What Is a Kids' Landline? How Wi-Fi Home Phones for Kids Work

What is a kids' landline?

A kids' landline is a home phone made for children: it makes voice calls only, to contacts a parent has approved. There's no screen to scroll, no texting, no apps and no games.

It gives kids roughly 5–12 a way to call a friend, a grandparent or a parent at work without borrowing your smartphone. Both models we cover, Tin Can and Pinwheel Home, are listed for ages 5–12.

How does a Wi-Fi kids' landline work?

A Wi-Fi kids' landline plugs into a wall outlet for power and connects to your home Wi-Fi to place calls. You don't need a phone jack, a copper line or a cable company.

1. Set up: plug the phone in and connect it to your Wi-Fi.
2. Add contacts: in the parent app or portal, you approve who your kid can call and who can call them.
3. Set schedules: both Tin Can and Pinwheel let you set quiet hours or calling schedules, so the phone doesn't ring during homework or after bedtime.
4. Call: your kid picks up the handset and dials, or uses speed dial.

Calls between two phones of the same brand are free on both. To call regular phone numbers, like Grandma's cell, you'll need a paid plan.

Who can my kid call on a kids' landline?

Your kid can only call, and get calls from, the people you approve. Calls from anyone else don't get through.

• Tin Can: only parent-approved contacts get through, and quiet hours can be scheduled.
• Pinwheel: parents approve contacts, block spam and robocalls, and set calling schedules.

That's the main difference from handing a kid a cell phone. The contact list belongs to you, and it grows as your kid's world does.

How much does a kids' landline cost?

A kids' landline costs about $68–$100 for the phone, plus an optional monthly plan for calling regular numbers. Check the retailer for today's price.

• Tin Can: about $100. The free Can2Can plan calls other Tin Cans and 911. The Party Line plan for regular numbers is $9.99/mo, with the first month free. 45-day returns.
• Pinwheel Home: the Spark style is about $68 and the Classic, with a retro handset, is about $79. Calls between Pinwheel phones are free. The Friends & Family plan is $6.99/mo and Unlimited is $9.99/mo. Paid plans add a real phone number that can later move to a Pinwheel mobile phone.

Can a kids' landline call 911?

Yes, on both brands we cover. Tin Can's free Can2Can plan includes 911, and Pinwheel says emergency calls work on every plan.

Keep in mind that these phones depend on wall power and your home internet. If either goes down, the phone may not work, so keep it as one part of your family's emergency plan.

What's the difference between Tin Can and Pinwheel?

The biggest differences are price, style and plans. Pinwheel is cheaper up front (about $68 for Spark) and has a lower-cost paid plan ($6.99/mo). Its number can later move to a Pinwheel mobile phone. Tin Can costs about $100, has been adopted by whole schools according to Bloomberg, and its free plan already covers 911.

Both are voice only, both use Wi-Fi, both have speed dial and voicemail, and both make calls to their own brand free. For the full breakdown, see Tin Can vs Pinwheel.

Is a kids' landline worth it?

A kids' landline is worth it if your kid wants to call friends and family and you're not ready for a phone that goes everywhere with them. It's also a chance to practice phone basics: dialing, saying hello, leaving a message.

It's less useful if you need to reach your kid away from home. A landline stays home. For pickup and after-school logistics, look at calling watches in our best first phones for kids guide.

Ready to compare models? See our best kids' landlines.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Tin Can
• Pinwheel kids' home phone
• The hottest phone for kids right now is a US$100 landline (Bloomberg via The Star, Apr. 2026)
• Pinwheel launches a retro-inspired landline phone for kids, TechCrunch (July 2026)