11/7/2019 Typing Games For Kids
If you want to get your children excited about improving their typing skills, introduce them to some fun kids' typing games. There are many kids' typing games online that can help strengthen keyboarding skills and improve typing speed and accuracy. With a variety of different characters.
Best Typing Programs for Kids 2019 - Software and Lesson Reviews
We spent about 10 hours evaluating typing software for kids to find the best program. During our testing, we considered how each program teaches children correct finger-to-key movement across the entire keyboard as well as how entertaining and motivating the software is. Based on what we found, Typing Instructor for Kids 5.0 is our top choice for kids typing software. It takes young typists on an adventure to capture a castle, which they do by gradually improving their typing speed and accuracy. This software has more than 100 lessons and a staggering 30 typing games to prevent boredom.
Best Overall
Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum
In Typing Instructor for Kids 5.0, children try to capture a castle by improving their typing speed and accuracy. The program’s entertaining games and quality instruction make it our top choice.
Best Value
Mavis Beacon Keyboarding Kidz
Mavis Beacon proves yet again she’s one of the best typing teachers out there with this inexpensive, child-friendly program.
Best for School
All The Right Type 4
All The Right Type 4 has more than 300 lessons you access solely online. According to its website, the program is used by in more than 50,000 educational institutions.
Best OverallReasons to Buy
Graduated lessons
Reasons to Avoid
No instruction on correct posture
Typing Instructor for Kids 5.0 takes your kid on an adventure while teaching them to type quickly and accurately. With 160 lessons and 30 games, it's a comprehensive program your child will genuinely enjoy.
Tobo Typer and Lafitte the talking parrot act as tutors, teaching your child the premise of every game and lesson and encouraging them toward the ultimate goal of capturing the castle. Supplementary features, including adjustable fonts, personalized word-per-minute goals and room for up to five players, round out the software. You can even change the sound that plays when your kid hits an incorrect key – a fun addition most typing software lacks. Along with the fun games and features, it includes basics like speed and accuracy tests.
Typing Instructor for Kids shows you in-depth data about your child’s progress by finger, hand, key and row. If they are doing well, you can print out certificates of achievement so they have tangible rewards. Typing Instructor for Kids is effective, but more importantly, it's fun. This software works on both Mac and Windows operating systems. If you run into problems, you can contact tech support by phone or through the manufacturer’s website. Best ValueReasons to Buy
Inexpensive
Reasons to Avoid
Games get boring quickly
The colorful, animated Mavis Beacon Keyboarding Kidz is a fun way for your child to learn to type, and it‘s also reasonably priced. Mavis Beacon has clear, concise instruction and encourages you child throughout each lesson.
Keyboarding Kidz is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers, and you can purchase it on a CD-ROM or as a digital download. Mavis Beacon covers all the basics and includes beginner lessons that explain how to type using each hand. However, there are also timed typing tests for kids who are more advanced. This software stands out because it has more than 300 lessons and can host more than 20 user profiles.
The program’s 10 games have a variety of themes, including outer space, road racing and even a shark attack. They all work the same: type fast and accurately to win. Your child can choose either Mavis, a girl, or Dex, a boy, as their typing tutor. Best for SchoolReasons to Buy
Monthly subscription works well for school year schedule
Reasons to Avoid
Internet connection required
$8.95
All The Right Type 4 has more than 300 lessons, and you purchase it as a monthly subscription. Also, you access this typing program solely online, so you don’t need to download anything. All these things contribute to it being the best kids typing program for classrooms.
The software’s typing lessons take place on a campus of sorts. While its graphics aren’t amazing, they also aren’t cartoonish and childlike, so older children will still find the program engaging. Kids navigate the online campus to find timed typing tests and more than 20 multi-level games, all of which help improve their speed and accuracy. Teachers can also create individualized lessons for their students.
If something goes wrong, you can access tech support via email or phone or watch video tutorials to find answers. This is unconventional typing software, but it is worth checking out. Best for Young KidsReasons to BuyReasons to Avoid
Mickey’s Typing Adventure is made by the same company that produces our top pick, and it has all the key features of the best kids typing software.
In this program, Mickey and his friends have been enchanted, and it’s up to your kid to master typing to save them. At each level, the software introduces a new key or row, and your child saves a new character when they master it. A virtual typing instructor helps students learn hand placement and healthy typing posture.
The inclusion of Mickey and his friends makes the software feel more youthful than others we reviewed, and we worry that the Disney magic might wear on older kids. All the program’s writing samples are pulled from Disney films and stories as well, so there’s no escape from the theme. While we think the software’s enchantments will appeal to younger users, the developers don’t recommend it for kids under age 6. Up to five people can increase their speed and accuracy using Mickey’s Typing Adventure. Best for Music LoversReasons to Buy
Comes with 50 music tracks for typists to practice to
Reasons to Avoid
Typing Quick & Easy teaches students to type to music to build rhythm. It includes over 50 tracks, but it’s missing some of the more common features we found in the software we tested.
For example, there’s no virtual typing tutor, and words of encouragement don’t pop up during the lessons. Also, Typing Quick & Easy doesn’t have as many games as programs like Mavis Beacon Keyboarding Kidz. Still, it includes all the critical features we looked for like word-per-minute goal customization and plenty of stories and passages to practice on.
Based on our testing, we think this product is best suited to older students. Although it’s easy enough for a young child to navigate, the software’s no frills, music-based training might suit a more mature audience a little better. One upside is the program only requires a one-time payment of $14.99, making it the cheapest software we reviewed that you buy outright. However, only one person can use the software – unlike other programs, you can’t create multiple user profiles in Typing Quick & Easy.
Why Trust Us
We recognize that technological literacy and skills are more important than ever. To give your children the head start they need, it's important they learn how to type quickly and accurately while they are young. The better your kids can type, the better they can communicate. Typing skills give your children an advantage in school and set them on the right path in today's competitive job market.
Keyboarding classes are offered to students entering high school, but why wait? Public and homeschool children alike need correct and consistent instruction to learn proper typing technique. Letting your child loose on a keyboard can encourage improper posture and poor typing habits, which may be tough to break later in their life. Typing software specifically for kids establishes a structured and engaging space that motivates your child to learn.
How We Tested
We spent about 10 hours evaluating kids typing software and even used some of the programs ourselves. As we compared the programs, we considered the number of lessons and games they have as well as if they have basics such as timed typing tests. In addition, we noted if they teach how to type on other keyboards like a 10-key numeric pad.
While we consider testing serious business, we also had a little fun. In our evaluation, we noted how high-quality each program’s graphics look, how fun its games are and whether it gave us encouragement along the way. Taking user reviews and YouTube video tutorials into account, we favored more intuitive programs that don’t require you read a user manual to get started.
As your children learn to type quickly and accurately, they also learn to communicate more effectively. Programs with engaging games and awards help kids of any age learn to type properly without making it seem like drudgery. Typing software gives children a chance to learn typing techniques, proper posture, language skills and the joy that comes from independent learning.
What to Look for When Shopping for Typing Software for Kids
Lessons & Drills
No matter the target age, typing software for kids should start with the basics of proper finger placement and movement. The best software begins with lessons focusing on individual fingers and each hand. After your children learn proper finger placement, the remaining lessons boost their accuracy and speed. Keyboarding drills, timed typing tests, and engaging, multi-level typing games all reinforce the skills taught in each lesson.
The best lessons move gradually by focusing on a few keys at a time before building to letter chains, words and sentences. This can take a while, so it's important for software to have fun games to keep kids typing and practicing their new skills. The best software teaches children about good posture and proper hand and wrist positions while typing. This can help avoid future problems with carpal tunnel syndrome and various neck and back ailments.
Features
Because each child learns differently, it's important to find typing software that gives you the reigns as a teacher or parent. Each program lets you customize features like challenge levels, word-per-minute goals, timed lessons, typing tests and more. Some kids keyboarding programs let you create custom practice material that allows children to write their own stories or practice with text from their favorite books. Features like this make learning easier and encourage your child to interact with the software. Other engaging features include audio dictation, keystroke sounds and virtual guide hands over the keyboard.
Beyond interactive features, the best software rewards your child for hard work with pop-up encouragement and printable certificates of achievement. These can help kids stay motivated and give them a sense of progress while learning how to type.
Progress Reporting
Real progress will be obvious when you watch your kids type, but progress-reporting features are essential to really measure how well they are doing. Words per minute (WPM) and accuracy scores are common metrics on progress reports, but some reports break these down further and produce data for each finger, hand and key.
Typing Games For Kids To Learn How To Type
Help & Support
At minimum, typing software includes a user guide or manual explaining how to use the program. Many keyboarding programs target home and school use, so you can find information online via FAQs and technical support. Email and telephone support are best for further questions. Some keyboarding programs have in-app support containing indexes, definitions and guides to using the software.
When Should Kids Start Learning How to Type?
Typing is an essential skill that everyone needs to learn. Whether you’re typing up a paper for school, sending an email, posting an update on social media, or even drafting a report or memo for work – all of these require you to know how to type, so it makes sense that parents want their kids to learn this valuable skill as soon as they can.
And while young kids are sponges when it comes to learning new things, there may be a benefit to waiting until your child is between 7 and 10 years old (it can vary, depending on the kid) before introducing them to typing. While the task itself isn’t tough, there are myriad reasons – physical and intellectual alike – why kids should put off learning to type until they are this age.
Physically, kids younger than 7 lack the fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination or finger span to be able to touch type efficiently and effectively. Developmentally speaking, control over the body first starts with core muscles and large motor skills, then moves outward and becomes more fine-tuned over time. This is the same reasoning behind not putting your child in violin lessons before they turn 7 or 8. Kids can tinker with typing when they are younger, familiarizing themselves with the concept or keyboard layout, and it may help them improve their motor skills, but it’s best to wait until they are at least 7 to start teaching kids how to type in earnest.
This age also lines up with when children are learning to better express themselves using written rather than spoken language. Another reason to wait is screen time. If you’re concerned about keeping your young kids away from too much screen time for as long as possible, it’s best to wait until they’re older for typing lessons.
Technology has taken us to a place where computer usage in elementary school is now the norm. So to help your kids get a head start on their typing skills, why not make it enjoyable for them?
These 10 websites include free typing games that are great for kids of all ages. So, your children can have fun while they learn and practice their keyboarding skills.
1. FreeTypingGame
FreeTypingGame is a nice option because it has three clear sections for lessons, games, and tests. This way, your kids can learn from the lessons, practice their skills with nifty games, and then take a quick test to see how well they are progressing.
The lessons let you choose from 30 options based on the keys to be learned. Plus, you can pick a goal such as achieving 20 words per minute. Cool games themes include everything from frogs on a diet to saving sailboats and allow you to choose the related lesson as well as the difficulty level.
2. KidzType
For another site that has a good selection, KidzType offers lessons, exercises, practices, and games. The website is dedicated to helping kids learn and practice their typing skills. The lessons, exercises, and practice activities are divided by keyboard section, which is handy for tackling trouble spots.
The game options are lively and fun with gliding cats, juicy apples, and powerful ninjas. Some games allow you to choose a difficulty level or school grade, like Bull Spell. While others jump right into complete words, like Car Rider. This is not indicated on the main game page, so you may need to check out a few to see which is best for your child’s skill level.
3. Learning Games for Kids
With over 20 options, Learning Games for Kids has a great selection of typing (keyboarding) games and challenges. Kids can start with learning the home row keys and then move on to typing adventures with spooky ghosts, monstrous meteors, and silly foods.
Learning Games for Kids offers a few tough typing challenges to hone those skills. Your kids can also check out a lesson-based course with 10 levels and then finish up with a speed and accuracy test. When it comes to free and fun typing games for kids, this is one to check out.
4. TurtleDiary
TurtleDiary has almost 20 games with the majority for kindergarten-aged children and up. The game themes are truly enjoyable with Underwater Typing, Balloon Typing, and Keyracer. So there is definitely a game for almost any interest. plus you can select the difficulty level and keyboard area to practice.
In addition to fun typing games, the site offers a set of lessons. There are three skill levels with several lessons in each: Beginner has 25, Intermediate has 9, and Advanced has 17, for a full learning experience.
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5. SlimeKids
With almost a dozen games, SlimeKids provides several enjoyable options. Your kids can run from the ghosts in a Pac Man style game called Keyman or shoot alien letters to protect the planet in Type ‘Em Up.
SlimeKids may not offer lessons or tests, but the games are cute and challenging at the same time. This makes it a great option for your children to enjoy learning and practicing their typing skills.
And if you want to practice yours as well, check out these awesome typing games for learning to type fast7 Ultimate Typing Games If You Want to Type Really Fast7 Ultimate Typing Games If You Want to Type Really FastIs your slow typing dragging your productivity down? Challenge yourself with these excellent typing games and improve your typing.Read More.
6. Typing
Typing is a site aimed at both teachers and their students. You can access lessons and typing tests along with several entertaining games. Some games allow you to choose the level of difficulty such as Keyboard Jump. Other games require your skills to be quite accurate like Ninja Cat vs. Zombie Dinosaurs.
Typing Practice Games For Kids
The lessons offered by Typing cover all areas of the keyboard, broken up into sections. Your kids can learn and practice typing special characters, punctuation, and sentences. Plus, there is a lesson for the numeric keypad, which is helpful when your child is ready to move on.
7. ABCya
For a site with another variety of free typing game options, ABCya is a terrific choiceABCya: Thousands of educational & browser based games for kidsABCya: Thousands of educational & browser based games for kidsRead More. When you arrive on the website, just enter the word Type into the search box and you will see your game results below. Each game has an indicator with the school grade range it is intended for, making it easier to pick one.
Kids can stack and unstack with letters in Cup Stack Typing, fly through the sky in Keyboarding Chase, or visit the animals in Keyboard Zoo. Each game has an upbeat theme with colorful graphics and silly sounds making them a ton of fun.
8. Dance Mat Typing
If you prefer just one option for your kids to learn typing skills, check out Dance Mat Typing from BBC. This teaching tool has four levels with three stages each which are divided by letters and rows on the keyboard.
What makes Dance Mat Typing neat is that it is not really a game so much as it is an entertaining, animated, colorful typing teacher. Kids follow along with the instructions and then practice what they learn all in one spot.
And, if your child practices on different days, they can directly access the level without starting over. For example, if they complete level one, they can start right off with level two the next day. This makes typing practice for kids flexible and simple to progress.
9. Nitro Type
Nitro Type is a cool typing game from Teaching.com. This is a self-contained, competitive, typing challenge website. Signing up for an account is free, but kids can also play as a guest to give it a try.
Players race against others by typing the paragraphs displayed. Speed and accuracy both count in Nitro Type. The faster you type, the faster you race, but make a mistake and your car lags a bit. The game has achievements, leaderboards, teams, and stats. It is ideal for practice and honing typing skills, so it is suited for children already experienced with the keyboard.
10. TypeTastic
From Typing Master comes TypeTastic, a terrific typing tool for kids. The adventure starts with the keyboard builder which gets you used to where the keys are located. You can then move onto basic word typing with games like Astro Bubbles and Letter Trucks.
Finally, the games finish with All Fingers Aboard! which lets you practice everything they’ve learned. TypeTastic offer 13 fun games through its three-level journey. And, each game is colorful, enjoyable, and helps kids learn to type3 Simple and Fun Learn to Type Websites for Kids3 Simple and Fun Learn to Type Websites for KidsRead More in an upbeat environment.
Do Your Kids Enjoy Learning Games?Typing Games For Kids Girls Free
While many times we want to limit game-time for our kids, there are some occasions where games really are educational for them on different platforms. And when it comes to learning typing skills, a colorful animation or challenging game might be just the nudge to make that keyboard more interesting for them.
For more educational fun, try these top podcasts for kidsThe 10 Best Podcasts for Kids to Keep Them EntertainedThe 10 Best Podcasts for Kids to Keep Them EntertainedWant to introduce your kids to the world of podcasts? Here are the best podcasts for kids to get them started.Read More. And to get in some offline learning, check out the best STEM toys for toddlersThe Best STEM Learning Toys for ToddlersThe Best STEM Learning Toys for ToddlersIntroducing children to STEM is a great way to develop their curiosity. Here are the best learning toys for toddlers!Read More.
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