1 Stage One Making Connections · Ages 5–12

A real phone. Real talking. No screen.

Learn to have real conversations, before texts and group chats and apps.

Now that she knows how, she wants to call everyone.

Amara is seven and comes home from school every afternoon bursting with news that can't wait. She wants to call Lily. She wants to call grandma. She wants to call everyone.

Faith and David love that about her. They're just not ready to hand her a smartphone to do it with all of the risks, the apps, and the rabbit holes.

📞 Why landlines1 in 4 children have a smartphone by age 8.

Girl in kitchen on pinhweel home wall phone

💬 "Text Lily's mom pleeease!"

📱 "She can't need a smartphone yet?"

The Pinwheel Caregiver app supports every stage with appropriate settings.

At the Making Connections stage, the devices and settings are simple. Just calling approved contacts and setting quiet hours. Everything else is switched off.

Caregiver app · what's on at Stage 1 You unlock more as they grow →

Safelisted calls On

Turned off at night On

Texting Off

Apps On

Use the Caregiver Portal with an appropriate device

Recommended device for this stage.

Pinwheel Home landline phones are as simple as you can get.

3 Colors

Landline

Pinwheel Home Classic

$79 ~~$99~~ Shop →

4 Colors

Landline

Pinwheel Home Spark

$68 79 Shop →

The Payoff

What Stage 1 builds.

Devices come and go. These are the habits and skills your kid carries into the next stage — and the rest of their life.

Telephone skills

Learn how to make and answer calls, take turns talking, say goodbye.

For your kid

Stronger Relationships

Talking to friends without screens allows kids to connect without distractions.

For your kid

Technology Boundaries

Contact safelist and quiet hours demonstrate appropriate tech boundaries.

For you

Independent Communication

When kids call their friends independently, you can retire as social secretary.

For you

Frequently asked

Questions about Stage 1

Why start with a landline phone?

Landline phones are a great way for kids to start learning communication skills, making plans and building relationships independently, and learning about technology boundaries.

Does the landline phone need a phone jack and a telephone or cable provider?

No. Pinwheel Home runs on your home Wi-Fi. Plug in, connect it in the Caregiver Portal app. Done.

Can strangers call my child?

No. Only parent-approved contacts can call in or out on Pinwheel Home.

Can I transfer my landline phone number to a mobile phone later?

Yes! With a paid calling plan your child will have a real phone number, which can be ported to a mobile phone when the time is right.