This gadget could make those long, dark evenings easier for parents and more entertaining for children

As summer starts to disappear and the evenings get darker earlier, parents can suddenly find themselves with several extra hours to fill indoors. When the school or nursery day is over, dinner still needs to be made and bedtime can feel a long way off, it can be difficult to find a way to keep children entertained.

That's where the Yoto player can be a particularly useful addition to the family. It’s especially appealing because it gives them something they can turn to without automatically reaching for a television or tablet.

Yoto is a screen-free audio player designed for children. Rather than scrolling through apps or choosing another programme, they simply pop an audio card into the player and listen to stories, music or educational content.

It's remarkably simple, but that's part of its appeal. Children of all ages can choose what they want to listen to and then settle down, becoming completely engrossed in whatever story they've picked.

And as the nights get darker, that becomes particularly handy. When it's too wet, cold or dark to stay outside for long, children need things to do indoors, but keeping them entertained doesn't always have to mean putting on a screen. With Yoto, they can listen to a story while playing, drawing, looking through books or simply getting cosy.

Parents will be a huge fan of the Yoto player because of how absorbed young ones become in it. For any parent or carer who has experienced the late-afternoon stretch where children are tired but bedtime isn't quite here yet, it could be the answer for what to do.

It also means those darker evenings can become an opportunity for something a little more relaxing. Instead of another programme after dinner, they can choose an audio story and settle down to listen, creating a calmer transition towards bedtime.

There's plenty of choice to keep things interesting too. Yoto's library now includes more than 1,000 audio titles, from much-loved children's favourites such as The Gruffalo and Paddington to music and educational content.

And it isn't something they're likely to outgrow quickly. As children get older, it will grow with them as they can move from shorter stories to longer adventures and more sophisticated content too, such as Harry Potter. There's also music from artists including The Beatles and the Spice Girls, giving families another way to use it together.

That's what makes Yoto particularly well suited to the colder months. It's not just something to switch on when children are bored. It can become part of the rhythm of family life, from after-school listening and rainy afternoons to cosy evenings and bedtime stories.

And when the sun is setting earlier and everyone is spending more time inside, having a screen-free activity that children genuinely want to use can make those long evenings feel considerably easier. For the whole family, the Yoto player could be the start of a love of listening, and for children the start of a love of stories that grows with them.

• Please note that delivery charges may apply.