The Gower School Welcomes Yoto to the Classroom

We are delighted to share some exciting news: The Gower School is now officially incorporating Yoto Players into pupils’ learning journey. Thanks to the generosity of Ben Drury, co-founder of Yoto and a parent at Gower School, several Yoto Players and Yoto Minis have been donated to both our Nursery and Primary Schools. 

These wonderful devices will enable our children to enjoy a wide selection of audio stories, music, and educational content in a safe and engaging way. Each Yoto Player comes with a fantastic library of story and music cards, offering a range of listening experiences. These include beloved classics such as The Gruffalo, Peter Rabbit, and James and the Giant Peach, along with lots of original educational and musical content designed to spark young imaginations. 

Imagination Inspired by Montessori 

Yoto is a screen-free, child-led audio platform designed to encourage storytelling, creativity, literacy and independence. Its design philosophy is deeply rooted in Montessori principles, empowering children to explore learning at their own pace. 

We are thrilled that our children will now be able to experience this child-focused  

technology first-hand. With the Yoto Players, our children will build on their listening skills, expand their imaginations, and enjoy stories that inspire creativity in the classroom and beyond. 

Here’s what Ben Drury, Yoto Co-Founder and Gower School Parent, says of the creation of Yoto:

“The idea for Yoto came about when my co-founder Filip and I had children around the same time and we were looking for a screen-free way for our kids to access audio independently and safely. The fact that my children went to a Montessori nursery really inspired the design principles of the Yoto Player and I’m delighted to pay that forward with this donation so Gower School pupils can have them in the classroom to further encourage a lifelong love of stories and music, as well as inspire their natural creativity and curiosity.” 

We are truly grateful to Mr Drury for his generous donation and ongoing support of our school’s philosophy and community. We look forward to seeing (and listening to!) the many ways our children will engage with Yoto Players as they learn and explore. 

All About Yoto 

Founded in 2017 by Ben Drury and Filip Denker, Yoto was inspired by Montessori principles and the belief that technology for children should be both empowering and safe. The first Yoto Player launched on Kickstarter and quickly sold out in 2019, followed by the second generation, designed with the renowned design agency Pentagram, in 2020. The range has since grown to include the Yoto Mini and the third generation Yoto Player, both of which Mr Drury has generously donated to our school. 

Now available worldwide, Yoto has received countless awards and glowing reviews from parents, teachers and children alike, including being named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2020 and winning a D&AD Pencil Award in 2022. 

Yoto’s ever-growing library now includes over 1,000 titles for children aged 0-12+, with stories from some of the world’s best-loved authors and publishers, including Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Pottermore, Sony, Disney and Scholastic.