DIY Play Phone

A play phone is a must! We have had them all- from the ones that make noises, the smart phone look a likes, the dial up Minnie Mouse one, blocks used as a phone, hand phones, and even an un-plugged office phone circa 2000. Play phones are great and can be used as a way to not only recognize numbers, but learn emergency numbers! Talk about some real life benefits from dramatic play!

In the All About Me binder book print out, I have a phone page with a spot for important numbers to be recorded and practiced dialing. You can totally do this with out the print out, and make a phone that will last more than a day.

While there are many ways to do this, here are instructions for a simple one, using materials you most likely have on hand.

You'll need:

Cardboard or foam board, the thicker the better

Permanent marker or equivalent

Various other items as described in directions

Directions:

Find something sturdy you can cut, such as cardboard or foam board. I happen to have a bunch of craft and sewing supplies I've hoarded for years waiting for a random project I will never do. If you're like me, you probably have some foam or fabric you can use to make your cardboard a little more appealing. To start, cut out your cardboard or foam board in the shape of a phone. You want this to be big enough to draw the number buttons, but not too big your child can't hold it. I would suggest about 6/7 in by 3/4 in. If you have fabric and craft glue, you could layer the cardboard enough so it is sturdy, gluing together, then glue fabric around the whole thing. Once that's done, you can either draw the buttons on the fabric, or glue another piece of cardboard to the front as the "screen". Draw your number buttons just as they would appear on a phone. Instead of layers of cardboard, you could use a foam between two pieces of cardboard, maybe glue cardboard to a piece of scrap wood cut to size, maybe a piece of thicker plastic attached to a thin piece of scrap wood, or really you could just draw the screen on a piece of paper. Making a quick and durable phone though, will be worth your time. Make an address book by cutting a piece or paper or construction paper in half, then folding that in half to make a card shape. You can write "My Important Numbers" on the outside, and your phone numbers on the inside. You can also cut small pieces of paper to the same size, and staple them to make a book if you have more numbers to try. Memorizing how to call mom and dad, and 911, is a great safety skill all preschoolers can and should learn.