Yes—but the documented conversion is a substantial donor-phone transplant, not a simple plug-in kit. In a 2008 Make: project, Frank E. Yost fitted corded-phone components inside a classic plastic Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone, cut openings in its shell, and adapted the toy handset. The build used classic model #952; Yost did not test the newer rounded #77816, so compatibility with that version is unknown.
Choose the kind of phone you want to make
“A real phone” can mean different things here. The documented 2008 project makes the toy operate as a corded telephone by transplanting parts from other phones. Fisher-Price later sold a separate Bluetooth Chatter Telephone, model HGJ69, which pairs with a smartphone. A third route is an experimental maker project that adds voice-assistant functions.
| Route | What it does | Work and trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Donor-phone transplant | Installs corded-phone electronics and handset components in the toy. The documented build is described by Make:. | Requires donor phones, cutting and drilling the shell, handset work, wiring and soldering. This is a modification, not a ready-made kit. |
| Fisher-Price HGJ69 Bluetooth phone | A separate special-edition product that connects to a paired smartphone over Bluetooth. See the Mattel product page. | Already designed for smartphone-linked calls; it is not the corded conversion described below. |
| Voice-assistant maker project | A separate Raspberry Pi project uses a Chatter Telephone as the basis for a talking, assistant-style device. See Raspberry Pi’s project. | A different electronics project, not a donor-phone conversion or a standard telephone transplant. |
If your goal is specifically a working corded phone in the toy’s shell, the transplant is the relevant route. The original article does not establish that every toy version or donor phone will fit.
What the documented conversion involves
Yost’s build uses a classic plastic Chatter Telephone, a Crosley Princess push-button phone, and a second used push-button telephone. The toy supplies the outer shell; the donor phones supply the working telephone parts. The article says the plastic toy offered more room than older wooden models.
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- Classic toddler pull-along toy telephone for sit-at fun or walking play
- Chatter Telephone features fun ringing sounds and eyes that move up & down
- Dial introduces numbers 0-9
- Encourages early role-play as babies and toddlers pretend to make 'calls'
- Helps foster fine and gross motor skills for infants and toddlers ages 12 months and older
Modify the toy body
The build removes the toy’s original dial and internal mounts to make room. Yost cuts an opening of roughly three inches for the donor push-button dial, makes openings for RJ11 jacks, and adapts the donor phone’s hang-up hinge and plungers. He mounts the circuit board on insulated aluminum-angle brackets and attaches the bell to the outside rear of the toy.
Adapt the handset
For the handset, the builder uses components from an older thrift-store phone, fitting its microphone and speaker into the Chatter Telephone handset. Wiring is routed through a shaped brass pipe, soldered, insulated, and reassembled. The article reports that a working donor handset was used to test the modified phone body before the final handset assembly.
Rank #2
- The Chatter Telephone was the ultimate pretend play toy with its ringing rotary dial
- With eyes that roll up and down, a mouth that chatters, and a dial that rings
- Preschoolers love to chat on the phone-and this classic roll-along pull-toy with a friendly face
- Toys that make growing up a delight; with whimsy, action, sound and play patterns that encourage engaging, interactive play
These are the original builder’s reported steps, not independently reproduced instructions. The article’s measurements and parts choices are specific to that build; they should not be assumed to fit another toy or donor phone.
Parts and tools the build names
Gather and inspect the actual toy and donor components before cutting. The source lists these materials:
Rank #3
- The classic Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone toy is reimagined as a 3-inch-tall push-along vehicle!
- Push the vehicle along for fun chime sounds
- Spin the rotary dial for clicking sounds
- Encourages crawl and chase play that helps strengthen gross motor skills
- This toy helps foster fine motor skills and sensory development while introducing cause and effect for infants and toddlers ages 6 months and older
- Classic plastic Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone
- Crosley Princess donor phone and a simple used push-button telephone
- Coiled handset cord
- Aluminum angle and sheet steel
- Brass or steel pipe
- Plastic bolts and nuts
- E-6000 glue and electrical tape
- Pop rivets
The named tools are:
- X-Acto knife, screwdrivers, drill and bits, and a Dremel rotary tool
- Pop-rivet gun, soldering iron and solder, pliers, and a coping saw
- File, tinsnips, drawing compass, hammer and nail, and vise
- Hair dryer
Tool choice and safe technique depend on the materials and your experience. Cutting and drilling the toy shell are irreversible; check component fit and clearances on the exact pieces you have before altering them. Electrical work should be limited to components and systems you understand and can handle safely.
What to know about the HGJ69 Bluetooth alternative
The HGJ69 is a distinct special-edition Chatter Telephone, not a retrofit recipe. Mattel describes it as a phone that connects to a smartphone by Bluetooth and promotes it as “a phone smart enough not to come with any apps.” That is manufacturer copy, not an independent assessment.
Rank #4
- Musical toy flip phone for baby with educational songs, sounds, and fine motor fun
- 12 buttons! Press for 50+ songs, sounds, and phrases that introduce numbers, shapes, greetings and more
- Flip-open top and fidget poppers for fun hands-on play
- Self-discovery mirror on phone “screen”
- This toy helps foster fine motor skills and early pretend play for infants and toddlers ages 6 months and older
Mattel’s product page lists a four-hour charge time, nine hours of talk time, and a 15-foot Bluetooth range. These are manufacturer specifications, not independent test results. The 2021 owner’s manual separately states approximately 72 hours of standby time on a full battery charge. The manual also says the handset cable is segmented for safety reasons.
In December 2021, TechCrunch reported a security concern specific to HGJ69: researchers said the Bluetooth handset could present a microphone risk when left off the hook. Pen Test Partners founder Ken Munro was quoted saying, “It doesn’t need kids to interact with it in order for it to become an audio bug. Just leaving the handset off is enough.” The same report quoted Mattel spokesperson Kelly Powers saying the company was “committed to security and we will be investigating these claims.” This is historical reporting about the Bluetooth product; it should not be generalized to the older corded donor-phone conversion or other Chatter Telephone models. Read the TechCrunch report and WIRED’s coverage for context.
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Best Value
- Set of 3 classic Fisher-Price toys reimagined for fresh developmental skill-boosting fun for infants and toddlers
- Fidget Activity Viewer toy has a pull lever, spinning “photo” disc, bead bar, and shiny mirror for engaging, retro-inspired play
- Chatter Telephone Vehicle push-along toy has a spinning rotary dial and fun chime sounds as it rolls along, encouraging baby to crawl and chase after
- Corn Popper Vehicle push-along toy encourages babies to crawl and chase with exciting ball-popping action as it rolls along
- These toys help foster fine and gross motor skills, sensory skills, and cause & effect for infants and toddlers ages 6 months and older
Decide before you cut
- Want a corded phone? The documented approach repurposes donor corded-phone parts and alters the toy substantially.
- Want a smartphone-linked toy phone? HGJ69 is a separate Bluetooth product; it is not the same as converting model #952.
- Want a talking assistant? The Raspberry Pi project is a distinct maker build with a different purpose.
- Have a different Chatter Telephone version? The original builder used model #952. He said #77816 might work but did not test it; the article also notes less internal room in older wooden models.
The Make: build article is the source for the corded conversion’s project-specific construction details. Treat its parts and dimensions as a record of one build, not a verified universal plan.
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