In our fast moving, technology based world we have to be mindful of not only keeping up ourselves, but working to ensure our kids learn the skills necessary to succeed in our technology based world. One of the very first skills we can work on with our children is typing. Typing is the base skill needed to begin to work with computers. Using typing games is a great way to help our children learn this important life skill.

Why Touch Typing?

It has been found that touch typing is the most efficient form of typing. Touch typing is the act of typing quickly without using your sight to determine key location. It also refers to using all ten fingers without removing them from the keyboard, but rather sliding them. This method produces a more efficient and faster typer.

“People who cannot touch type write up to 35 words per minute, people who can touch type can type up to 65 words per minute.”

Touch typing also has health benefits. Due to the fact that it allows typists to keep their spine straight, the wrists easy, and their overall posture relaxed and easy, it helps reduce the risk of health problems that come when you hunch over your keyboard for too long.

KidzType Typing Games

KidsType is a free website that uses typing games to teach touch typing to kids. It includes a myriad of learning levels, games, practice options and even a test option where they can earn a certificate to print! {Disclosure: I was compensated for my time to give an honest review of this product. All opinions expressed here are my own, and I was not required to post a positive review. Please see my full Disclosure Policy for more details.}

There are multiple options to choose from:

1. Learning Levels – on the home page you’ll find a progression of 4 Levels and 12 Stages for your kids to progress through. I suggest you start here as this is the foundation of learning to touch type.
2. Typing Games – These are fun games that take kids off the learning keyboard screen and give them a chance to test their skills via typing games. What I love about these is that they have multiple levels so whether you child is just beginning, or they are more advanced, there is a skill level for the game that will suit their needs!
3. Typing Practice & Typing Exercises – These offer tons of varied options for practicing their skills from Home Row through Sentences and Paragraphs. 
4. Typing Test – In this option (one where you are taken off the KidzType website) your child can choose from multiple testing options to earn a Certificate of Accomplishment.
5. Touch Typing Chart – This is an awesome chart that shows the steps for learning to touch type!

What We Love About Typing Games from KidzType

1. It’s FREE!

Yup! You heard that right! The whole site, all the lessons, games, etc. are FREE!

2. Totally Online

Simply head over to KidzType.com and go! No signups, no books, no cds, just type and go!

3. Fun Typing Games Style for Kids

The games are varied and fun while still giving the kids feedback as to how many they missed, how many they got correct, their WPM (Words per Minute) and more! Even the lessons have fun cartoons to looks at! It makes it fun and easy for kids to learn.

4. Step by Step Levels

This is great for bite sized learning! Each Level and Stage introduces a little bit more to add on to what your child has just learned. The KidzType website makes it easy to navigate each of these Levels and Stages.

5. Easy Helps

While they are working through the lessons there are hands on either side of their screen showing them which finger to use for each letter. This is an easy visual way for them to reference the correct fingering if they are unsure.

Observation from My 7th Grader

After working her way through much of the program as well as playing typing games and working through exercises my daughter noted that she had a better typing score (WPM) when doing actual words and not just the exercises. You can see the difference from the photo above – no words/just exercises, to the photo below – with words.

I love that she can learn the basics via the learning levels, but then gets the chance to test her stuff in the typing games and exercises. {I too find that my mind works faster and easier typing actual words rather than random letters!}

Be sure to check out KidzType on Facebook too!

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