box record player
Best: nostalgic kids' audio player
Why we love it
- Beautifully designed
- Super simple setup
- Easy to use for younger kids
Take note
- Limited content
- Easily outgrown
Longing for the good old days? Indulge in this Fisher-Price music box record player and go back in time while your little ones drop the needle and play retro versions of nursery rhymes such as ‘London Bridge’, ‘Ants Go Marching’ and ‘The Wheels on the Bus’.
Suitable for those aged 18 months and up, it's a fun audio-based toy suitable for young toddlers. It would be a great way to get a young one interested in basic cause-and-effect learning, encouraging some independent play and having a good old-fashioned singalong with a backing track.
It's a re-release of the iconic 1971 ‘change-a-record’ player, and it does feel like a special piece. Plus with no wifi, Bluetooth or app to download, it feels like a proper offline, 100 per cent screen-free bit of kit. With the wind-up knob, it's also really simple for little hands to grasp, plus there is a handy hidden storage compartment at the back for the ‘records’ to be kept safe when not in use.
Of course, it's not a true music box and relies on internal batteries and digital chips behind the scenes. There's also a fixed library, and the audio quality isn't phenomenal. There's also no headphone jack, so you will be listening to ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ on repeat along with your little one.
Key specifications
Buy now £27.52, Amazon.co.uk
Learning Resources 'Numberblocks' sing and record music player
Best: kids' audio player for recording and listening
Why we love it
- Can record as well as play audio
- Comes with a headphone jack
Take note
- Limited content
- Easily outgrown
If you are looking for an audio toy to keep your toddler or preschooler occupied, check out this Numberblocks option. Inspired by the hit CBeebies TV series, this toy helps young children explore maths through 15 sounds and songs. But the bit that proved a hit with our preschooler was the attached microphone, which enables you to record yourself for up to 90 seconds and then play back the recording.
You might be pleased to learn there is a headphone jack, though do note headphones are not included. It also comes with batteries, which are still going strong after a week of intermittent use.
While this is a great option for toddlers and young preschoolers, it doesn't have the same longevity as some other models included in this roundup. But as a fun Christmas or birthday present that will enable children to capture their own performances, it hits all the right notes.
Key specifications
Buy now £26.95, Amazon.co.uk
Amazon echo dot kids (5th generation)
Best: multi-functional kids' audio player
Why we love it
- Good value
- Huge range of audio activities
Take note
- Need to pay for a subscription after the first year
- Mains powered only
Amazon’s echo dot kids (5th generation) offers exceptionally good value for money for the first year, considering it comes with the content already baked in. However, it's worth noting that, after your first year is up, you’ll need to pay for a monthly or annual subscription to continue using Amazon Kids+.
The echo dot kids has a handy built-in temperature sensor, and I like the bright child-friendly designs – we tested the purple fire-breathing dragon version. The physical buttons on the top of the device are easy enough to use, too. If you have multiple echos devices, you can also broadcast to your children's one, to tell them it's time for dinner, for example.
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The downside is that it’s mains powered only, so you can't move it around or take it with you in the car. Plus, there's no headphone jack, so whatever your kids are listening to will become the soundtrack to your day, too. I also found the setup to be a bit of a palaver – it took by far the longest of all the products tested. However, if you already have echo dots in your house and the accounts and apps already installed, it may be significantly quicker.
While this is marketed as being suitable for children aged three years and above, I don't know many three-year-olds with clear enough diction to actually use the voice-command setup. The ultimate drawback for me, though, is having an always-listening, cloud-connected microphone around children. There is the option to mute it, but the nature of the device means that whenever you want to use it, it has to be on.
Key specifications
Buy now £64.99, Amazon.co.uk
What is the best kids’ audio player?
The Yoto player is a solid, all-round offering thanks it huge library and range of extra features like a nightlight and weather display. Just make sure you buy the adventure jacket, if it’s going to be handled by younger children. If you've looking for something budget friendly and no-nonsense, you're not going to beat the Voxblock audio player. If you're on the road a lot, consider the StoryPhones for their all-in-one build and exceptional battery life. Buying for a young toddler and want something that will grow with them? It's got to be the Toniebox 2.
How I tested kids’ audio players
To test accurately and fairly throughout the testing process, I assessed each kids’ audio player against the following criteria.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
IndyBest is The Independent’s expert-driven shopping section. We extensively test every product we feature to bring you unbiased reviews based on real-world testing, and we only recommend products that pass our rigorous tests.
Abby Driver has tested and reviewed a wide range of products for IndyBest, including everything from the best dog leads to top-rated walking poles. A mother of two, Abby tested these audio players with the help of her children, so she can vouch for how well each product went down at bedtime, while out and about, and at home during the day.
Want more ideas for entertaining the kids? Read our guide to the best gifts for five-year-olds
