Teaching kids to type
When to start, how long to practise and how to keep it fun, for parents and teachers.
Children type for school from a young age, and those who learn to touch type early save time and frustration for years. The goal is not speed at first, but good habits: fingers on the home row, eyes on the screen and the right finger for each key.
When to start
Many children are ready for short typing lessons at around seven or eight, once they read comfortably and their hands are big enough to rest on the home row. Younger children can play key-finding games. There is no rush: a child who starts at ten with good habits soon overtakes one who started earlier with two fingers.
How long to practise
Ten to fifteen minutes a day is plenty. Short, regular sessions build muscle memory better than one long session a week, and they keep motivation high. Stop while it is still fun.
Keep it fun
- Mix lessons with games such as Key Blitz, Word Rain in calm mode and Memory Words.
- Use the story typing test instead of word lists.
- Celebrate improvement against their own previous best, not comparison with others.
Good habits to watch for
- Sitting up with feet supported and the screen at eye level.
- Fingers returning to the home row after each key.
- Eyes on the screen. The on-screen keyboard with the finger guide helps.
- Accuracy before speed: 90% or better is a great goal for young typists.
Tracking progress
At home, the typing test for kids and the progress page show results over time, saved in the browser. Teachers can create a free online class: students sign in with a code, with no email or password, and every result appears in one table. Pages likely to be used by children show only non-personalised ads, and class pages show none.