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How to Make Rotary Phones a Toy for Kids

Children love to imitate adults, and many of them can spend days playing make-believe games about work and various jobs. Providing your kids with a few basic props is a good way to spark their imagination. Children use phones for a variety of different games, like pretending to work in an office or playing house. Don't waste money on expensive toy telephones for your kids. Retrofit an old rotary phone into something light and usable that will last through years of energetic play.

Things You'll Need

Rotary phone
Phillips head screwdriver
Scissors or wire snips

Instructions

- 1
  Turn over the telephone so that the bottom is facing up. Lay it on a table in front of you with the base exposed.
- 2
  Use a Phillips head screwdriver to loosen and remove all the screws in the bottom of the phone. There will usually be four screws holding the base to the phone body, but some styles may have more.
- 3
  Pull the bottom plate from the telephone body. Most of the telephone working parts will come out of the phone along with the plate. Use scissors or wire snips to remove any wires attached to the inside of the phone. Snip the wires as close to the phone body as possible, and bend under any loose wire threads that may remain.
- 4
  Unscrew the mouthpiece on the receiver by turning the rim in a counter-clockwise direction. Pull out the mechanical speaker parts from the mouthpiece opening and snip loose any wires that are attached. Replace the mouthpiece cover by turning it in place in a clockwise direction.
- 5
  Remove the earpiece cover on the receiver by turning it in a counter-clockwise direction. Remove the small speaker piece and clip any wires that may be connected inside. Replace the cover on the earpiece by setting it in place and giving it a clockwise turn until it is secure.

Childrens Toys