To help you when shopping for these types of toys we have put together a list of the best play phones for toddlers and kids just below. We have included all types of play phones including retro rotary phones, fake cell phones, toy smartphones, flip phones and even specific ones that appeal more to boys and girls!
No matter which one you get your child they are sure to have a ton of fun (and learn alot) with these play phones. Another added benefit to these is that they should help to keep your kiddos hands off your very real (and very breakable) smartphone.
Tips For Finding the Best Toy Phones for Toddlers
If you are looking for the perfect toy phone for your toddler here are some tips to help you find the right one.
Decide whether you want a phone that is interactive, or one where your toddler will need to use their imagination.
Choose a play phone that is colorful enough to grab your child’s attention.
Look for a phone that is durable and able to withstand drops and bangs.
The Best Fake Cell Phones for Kids List
1. Vtech Touch & Swipe Baby Phone
This Vtech play phone comes with 12 apps for your child to choose from. It plays music and encourages young children to use their imagination. There are 15 different melodies and phrases to keep your child entertained. The phone does require 2 AAA batteries and is not waterproof.
Positives
Phone helps children learn their ABCs and numbers
Helps children develop fine motor skills and imagination
Encourages development of verbal skills
Negatives
Does not hold up as well as most parents would expect.
What age child is this recommended for?
This phone is best suited for children 8 months old and up.
2. Disney Princess Role Play Collection
This Disney Princess collectionprovides young children with a toy cell phone as well as a watch, a key and a couple of credit cards. The phone makes a locking sound, vibrates and has a play camera that flashes when the toddler pretends to take a picture. It does require 3 LR44 batteries to operate.
Positives
Encourages imaginative play as a young child plays grown up.
Helps children develop verbal and fine motor skills.
Grows with a child and can be played with for two or three years.
Negatives
The phone and watch don’t do much of anything.
What age child is this recommended for?
This cell phone set is best suited for children ages 3 years and up.
3. Learning Resources Teaching Phone
This learning resources teaching phone is programmable so that young children can learn their home phone number, 911, and other numbers that may be important. Parents can record a message on the phone so that when the child dials the right number they get a message. This phone does require 3 A AA batteries and does have a retro style.
Positives
Pushing buttons helps develop fine motor skills in the child.
Children can learn what to do in certain emergency situations.
The phone is well made and designed to last for years of use.
Negatives
The phone could use a more modern design
The speaker for the recorded messages is on the phone not the receiver
What age child is this toy recommended for?
This pretend play phone is best suited for children ages 3 years and up.
4. LeapFrog Chat and Count Toddler Cell Phone
This LeapFrog toy telephonehas 15 activities to keep toddlers amused including a counting song that helps children learn how to count from 1 to 10. Whenever your child pushes a button an animated Scout/Violet will appear. 3AAA batteries are required to operate this toy.
Positives
The phone itself is well constructed and has good sound that children find entertaining.
Easy for children to grasp
Fun graphics that children like
Negatives
Some of these phones break pretty easily and quit doing anything at all.
What age child is this phone recommended for?
This toy is best suited for children 18 months old and up.
5. Sing & Count Toy Cell Phone
This cute little sing and count baby cell phone comes with 12 different apps including one for counting, animal sounds, and songs. Safe for young children this phone has no sharp edges and the actual phone functions sound pretty realistic. This brightly colored play phone does require 2AAA batteries.
Positives
Several activities to keep children interested
Sound isn’t too loud and annoying
Buttons are easy for children to push
Negatives
Some parents find the volume is too low
What age is this product recommended for?
This phone is ideal for children 1 year and up
6. Fisher Price Classic Retro Chatter Phone
Although some parents find this retro style toddler telephone outdated, most toddlers love that it is a pull toy with a cute friendly face. They seem to instinctively understand how to use the old fashioned phone receiver. This phone requires 2AAA batteries and brings back memories of their own childhood.
Positives
Rotary dial help child develop fine motor skills
This phone encourages children to engage their imagination
Kids love that the phones eyes roll and the phone rings
Negatives
The cord from the receiver to the phone is extremely short.
What age is this phone recommended for?
This phone is suited for children ages 12 months old and up
7. Minnie’s Happy Helpers Rotary Phone
This old fashioned pink phone has Minnie’s signature bow and what looks like a rotary dial, but the numbers are push buttons. This phone features realistic phone sounds, phrases in Minnie’s voice and light effects. It also has a springing cord that runs from the phone itself to the receiver. The phone does require 2AA batteries.
Positives
Cute phone that most little girls love
Many children like the more retro design of this toy compared to other play phones.
Buttons are easy for child to push
Negatives
This child’s toy phone is pretty flimsy
What age is this toy recommended for?
This Minnie Happy Helpers Phone is best suited for children ages 2 years and up.
8. Pretend Phone, TV Remote & Car Keys Set
This set includes the Click and Play pretend cell phone, a TV remote and a key chain with 3 keys. These toys are brightly colored and feature realistic sounds, lights and sounds as well as music.
Positives
The toys in this set are pretty durable
All the buttons are entertaining and will help your child develop fine motor skills
Kids get 3 toys all in one set
Negatives
Toys are not the best quality
What age is this toy recommended for?
This play cell phone set is recommended for children ages 3 and up
9. Joyin Learning Remote and Phone Set
This remote and phone set is bright and colorful and easy for a young child to use. The cellphone has colorful graphics on the buttons and there is a large screen. The phone and remote together take 4AAA batteries.
Positives
These toys maintain a reasonable volume, not too low or too loud
The toys are good size for toddlers to handle
This phone and remote helps to keep your child from playing with real remotes and cell phones.
Negatives
Some of these toys fail to work shortly after using them
What age is this toy appropriate for?
This toy is best suited for children 1 year old and up
10. Kidpal Toy Phone
The Kidpal toy phone sings, talks and will even recite numbers. This phone features lights, music, and counting as well as visual recognition. The buttons have cute graphics that will capture your child’s attention and imagination.
Positives
Helps toddlers develop their verbal skills
The phone is the perfect size for young ones to hold in their hand
Encourages imaginative play
Negatives
Some parents find the sound too low to be heard easily.
What age is this recommended for?
The Kidpal phone is best suited for children ages 12 months and up
11. Flip Cell Phone Toy
The B. Toys brand Hellophone is a neat looking toy flip phone for toddlers. Parents can record messages on the phone for their child to hear. It also provides children with lots of sounds, songs and lights. It does require 3AA batteries.
Positives
This phone encourages children to develop both imagination and verbal skills
The phone is quite durable (some last for years!)
Kids love hearing their parents or grandparents talk to them on the phone
Negatives
The sound is lower than most parents like
What age is this recommended for?
This phone is recommended for children 18 months and up
12. IQ Toys Yphone
This IQ Toys Yphone is a fun toy phone for kids! Since it looks just like an iPhone your child can feel just like mom or dad. There are lights that flash around the edges when a child presses a button. The phone helps teach children about colors, numbers, fruits, instrument sounds and more. It comes with its own USB charging cord.
Positives
This toy phone encourages the development of verbal and fine motor skills
There are several learning activities for children
It’s USB chargeable
Negatives
Phone is smaller than most parents expected and felt cheaply made
What age is this toy recommended for?
This phone is recommended for children ages 3 years and up
13. Cooplay Black Y Phone
Another iPhone look-a-like this pretend toddler phone has 10 functions and plays 30 songs. It lights up and makes sounds as well as teaches children the names of different colors, fruits and more.
Positives
Encourages children imagination and verbal skills
The phone holds a child interest
There are some nice learning activities
Negatives
The volume is way to loud and the lights are too bright
What age is this recommended for?
This phone is best suited for kids 3 years and up
14. Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Smart Phone
This cute little play smartphone is suitable for older infants and toddlers. The phone helps teach children counting, greetings and more. It also has dancing lights.
Positives
This toy has a nice variety of songs
The buttons are easy for children to push
It’s quite durable holding up to toddler’s rougher play
Negative
Volume is too low
What age is this toy recommended for?
This phone is best suited for children 6 months old and up
15. Byserten Baby Phone
This lights and music toy phone for young toddlers has 15 apps on the screen including letter recognition, animals, colors, fruit, music and soft lights. There are 5 volume levels and 3AAA batteries are required for information.
Positives
This phone helps child develop better verbal skills
This toy has a touch screen rather than push buttons
Child or parent can control the volume
Negatives
The stickers on the phone easily peel off
What age is this recommended for?
This toy is best suited for kids 1 years old and up
Wrapping up the Best Toy Cell Phones for Kids
If you are looking for a fun educational toy for a toddler in your life then one of these play toddler phones will make a great gift.