Wait, you have a landline?!
Our review of the screen-free, kid-friendly Tin Can landline phone
When you’re a tech skeptic, it’s not often that you — or your children — get to be on the cutting edge of technology. And truthfully, this wave has been cresting for about a year, so we’re hardly the vanguard. But we are so happy to be a part of it, and so happy to chat with you about it today. Let’s talk about landlines!
Wait, landlines?!
Yes — they’re back! Even as more and more parents are delaying personal smart technology, they still want their kids to be able to communicate with friends directly. Enter: the landline. The Atlantic ran a piece on this trend last June, and Tin Can, the main purveyor of “old school” phones for kids, has been backordered pretty much ever since.
And you have one of these?
Yes we do! We’ve had ours for about two months now and are huge fans. Our main reasons for getting one:
We don’t plan to give our kids personal cell phones until they’re much older.
Now that the kids occasionally stay home alone, we wanted something they could use to call us or 911 in case of an emergency.1
We wanted to encourage them to reach out to family members, many of whom live far away, and take charge of making their own plans as they grow.
We wanted them to learn how to use a phone and basic phone etiquette.
Full disclosure: Tin Can graciously sent me our phone for free, but we would have almost certainly bought one even if they hadn’t. We’re now paying for the monthly plan ourselves. I’m using affiliate links in this newsletter!
Did you consider other landline options?
Not really. I had looked into other VOIP options, like Ooma, a few years ago, but wasn’t sold on the spotty reviews (too many spam calls, poor call quality). Tin Can had all the features we were looking for in a really fun package — a no-brainer.
Okay, sell me on it: what are the best parts?
From our current vantage, with a 10-, 7-, and 4-year-old, these are the best parts:
It gives our kids independence and helps them take agency over their own lives and relationships without the risks of smartphones or internet access. They can call friends, arrange playdates, and reach out to their grandparents and cousins on their own.
It helps them learn to focus and be better communicators, carrying on conversations and asking good questions. This is something we’re still working on, of course!
They’ve had to practice greeting callers, identifying themselves when they place a call, and sometimes asking to speak to someone else. All important skills that can seem intimidating at first!
I also asked my kids what their favorite parts were. June mentioned the freedom and independence of getting to call cousins and friends on her own terms, without having a parent as the intermediary. Shep said he liked that he could see if his friend was available to play without having to walk over to his house, ha. And Annie said she gets excited because you never know who’s going to be on the other end when it rings.
Plus, there’s the undeniable hilarity of watching digital-native children learn to use a landline. They all started out holding it away from their head and trying to look at it as they talked (thanks, FaceTime!) and early on Annie memorably ended a call with my Mom by saying, “That’s all I have to say. Goodbye.” And hanging up :)
We set them up for success early on with a TTT on phone etiquette; a few months in they’re pretty much pros. We do keep this cue card with helpful reminders near the phone — you can download your own right here!
Is it too good to be true? What are the drawbacks?
My parents would probably say that they miss FaceTime calls — where they can literally see the kids’ faces — since some calls that used to be video are now analog.
The only other drawback at this point — and I actually wouldn’t even call this a drawback in the big picture — is that not all of our kids’ key friends have a phone to call, either landline or personal. My kids generally don’t want to call a friend’s parent’s phone, so some friends remain functionally out of reach, which limits the usefulness.
That being said, more and more friends are getting them every day! At least ten households in our circle have one currently, and at least five more are actively considering adding one. Just like any network effect, the more friends who have one, the better your experience will be.
Do you actually use it?
Absolutely! Though the frequency has dropped off from the first week (when the grandparents got a call every day, sometimes multiple times a day), we send and receive calls several times a week — right now, mostly to coordinate pals getting together to play.
Let’s have the details: price, subscription, colors, etc.
If you’re considering getting a screen-free, kid-friendly Tin Can landline phone, here’s what you need to know:
It’s a simple, pick-up-the-set-and-dial phone: no apps, no games, no texting, no screens. (There is a companion app for the parents’ phones to manage contacts, but nothing the kids use.)
Only approved contacts can put calls through to your Tin Can. No spam calls!
With the monthly subscription, you can call any number, Tin Can or not. Without the subscription, you can call any approved Tin Can number at no additional charge, plus 911. We pay for the monthly subscription, which is currently $9.99.
You don’t need a phone jack — the Tin Can plugs into any normal wall socket.
In addition to your Tin Can number, you get a real phone number with a local area code. Very cool!
The Tin Can itself is currently $100, with backorders scheduled to ship in April. You can use this link to save $5! Choose from four fun color combos (we have Landline Lemon).
The Tin Can has been a blessing to our family in just the two months we’ve had it, and I expect its usefulness (and our gratitude) will only continue to grow. I’m thrilled that landline phones are taking off (again) and so happy to be a part of this trend. If you have any questions, I’ll pick up the phone! :)
And hands up in the comments — I know a bunch of TCF readers already have Tin Cans, and I’d love to hear from you!
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And by “emergency” I more often mean “have you seen my soccer ball” LOL
Our Tin Can just arrived! Two of our neighbors have it and two out of town friends have it and more are considering getting one. We need to work on our phone etiquette, I’ll definitely be downloading that cheat sheet card! Molly called the wrong friend on accident and said “oh I meant to reach Claire not you, I’m hanging up now!” 🤦♀️ I
We love our Tin Can! The most memorable thing we’ve heard a kid say (to a cousin): “You have one minute to keep this conversation going.” 🫣🤣 We don’t have too many friends with them yet—those backorder wait times are really getting in the way of our landline evangelization—but I expect it will only get more fun for the kids to use as that number grows! In the meantime, it has been such a sweet way for the big kids to take more ownership over their relationships with their faraway grandparents.