Pinwheel rolls out a Wi-Fi home phone aimed at younger kids

Pinwheel is trying to bring back the family phone for kids who are too young for a smartphone. The company on Tuesday introduced Pinwheel Home, a Wi-Fi calling device for children ages 5 to 10 that gives them a way to call approved friends and family without apps, feeds or a mobile screen.

For parents, the pitch is familiar: keep the connection, cut the distractions. Pinwheel already sells phones designed for kids and introduced a children’s smartwatch last year. Pinwheel Home adds a lower-screen option for families that want voice calling before handing over a smartphone.

The device looks like a throwback landline, but it does not need a wall phone jack. Pinwheel says it works over Wi-Fi, which means calls run through an internet connection instead of traditional phone wiring.

Two models, both built around voice calls

Pinwheel is selling two versions. The Spark starts at $68 and comes in white, black, blue and purple, according to the company. The Classic costs $79, adds a retro handset and includes customizable stickers, with pink, black and white color choices.

The product is built for voice calls rather than messaging, games or social media. Pinwheel says the goal is to help children practice basic phone habits, such as calling relatives or friends, without borrowing a parent’s device.

Parents manage the phone through Pinwheel’s Caregiver Portal. The company says caregivers can approve contacts, block unknown numbers, spam and robocalls, and set schedules or time limits for calling. The phone also includes speed dial and voicemail.

Pinwheel says future software updates will add three-way calling. The company also plans to connect Pinwheel Home with its watches and smartphones so a child can use the same phone number across devices while keeping a screen-light setup at home.

Pricing and availability

Calls between Pinwheel Home devices are free through Pinwheel Circle, the company’s calling service. Families that want to reach regular phone numbers can pick paid plans: $6.99 a month for calling up to five approved contacts or $9.99 a month for unlimited calling, according to Pinwheel.

Pinwheel Home is available through the company’s website now. Pinwheel expects the device to be sold on Amazon this fall.

The launch lands as parents, schools and governments keep debating how early children should get access to connected devices. The American Psychological Association has cited research linking heavy screen time with emotional, behavioral and social problems in children. Separate University of Georgia research found that children who spent more time on social media showed weaker vocabulary development over time, including more trouble recognizing and pronouncing words.

Regulators are also paying attention. Australia has restricted children’s access to social media, and the U.K. has announced plans for similar rules.

Pinwheel is not the only company targeting screen-free communication for kids. Tin Can sells a $100 Wi-Fi landline-style device that lets parents manage approved contacts through a companion app. Calls between Tin Can devices are free, while its friends and family plan costs $9.99 a month.

The broader bet is that some families want a middle step between no phone and a full smartphone. Pinwheel’s version puts that step on the kitchen counter, using Wi-Fi and parental controls to recreate a home phone with modern guardrails.

This story draws on original reporting from TechCrunch.