A toy phone for your baby, toddler, or preschooler is not just a great way to keep them from stealing your iPhone (again), it’s also perfect for imaginative play. Let your little one pretend to call Mickey Mouse and tell him what they think about his clubhouse. Open another universe where your child can practice their phone etiquette for that weekly FaceTime with Grandma.
But many toy phones offer even more than just imaginative play. They’re interactive and play music, ABCs, and offer other fun games. There are quite a few different toy phones out there today, so we’ve made a list of our favorites.
- What to Look for in Toy Phones
- Top 15 Best Toy Phones 2023
- 1. Best Overall Toy Phone: LeapFrog Chat and Count Emoji Phone
- 2. VTech Touch and Swipe Baby Phone
- 3. Best Premium Toy Phone: Learning Resources Teaching Telephone
- 4. Best Toy Phone for Toddlers: LeapFrog Chat and Count Smart Phone
- 5. Best Toy Phone for Preschoolers: VTech Call and Chat Learning Phone
- 6. Best Toy Phone for Babies: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Phone
- 7. Battat Light and Sound Phone Plus Keys Combo Set
- 8. Best Pull-Toy Phone: Fisher-Price Classics Retro Chatter Phone
- 9. Best Character Phone: Minnie’s Happy Helpers Rotary Phone
- 10. Best Budget Toy Phone: Infantino Flip and Peek Fun Phone
- 11. JOYIN My Learning Remote and Fun Bundle
- 12. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Leave a Message Smart Phone
- 13. VTech PJ Masks Super Learning Phone
- 14. VTech Little Smart Phone
- 15. Sommer Teething Phone Toy for Babies
- Final Thoughts on Toy Phones
What to Look for in Toy Phones
To keep your little one occupied and entertained, a toy phone needs to hold a child’s attention. It’s even better if you can find a phone that is both entertaining and educational. That way, your child can learn while they have fun.
Finding the perfect toy phone for your little one depends on a couple of things. The first is their age. A more simplistic phone that’s perfect for babies will likely bore your four-year-old to tears.
The other factor to think about when you look for a phone is what your little one will use it for. If they mostly like imaginary play and role-playing, then they might be happy with a simpler model. If they like anything with a screen and continually try to take your phone, though, then they might like one of the more interactive phones.
Entertaining
One of the main reasons we get a toy phone for our little ones is for it to be fun and entertaining. That means different things for different ages, though. For babies, simple things like music, sound effects, and lights are just enough to keep their attention. Durable phones like the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Phone are a great choice for the youngest children.
Toddlers are constantly on the move, so they need a little more to keep them occupied. Simple games, learning activities, and lights and sound are all great ways to hold their interest. The LeapFrog Chat and Count Phone is ideal for toddlers for exactly those reasons.
Preschoolers need toy phones with plenty of interaction. They’re drawn to phones with lots of learning activities, games, and role-playing opportunities. The VTech Call and Chat Learning Phone is one that has voice-activation features for plenty of role-playing fun.
Easy to Use
At the very least, toy phones should have big buttons for little fingers to press. Toddlers and preschoolers are still working on their fine motor development, so they can become frustrated quickly with small buttons and toys that are difficult to use. And what’s the fun in that?
Learning Elements
Kids will naturally learn through imaginative play, and toy phones are a great way to help kids develop their social skills and problem-solving. Many of the phones on our list offer additional learning skills through interactive games, buttons, and songs. Your little one will learn things like counting, numbers, letters, and sing-alongs.
Durability
Remember that time you dropped your phone in the parking lot, and the screen cracked? If you’re an adult, think how many times a day, a kid will drop a toy! Any kind of toy phone you get should be just short of bomb-proof, especially if it has electronic components. That way, you won’t have to worry about it breaking when your kid drops it for the tenth time that day.
We’ve included the age ranges so you can find the toys that your little one can play with the longest. You’ll also find the battery requirements listed so that you can be prepared!
Top 15 Best Toy Phones 2023
1. Best Overall Toy Phone: LeapFrog Chat and Count Emoji Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 18 months to 5 years
- Battery Requirements: 3 AAA batteries (included)
The LeapFrog Chat and Count Emoji Phone is the perfect size for little hands as it’s bigger than the typical iPhone and much lighter. The buttons are large and kid-friendly, and the phone is durable enough to resist all your child’s efforts to destroy it. It also comes in several different colors, including black, purple, and white.
Learning Elements
It has some great learning features, teaching counting, numbers, songs, and phone etiquette. There are two interactive games your child can play with Scout that are great for problem-solving skills. One is to guess which object Scout needs, and the other is to press the correct numbers.
Verdict
Your little one will love to talk and sing along with Scout using the LeapFrog Chat and Count Emoji Phone’s interactive features. The emoji part of the phone is that your child can watch Scout’s videos and react with a smiley face, but since most kids in this age range don’t know what social media is, this particular feature isn’t as riveting as other aspects of the phone.
Pros
- Lots of learning activities
- Durable with big buttons
- Comes in three different colors
- Scout plays songs and videos
- Improves vocabulary
Cons
- Emoji aspect gets lost on younger kids
2. VTech Touch and Swipe Baby Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 6 months to 3 years
- Battery Requirements: 2 AAA batteries (included)
If your little one loves your phone’s touch screen feature, they’ll appreciate the same on the VTech Touch and Swipe Baby Phone. The touch screen buttons are sensitive, so it’s easy for tiny fingers to press them. The phone is big, which makes it easy for even small babies to hold it. It comes in pink, blue, and orange, so it’s up to you to pick your baby’s favorite color.
The “swipe” aspect of the phone is just a switch at the bottom that you slide to the side to go from one screen to another. The phone is also made to hold up to toddler antics, and although the manufacturer guidelines say to keep it away from liquids, it resists baby drool pretty well.
Learning Elements
One unique learning tool this phone has is that you can program your phone number into it. This helps your child learn your phone number in case of an emergency. It also teaches the alphabet, numbers, and first words through fun sing-alongs. It also has twelve apps made to look like a real phone, like weather, clock, and calendar.
The phone has interactive games that are fun and educational, such as pressing the button that’s lit up, or choosing the right picture. For kids who love to listen to music, the second screen has both songs and instrumental sounds. Battery life is pretty poor.
Verdict
This phone isn’t just a toy, it’s a way for children to learn important things in a controlled environment, from memorizing a home phone number to practicing calling emergency services. Between programming features and fun, educational games, it’s a great pick.
Pros
- Large and easy to hold
- Learning activities on one screen
- Music and songs on another screen
- Hard to break
Cons
- Uses batteries quickly
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 3 years to 10 years
- Battery Requirements: 3 AAA batteries (included)
The Learning Resources Teaching Telephone is ideal if you want to teach your child to dial important phone numbers in case of an emergency. Now that we all have mobile phones with a contact book, we forget that there was once a time we had to learn all our family and friend’s numbers!
This phone allows you to program a number into it and record a message. When your child dials the number correctly, they’ll hear the prerecorded message, and it reinforces their memory. Once they learn one number, you can erase it and program another.
Well-made and durable, this phone is a toy that lasts for many years of rough kid-play.
Learning Elements
As a learning resource, the Teaching Telephone is ideal. Our kids learn to work our mobile phones as toys, but do they know how to use a regular office-type phone? Have they memorized family phone numbers and 911 in case of an emergency? This phone makes it easy and fun to teach them.
Verdict
The Learning Resources Teaching Telephone is pricier than other toy phones, but it’s a high-quality toy. Kids think it’s fun to dial the number and hear your recording, and you’ll be glad they learned important numbers. We wish the phone allowed you to save multiple numbers and messages, but you have to do one at a time.
Pros
- Winner of 14 awards
- Teaches important phone numbers in a fun way
- Allows you to record a message
- Realistic-looking phone with big buttons
Cons
- Only lets you program one number at a time
4. Best Toy Phone for Toddlers: LeapFrog Chat and Count Smart Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 18 months to 36 months
- Battery Requirements: 3 AAA batteries (included)
The LeapFrog Chat and Count Smart Phone is around the same size as your phone; only it’s thicker and much more durable. The twelve big buttons are easy for toddlers to push, and they have colorful icons. The screen displays Scout or Violet, depending on which phone color you choose, and your toddler can interact with the pups in fun ways.
Learning Elements
Scout or Violet animations on the screen help your child learn to count to ten. Your little one can also interact with Scout or Violet on the screen through different role-playing activities like phone etiquette, voicemail, and phone conversation. The phone has 25 various activities to teach counting and role-plays talking on the phone, so there’s plenty to keep your child entertained. Since children learn quickly with music, there are many songs and sounds to help them learn.
Verdict
With the LeapFrog Chat and Count Smart Phone, your little one will learn to count to ten in no time. They’ll love all the ways they can talk and interact with Scout or Violet, and you’ll appreciate that it keeps your little one entertained. We just wish the screen was a little better and a little less 1980s-computer-looking. When you compare the LeapFrog Chat and Count Emoji Phone
with this one, the Emoji is at a slightly better price point and has a few more learning activities, although some kids will love the retro looks of this phone.
Pros
- Durable with easy-to-press buttons
- Lots of interactive activities
- Teaches counting and numbers
- Fun sing-alongs and music
Cons
- Display leaves a lot to be desired
5. Best Toy Phone for Preschoolers: VTech Call and Chat Learning Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 2 years to 5 years
- Battery Requirements: 2 AAA batteries (included for demo only)
The unique feature of the VTech Call and Chat Learning Phone is that you can store up to five family or friend phone numbers so your child can pretend to call them. This feature helps them learn important phone numbers, too. You can personalize each number with a different ring tone to make it more realistic.
A cute parrot guides your child through all these features on their phone, and they can even have an interactive chat with him. What’s especially fun about this phone is that it has voice activation for the little parrot.
The phone seems to hold up well to rough treatment by toddlers and preschoolers, and the batteries are long-lasting.
Learning Elements
Along with the ability to program real numbers on the phone for your child to learn, the VTech Call and Chat Learning Phone has ten different apps, including music, clock, photos, and games, so your child can feel like they’re using a phone just like yours. The apps teach numbers, letters, and time.
Verdict
The VTech Call and Chat Learning Phone has so many learning apps that your little one will likely find it very entertaining. The interactive aspects of it with a chatty parrot and voice recognition make it feel like a real phone. We also love that it teaches your child important phone numbers.
The phone is really loud, though, and there’s no volume control. Unlike the LeapFrog Chat and Count Phone, this phone has no lights or color on the screen, which can cause some kids to lose interest.
Pros
- Lots of learning activities and apps
- Teaches important phone numbers
- Cute, interactive parrot
- Voice activation
Cons
- No volume control
- No lights or colors on the screen
6. Best Toy Phone for Babies: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 6 months to 36 months
- Battery Requirements: 2 AAA batteries (included)
Although bulkier than a real smartphone, the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn is a good baby toy substitute. Your baby will be able to hold the phone easily and press the large buttons. Each button looks like an app icon, and they all play different sounds. The slider on the bottom of the phone lets your baby hear another set of music and phrases.
The phone comes in different colors, and you can choose from blue, pink, and white. We like that there aren’t many crevices for drool or spit-up to get stuck in, and the phone is very durable.
Learning Elements
Each of the twelve app buttons plays a different song or phrase, and they teach numbers, counting, and phone etiquette. There are twenty different sing-alongs, so you won’t get the same one stuck in your head. A light on the phone dances along to the songs and phrases, which is great for keeping your baby’s interest.
Verdict
The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Phone is ideal for babies because it gives them a phone to play with that looks like yours. The phone is the perfect size for little hands, and it has big buttons that play different sing-alongs and phrases.
This toy is designed to be held up against your child’s ear like a real phone. Because of this, the volume is low. You can only hear it well if it’s right up against your ear. The Laugh & Learn Smart Phone is also not the best choice for older toddlers or preschoolers as it won’t hold their interest for long.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Twelve different app-icon buttons
- Durable and drool-proof
- Plays learning sing-alongs and phrases
Cons
- Very low volume
- Won’t hold an older child’s interest
7. Battat Light and Sound Phone Plus Keys Combo Set
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 10 months to 8 years
- Battery Requirements: 3 AAA batteries (included)
The Battat Light and Sound Phone Plus Keys Combo Set is a bundled set that’s perfect if your little one likes to do everything the same as Mommy or Daddy. They’ll get their own set of car keys and a phone, and both have realistic sound effects. The car keys beep like you’re locking your car and make a revving sound like an engine. The phone beeps, makes a dial tone sound, and plays music. Both the keys and the phone also light up with a flashlight on the end.
Both the keys and the phone are durable and have soft buttons that are easy for little hands to push. The keys are bigger than standard car key fobs, so they’re easier for toddlers to hold.
Learning Elements
This combo is great for imaginary play or entertaining toddlers, but it doesn’t have any learning activities. This is another simplistic toy like Minnie’s Happy Helpers Rotary Phone that’s great for role-playing.
Verdict
If you’re looking for a phone that allows kids to use their imagination rather than yet another interactive learning toy, then the Battat Combo Set is a great choice. The keys and the phone don’t have an off switch, though, so be prepared to hear the sound effects on repeat. The keys are also made of metal, but they have rounded edges.
Pros
- Great for role-playing
- Durable with big buttons
- Keys and phone light up
- Fun sound effects and music
Cons
- Keys are made of metal
- No learning activities
8. Best Pull-Toy Phone: Fisher-Price Classics Retro Chatter Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 12 months and up
- Battery Requirements: None
Remember that little phone with the face and buggy eyeballs you pulled along behind you as a toddler? Well, Fisher-Price has re-released for today’s children, so now your little one can have as much fun as you did chatting on the happy phone on wheels.
As simple as this phone is, it’s still a lot of fun. The eyes roll up and down as the phone rolls along, the dial rings, and the mouth makes a chattering sound.
Learning Elements
Pull toys are great for gross motor development in toddlers because it takes coordination to walk and pull simultaneously. Although the phone is fun for toddlers and imaginary play, it doesn’t have many other features. You could use the phone to give your child a history lesson on using a rotary phone—if you can even remember how to dial it right!
Verdict
This phone is perfect for babies and toddlers working on their gross motor development. It encourages imaginary play, but it’s difficult to get the phone to your ear. Toddlers will have to keep the phone in their lap to talk on it since the cord is so short. This is to prevent a choking hazard, but it makes using the toy harder.
Pros
- Pull-toy for gross motor development
- Great for imaginary play
- No batteries required
- Eyes roll up and down, and mouth moves
Cons
- Phone cord is really short
- Simplistic design with no learning activities
9. Best Character Phone: Minnie’s Happy Helpers Rotary Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 3 years and up
- Battery Requirements: 2 AA batteries (included)
If your little one is Minnie-obsessed, then this phone is perfect for pretend play. Diehard Minnie Mouse fans might notice that this phone looks just like the one Minnie uses on the Disney show. The phone has Minnie phrases that kids will recognize from the show, and it makes realistic sound effects.
Compared to others on our list, this is a pretty simple phone, but it’s ideal for kids who love to play make-believe. Because it’s so simplistic, though, it’s challenging to break.
Learning Elements
Other than the imaginary play aspect of this phone, there aren’t specific learning elements like the LeapFrog Chat and Count Emoji Phone. You can use the phone as a tool for learning, though, by showing your child how to dial a number and recognize each number from zero to nine.
Verdict
Minnie’s Happy Helpers Rotary Phone is a lot of fun for imaginary play for Minnie fans. The phone makes a stylish addition to your kid’s toys with its vintage look. However, it’s simplistic and doesn’t offer any learning activities like the other phones.
Pros
- Perfect for Minnie fans
- Realistic phone sound effects
- Plays familiar Minnie phrases
- Great for imaginary play
Cons
- Doesn’t have many features
- Doesn’t hold kids’ attention for long
10. Best Budget Toy Phone: Infantino Flip and Peek Fun Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 3 months and up
- Battery Requirements: 3 LR44 batteries (included)
The Infantino Flip and Peek Fun Phone is a simple phone that’s perfect for babies. It has a mirror inside when you flip it open, and what baby doesn’t like to stare at themselves in a mirror?
It has a few sound effects, and the buttons are easy for a baby to press. This phone has more crevices and places for dirt and crumbs to get in, so it’s not as easy to clean as other toy phones.
Learning Elements
This phone is best used for short periods of distraction for babies like diaper changes or playing peekaboo. It does have three different phrases in English and Spanish to help expand your baby’s vocabulary. It also looks enough like a real phone that it’s great for imaginary play.
Verdict
The Infantino Flip and Peek Fun Phone has a mirror and just enough sound effects to keep your baby entertained—but probably not for long periods. It looks a lot like a real phone, so it might be fun for role-playing in slightly older kids.
Pros
- Great for imaginary play
- Mirror for peekaboo fun
- Small size
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Lots of places for food and spit up to get into
- Won’t hold older kids’ attention
11. JOYIN My Learning Remote and Fun Bundle
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 3 months and up
- Battery Requirements: 4 AA batteries (not included)
Does your toddler steal your remote along with your phone? The Joyin My Learning Remote and Fun Bundle gives your toddler their own in the hopes that they stop drooling all over yours.
Both the remote and the phone are entertaining with realistic sound effects. The remote makes it sound like you’re changing channels, and the phone makes dialing sounds and camera noises. We like that the phone has volume control buttons that can make the phone better for quiet play. However, the volume on the phone is never loud enough. All the buttons are large to make it easy for toddlers to push them.
Learning Elements
Although the bundle doesn’t offer as many learning activities as the VTech Touch and Swipe Phone, they do teach animal sounds, weather, numbers, and music. Both toys are great for role-playing fun.
Verdict
This bundle is useful if you like to get two toys for the price of one, but the remote is made better than the phone. It’s louder, more engaging, and just does a superior job at tricking your little one into thinking they have a real remote.
Pros
- Some learning activities
- Fun sound effects
- Two toys for the price of one
- Volume control buttons
Cons
- Remote is more fun than phone
- Phone is hard to hear
12. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Leave a Message Smart Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 18 months to 36 months
- Battery Requirements: 1 A battery (included)
What sets the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Leave a Message Smart Phone apart is your child’s ability to record a message and play it back again. Kids love recording themselves saying silly things, so they’ll enjoy having a toy phone that lets them do that over and over again.
This phone has 29 different buttons, and over 75 different songs and phrases, so there’s a lot for your little one to do. Lights and realistic phone sounds keep them engaged while they explore the various features of the phone.
The Laugh & Learn phone is bulky and large, which is ideal for a toddler’s hands. It’s also well-made and durable.
Learning Elements
This phone has lots of role-playing fun with the ability to record a voicemail message, realistic phone sounds, and app icons like the microphone and camera. The phone apps teach different concepts like the alphabet, numbers, counting, shapes, colors, and first words. It also has eight emojis that help your little one learn about feelings and emotions.
Verdict
The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Leave a Message Smart Phone has plenty of learning activities, and your little one will love recording their voice on it. It’s not as interactive as the LeapFrog Chat and Count Phone, and it doesn’t have a screen like many of the other phones. Still, we like all the apps and educational games it offers, and the voice recording feature is a lot of fun for all ages.
Pros
- Lots of learning activities
- Lets kids record a message and play it back
- Plenty of songs and music
- Good size for toddlers
Cons
- Not very interactive
- Doesn’t have a screen
13. VTech PJ Masks Super Learning Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 3 years to 6 years
- Battery Requirements: 2 AAA batteries (included for demo only)
Do you have a PJ Masks fan at home? Then the VTech PJ Masks Super Learning Phone is sure to bring a smile to their face. Even if your child hasn’t seen the show, this phone is lots of fun and great for building math skills.
Kids can chat with the PJ Masks through a voice-activated feature, and the characters respond in ways that actually make it sound like they’re having a conversation. They can also listen to voicemails from their favorite PJ Mask heroes!
Animations play on the screen, but it’s not in color, and the quality is low. Your child can choose between five different ring tones. The phone is also available as Peppa Pig, with just a few minor differences.
Learning Elements
The PJ Masks play four interactive learning games with your child that teach numbers, patterns, and counting. If your little one has already been role-playing as one of the PJ Masks, then they will love being able to talk to them on the phone, too.
Verdict
PJ Masks fans will love this phone, and you’ll love that it keeps them entertained. The interactive features are perfect for role-playing fun, and the learning games will help with math skills. Unlike the LeapFrog Chat and Count Emoji Phone, the screen isn’t backlit and doesn’t have colors, so it’s not as entertaining to watch.
Pros
- Interactive fun with PJ Masks characters
- Perfect for role-playing
- Learning games help develop math skills
- Voice-activated
Cons
- Screen isn’t backlit and doesn’t have colors
- Not as fun for kids who don’t watch PJ Masks
14. VTech Little Smart Phone
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 6 months to 36 months
- Battery Requirements: 2 AAA batteries (included)
The VTech Little Smart Phone is perfect for babies because it has just enough entertaining activities without overwhelming them. The screen switches from a puppy to a kitty using a hologram, but it’s a cute feature for a baby. There are thirteen buttons, and the top three light up to keep your baby’s attention.
The phone is the perfect size for little hands. It’s not too bulky and large, but it’s not too small either. It’s very durable, but there are plenty of crevices for food and spit-up to get into.
Learning Elements
The Little Smart Phone teaches about numbers, animals, and colors depending on which button your baby presses. It also plays eight melodies and two sing-alongs. Your baby or toddler can listen to voicemails and play with sound effects for imaginary fun.
Verdict
The VTech Little Smart Phone is nowhere near as complicated as the VTech Touch and Swipe Phone, but if you’re buying this for a baby, that’s a good thing. It’s easy and fun for babies to use with brightly-colored buttons and lights. This phone has a low volume and no way to adjust it, but that’s probably a conscious decision on the manufacturer’s part. Babies will likely keep the phone against their ears, so you don’t a play phone that can ever be so loud it damages little eardrums.
Pros
- Perfect size for babies
- Teaches animals, colors, and numbers
- Great for imaginary play
- Easy for babies to use
Cons
- No volume control
- No screen
15. Sommer Teething Phone Toy for Babies
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Age Range: 18 months and up
- Battery Requirements: 3 AAA batteries (not included)
The Sommer Teething Phone Toy has a removable phone case that is teething-proof and can be sanitized in boiling water to keep it clean. The brightly-colored buttons and lights help keep your baby or toddler’s attention. The phone is a good size, too, and it’s very durable. We like that it has two volume settings—not many other phones have this feature. The phone is available in red or blue.
Learning Elements
The teething phone has twelve different buttons that teach numbers, shapes, and first words. It also has a whack-a-mole type game and music to keep your baby entertained while working on their fine motor skills.
Verdict
The Sommer Teething Phone Toy emphasizes babies and toddlers’ ability to use the removable phone case as a teether, but the recommended age for this toy is 18 months and up. You would think that a teething toy phone would be for babies six months and older, as that’s when toddlers start to teethe, but it’s not the case. Still, this is a fun toy for very young toddlers.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Two volume settings
- Good size for babies and durable
Cons
- Batteries aren’t included
- Age range doesn’t match the toy
Final Thoughts on Toy Phones
Toy phones aren’t just a great way to keep little hands away from your iPhone. They’re also ideal for imaginative play and learning. Whether you’re looking for a phone for your baby, toddler, or preschooler, we hope you’ll enjoy playing along with them!