An educational toy telephone (100) is provided and includes a telephone base (104) and a removable handset (102). A numerical keypad is provided by which an input telephone number may be entered into said telephone. The telephone further includes a microprocessor (164) and memory associated therewith for controlling the various functions of the toy telephone and storing a user-defined programmed telephone number. A message controller (168) is provided, responsive to an output signal from the microprocessor (104). The message controller (168) stores at least one pre-recorded message consisting of at least one of individual tones, patterns of tones, and a voice message. The microprocessor (164) compares telephone numbers entered into the keypad (130) against the pre-defined telephone numbers. The voice controller (168), responsive to the microprocessor, audibly reproduces the at least one pre-recorded message when the comparison performed by the microprocessor determines that the input telephone number matches the pre-defined telephone number.