The 1990s are calling, and it is time to answer. Landlines are making a comeback!   

March 13th, 2026

A recent study in the journal Pediatrics found that smartphone ownership in early adolescence was associated with depression, insufficient sleep and obesity. The good news? Thanks to product innovations, there ARE safer ways for kids to connect and delay the need for a smartphone. One of the newest ways will not only help your kid but is bound to give you a heart-warming dose of nostalgia.  

Re-Introducing the Landline! 

Close your eyes for a moment. Transport yourself to your childhood and imagine your home phone. What does it look like? Who did you love to call?  

For many of us, our childhood was filled with thousands of phone calls – thousands of opportunities to connect voice-to-voice, learn communication skills, negotiate with siblings to use the phone, and just talk, laugh (or even cry).  

Fast forward to 2026. Despite living in a world of tablets, texts and social media, a landline childhood is possible today! How? 

Today’s landline phones connect over wifi (instead of copper wire) and include brands like Ooma and Telo. One of our favorites, though, is designed just for kids: Tin Can. 

Landlines for Kids  

Created by three dads, Tin Can phones not only feature colors and designs that appeal to kids but safety features that appeal to parents. Here’s the 411: 

• Wifi-enabled phone connects into standard power outlet 

• No screen, apps or games 

• Only approved numbers can call into the phone.  

• A parent app allows you to add contacts, eliminating spam and providing confidence that when the phone rings it’s someone you want your kids to talk to. 

• Voicemail, speed dial and other features 

What’s Old is New Again 

We aren’t just fans of landlines because vintage is cool but because landlines provide so many benefits to families yearning to help their kids grow up healthy and happy in a digital world. 

The benefits of a landline: 

• A gentle, safer first step into technology 

• Encourages independence without digital overload  

• For example, kids can call their friends to organize a play date (vs. a parent assuming the task), ring up a classmate to ask a homework question or simply call a grandparent just to say hi 

• Builds communication skills (without screens and distractions) 

• For example, kids learn how to show interest, ask questions on the spot and practice etiquette (e.g., may I please speak to [friend]?), 

• Increases responsibility 

• For example, kids learn how to take messages if someone calls for a sibling or a child can be tasked with calling to schedule their own dentist appointment. 

• An opportunity to say ‘yes’ to tech  

• Parents often have to say ‘no’ to technology their kids aren’t ready for. With a landline, it can be joyful to finally say ‘yes’ 

If you choose to say yes to a landline today, you may still wonder what devices are right in the future. We’ve got you covered. We recommend a driver’s ed approach to technology with a landline being one stop on the roadmap to a smartphone. Learn more about the other stops on our blog. And if you’re as jazzed about landlines as we are, check out Project Landline and sign up to receive updates.