Is this a phone?

We have this old phone that we use as a toy. Travers was looking at it today and asked, "Is this a real phone?" I went into the explanation of how phones us to have cords and you would have to stand close to the wall or however long the cord was when you talked. I also told him how you could not leave the house. He looked at me...thought for a minute and then said, "Oh no mom....I think the batteries just went dead...we should get new ones and then it would work!" Someday he will understand how it was in the old days!! :)