Make Your Own iPhone: Cause Your Kid Needs One Too!

I admit it, I got to a point where I actually felt like I needed an iphone. The rationale went like this: with an iphone I could stay in e-mail touch even when I was at the playground or waiting at school or during those times when my daughter falls asleep in the stroller. It would make me more productive and also a better mom cause if I could work at those times then maybe I wouldn't have to work when we were home and instead just focus on playing. So when our cell phone contracts were up we rushed over to the Mac store. Of course, my husband had also worked out a completely different but just as "valid" rationale as to why he needed one as well.

But while we were at the store, I realized I had a problem. My previous cell phone was such a piece of junk that I had gotten into the habit of letting my 2 year old play with it but I knew there was no way I was going to let her touch my new iphone. I needed one for her. When I asked the hipster Mac employee if they had a cardboard iphone for my kid he looked at me like I was crazy. But, as soon as I got the beautiful box with the beautiful iphone in it I knew I had the makings for a do-it-yourself iphone. And so, without further adieu, I give you the how- to-make-an-iphone tutorial.

Materials

1 iphone box *(see below if you don't have one)

Good scissors and knife

Crayola Model Magic in black

Sharpened pencil

Elmers glue

Black tempura paint

Step 1 - Remove the black foam from the inside of the box and cut out the iphone on the top of the box, you may need to use a combination of a knife and sciors to get the job done . The box sort of comes apart but you want to make sure you have the hard cardboard part as well as the top layer with the iphone image.

Step 2 - Mush your model magic around in your hands to get it nice and smooth and then stuff the model magic in the plastic mold in the iphone case. I did it twice, once where I let the model magic dry in the mold and it didn't work as well as when I took it out so I suggest that once you get the model magic all smushed in the mold you take it out and smooth the edges. Use your sharpened pencil and knife to make the earphone and power holes and slats (see below image).

Step 3 - Paint the sides and back of the iphone cut-out black.

Step 4 - Once your model magic is dry (takes about 24 hours), glue your iphone cut-out onto the model magic and you are done! I used Elmer's glue but any glue will work.

* If you don't have an iphone box you can go to: Tech Crunch and print out the iphone. (In fact you can stop there and just make a paper iphone). If you take this route you will need to mold your own iphone back without any help but it shouldn't be too hard.

Full Disclosure: When I handed my daughter her new iphone the first thing she tried to do was make a phone call, after which she said "I want an iphone that works." Sigh. But, here is the good news, about an hour later she asked for it and has been making imaginary phone calls and writing emails ever since, gotta love toddlers!