Yoto launches new playlist to help avoid boredom in the car this summer
A survey by the kids’ audio player brand finds that parents hit their breaking point just 44 minutes into the average road trip.
Whether you’re doing a day trip to a UK beach, driving to a holiday rental in the Peak District, or undertaking a cross-continent drive to Lake Como, many families will be spending at least a few hours in the car this summer. But the problems can start before you’ve even stopped for your first loo break.
New research from Yoto, a kids’ audio player brand, finds that the average family car journey in the summer is two hours and 30 minutes — but parents hit their breaking points at only 44 minutes in.
This could be because in that two and a half hours, parents can expect an average of three toilet stops, four requests for snacks, and three tantrums, Yoto’s survey of 2000 UK parents of children under 10 in July 2025 found.
What drives parents round the bend?
60% of the parents surveyed said that travelling with children is “quite” or “incredibly” stressful. But why is this?
The survey found that kids ask the infamous phrase ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ an average of 10 times in one car trip.
30% of the parents said that their kids getting bored in the backseat caused their stress, while 25% said that having to listen to the same song on loop was a factor in theirs.
To cope, 82% admitted to lying about when they would arrive to placate their kids. Other parents admitted to threatening to cancel the holiday (26%), confiscating sweets (26%), and even saying that they would leave their kids at the side of the road (17%)!
Yoto has a screen-free solution
To help frazzled parents everywhere Yoto has launched a 2.5 hour-long playlist, perfectly timed for the average car journey length.
It can be streamed for free through the Yoto app, and includes a mixture of music, stories, and fun facts to keep kids entertained without the need for screens.
Jess Tarrant, content director at Yoto, said: “We understand that summer road trips with children can often be a test of patience for many parents. Our research highlights just how quickly backseat chaos can set in, that’s why we’re doing what we can to help make those journeys a little smoother and more enjoyable for everyone.
“Our free 2.5-hour playlist, specially curated to match the average UK car journey, is packed with stories, music, and activities from our best-selling Yoto Originals series to keep kids entertained and engaged, all without the need for screens.”
And if you’re travelling between the 4th and 8th of August 2025, Yoto is hosting mini pit-stops at Welcome Break Service Areas in Rotherham, Gordano, Fleet South and South Mimms. Here, kids can trial a Yoto Mini, access an exclusive 20% discount, and get free goodies like a Yoto card.
For further information please visit the yoto.space website.