How to Answer a Phone Call: Phone Etiquette and Safety for Kids (Free PDF Download!)

So, you’ve got your Wiley phone. It’s all hooked up and sitting in its permanent spot on the kitchen counter. And now you’re wondering: what exactly are my kids supposed to do with this thing?

Fair question. A home phone is a lot simpler than an iPhone. There’s no browser, no apps, and no group chats blowing up at 11 p.m. And while Wiley also has safety features built in like E911, caller ID, and approved caller lists, there are still a few basic rules worth going over before your kids start picking up the receiver.

Because here’s the thing: back when we were kids, learning how to use the phone for actual phone calls was a given. We grew up with phone manners because we were constantly using the home phone in the kitchen. Our kids haven’t had that luxury. To them, a phone is something you tap and swipe, not necessarily something you pick up and talk into.

So let’s change that.

Here are a few simple calling etiquette and safety basics you can teach your kids this week, no smartphone required.

When Should Kids Learn How to Use the Phone?

Whenever you like! It’s never too early to learn how to use a home phone. If your kid can form a sentence, they can learn to talk on the phone. Sure, maybe you don’t want them taking messages right away, or having the ability to call any number at will, but you can always start small. Try having them practice answering the telephone with a simple “Hello?” before handing it straight to you.

Circumstance and maturity are key here. Does your kid constantly beg for your phone so they can call their friends? Do you have family members out of state who want to stay in touch? Do you have a babysitter coming over who doesn’t have their own cell phone? If a phone might be useful in their day-to-day life, the skills are worth starting. 

Because the sooner you start working on phone etiquette skills with your kids, the sooner they’ll be pros. Learning how to speak up, introduce themselves, listen carefully, and ask for help when they need it. Those are skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives, long after they’ve outgrown the home phone. 

What To Teach Your Kids About Your Wiley Phone 

So now let’s get into the details of teaching your kids how to use a home phone. These tips and skills are fairly simple, but you’d be surprised how even the most seemingly obvious things aren’t common knowledge for your kids in today’s smartphone world. Going over the basics could really help your kids have more fun and success with your Wiley phone. 

How to Answer a Phone Call

Answering the telephone is the skill your kids will use the most, so let's start here. 

Start with "Hello." This may seem like the most obvious of them all, but you’d be surprised how many kids pick up the phone and sit in silence waiting for the person on the other line to start. So lesson one is, when you answer the phone, you’re the one answering! 

Level up with a “You've reached the [last name] family." This is definitely not a necessity, and probably a bit too old school. But we’re all about bringing back the olden days, aren’t we? So teaching your kids to answer with this type of introduction will color every caller impressed. 

Ask who's calling. If they don't recognize the voice, teach them to say, "Who am I speaking with?" Remind your kids that it's best to hold off on giving out their own personal information until they know who they’re talking to.

When the caller asks for Mom or Dad. If mom or dad are available, teach them to say “One moment please,” and hand the phone to you. If mom and dad aren’t home, the best line is: "My mom/dad can't come to the phone right now. Can I take a message?"

As I’m sure you were taught when you were a kid, we never want to say “My parents aren’t home right now. “ That tells a stranger that no grown-up is around. "Can't come to the phone" is true whether your parent is in the shower, in the garage, or in the next county.

Take a message. This one is just for the older kids. Keep a notepad and pen next to the phone, and teach your kids to collect three things: name, a short message, the caller’s phone number. You also want to teach your child to read the number back to the caller ("Let me make sure I got that right") so nothing gets lost in translation.

Calling Someone: The Calling Etiquette Basics

Now let's swap roles! Here's a simple structure for when your child is the one dialing.

Dial the number. Pick up the handset first. Wait for the dial tone, that steady hum that means the phone is ready to go. Then dial the number, one digit at a time. Next press "Call" or "Send" to actually place it, and listen for the ringing. That's your cue someone's phone is now buzzing on the other end.

Introduce yourself. We're so used to caller ID these days, but it's best to teach your kids to introduce themselves on the phone anyway. "Hi, this is [name]."

Let them know who you're calling for. A simple "Is [person you want to speak to] there?"

That's it. Dial, introduce yourself, ask for the person, and you're off. From there, calling etiquette really comes down to a few habits:

• Speak clearly, and a little slower than feels natural

• Wait for the other person to finish before jumping in

• Say why you're calling if it isn't obvious ("I'm calling to see if you can come over Saturday")

• Say goodbye before hanging up.

Leaving a message. If someone did pick up, but the person you want to speak to isn't there, you can leave a simple message. Who you’re calling, why you want to speak to them (or a simple “I’ll call later” or “Can they call me back”), and your own phone number so they can reach you. 

Leaving a voicemail. Very similar if not identical to how you leave a message with someone else on the line, except you’re gonna want to blend the whole thing into one. 

This one little step might take the most practice. Even I get flustered these days when it comes to leaving messages, and I’ve been doing it for years. Here’s a simple script: 

“Hi, this is [your name]. I’m calling for [person’s name]. I wanted to [why you’re calling]. You can call me back at [phone number]. Bye!”

Short, clear, done.

Phone Safety Rules Every Kid Should Know

Etiquette is about being polite. Safety is about being smart. And this is where Wiley does a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

Your Wiley phone isn't sitting there wide open to the world. We built it to be much safer than that.

• Approved contacts. Only the people you've said yes to can actually call in. No unknown numbers, no surprises.

• Spam and robocall blocking. Catches the rest before it ever rings. So the stranger-on-the-line scenario? Wiley's already built to keep that from happening in the first place.

• Quiet Hours. The phone isn't ringing during dinner, homework time, or after bedtime. You set it, Wiley respects it.

• Call history. If you ever need to check in on what's been happening, it's all right there. No guessing, no snooping required.

• Enhanced 911. If something does go wrong, your address is already on file, so help knows exactly where to go.

So no, you don't have to worry about most of this. But these are good reminders for every kid, Wiley phone or no. 

Never tell a caller you're home alone. Kids are honest by nature, so you’ll want to make sure they know they don’t have to be honest about this one. Frame it like a house rule: "Our family plans are private, so we don't share them with people we don't know."

Don't share personal information. Address, school, daily schedule, and where Mom and Dad are. That's the list. If a stranger asks, the answer is, "I can't share that” or “Let me get my mom/dad” and pass the phone to you.  

It's okay to hang up. We spend years teaching kids to be polite to adults. On the phone, that instinct needs an override. If a caller makes them uncomfortable, they can hang up and come find you. They will never be in trouble for that.

Practice makes safety easier. Nobody remembers a lecture from three weeks ago in a stressful moment. They remember what they've rehearsed. So role-play a few common scenarios ahead of time, and the right words will already be there when they need them.

The Emergency Numbers List Every Kid Should Know

Here's the good news: your child doesn't need to memorize a giant emergency numbers list. They just need to know where to find it when they need it.

We made a free emergency numbers list you can print, fill out, and keep right next to your Wiley phone. It gives you a spot for all the numbers your child might need, from Mom and Dad's cell numbers to the vet. Click the free printable pdf below to download, fill it out together, and you’re good to go! 

Or, you can make your own. A simple handwritten list on the fridge or taped to the wall next to the phone works just as well. The important part is that it's easy to spot and easy for your child to read.

Your list might include:

• 911

• Mom and Dad's cell numbers

• Another trusted adult

• A trusted neighbor

• An emergency contact who lives out of state

• Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the U.S.)

• Your family doctor

• The vet 

And when should kids call 911? Keep the rule simple: someone is seriously hurt, there's a fire, someone can't wake up, or someone is in immediate danger.

What About a Babysitter Emergency?

This is where all of the above earns its keep. Before you head out for the night, make sure your kids and the sitter know:

• How to reach you

• Where the emergency numbers list is posted

• How to call 911

• Which trusted adult they can contact

• Where to find your address and anything else the sitter might need

And to be clear, the goal isn't to make kids responsible for handling a babysitter emergency on their own. That's the sitter's job (and yours). The goal is that everyone in the house knows how to get help quickly if something happens.

Make Phone Practice Part of Everyday Life

Before setting your kids loose with the Wiley phone, try some fun practice calls! 

• Have them call you from another room and pretend to be different people. 

• A neighbor asking if your kid can play 

• An aunt leaving a message for your mom 

• Grandma calling to ask how to turn the computer off

• Practice the other way around, and have your kid go through some scenarios. 

• Asking a classmate what the homework is

• Calling to wish Grandpa a happy birthday. 

• Call dad at work to say dinner is ready and when he’ll be home. 

• Practice taking a message, then read it back together

• Walk through a 911 call as a pretend scenario, without actually placing the call

• Run through a pretend babysitter emergency and see who remembers where the emergency numbers list lives

You can even bring grandparents, aunts and uncles, or friends in on the game and have them actually call in with pretend scenarios for some practice. Repetition is the secret. Three or four rounds and most kids have it down.

How Wiley Gives Kids a Way to Practice Real Phone Skills

Your kid is not going to nail this overnight. Somebody will still say "yeah?" into the receiver at least once. That's okay. What matters is that the basics sink in. Answer. Introduce yourself. Listen. Take a message. Know who to call for help.

Practice is easier when there's a home phone to practice on, and not a touchscreen filled with bright colors, apps, and notifications. That's one reason a home phone works so well for families. Kids can learn how to answer a phone call, make one, chat with grandparents, and reach you, all with actual people on the other end of the line and no smartphone in sight.

Once they know how to answer a phone call, you've given them something that lasts a lot longer than any app. And you can empower them with those skills without needing to wait until they’re ready to handle a smartphone. 

Ready to give your kids a way to stay connected without one? Take a look at Wiley and see how a modern home phone can help your family build real communication skills and a little independence.

Now go teach your kids how to say “hello”.