Typing Programs For 1st Grade
Electronics workbench 5.12 pro. Best Typing Programs for Kids 2019 - Software and Lesson ReviewsWe 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, 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.
Maximum of five users at a timeTyping 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 Value. Not suited for children under age 7The 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 School.
Children under age 8 won’t find it engagingAll 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 Kids.
Theme might grate on older kidsMickey’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 Lovers. Doesn’t have a virtual typing tutorTyping 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 UsWe 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 TestedWe 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 KidsLessons & DrillsNo 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.FeaturesBecause 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.
Buying GuidesReviewsReal 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.Help & SupportAt 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.
Teaching kids keyboarding isn't about finding the perfect online website or downloaded software and setting students loose on a year-long, self-directed journey of progressive lessons hoping their speed and accuracy improves.That might work for adults, but it's a prescription for boredom and failure with K-8 students. They require a mixture of, only one of which is drill.
I've.When you select the varied keyboarding activities, pick sites students will have fun with and look forward to playing. After all, the goal is to teach good keyboarding habits which only happens if students are engaged, committed, and connected.Here are three of my favorites, one for each level of the student's typing development. Beginner typistsBig Brown Bear has two free parts:. Learn to Type - focuses on typing skills. The Keyboard Game - focuses on key placement and speed.Here, I'll talk about the Keyboard Game.
It is designed for pre-typists and includes no discussion of keyboarding habits or hand placement. The goal is for pre-keyboarders to learn where keys are in a fun, non-threatening, unintimidating way. The program starts with a big keyboard that fills the screen.Students type the key outlined in red as fast as possible, while a timer in the lower-right corner counts down from 30 seconds.
When done, students see their score.In my classes, I mention hands on the keyboard and elbows at their sides (mostly to get them used to thinking about these), but want their focus on key placement. I set a goal of “22 in 30 seconds” and let them move on to something else when they meet that goal. Every few minutes, I drop the goal – “Now I’m looking for 15!” They love this game approach.This game prepares students to learn good keyboarding habits (like posture) and then practice their skills.ProsBig Brown Bear focuses students on only key placement without the distraction of hand placement, home row, posture, finger position, and all the other elements that are part of touch-typing. Use it as a warmup or exit ticket, asking students to play the game until they get a prescribed score (say 15 for beginners - or lower) in the 30-second period.This is great for pre-readers with nominal guidance on your part (such as letting them know to start by pushing any key). It's also perfect for supporting class discussion on letters. Keys are shown as both upper and lower case, making it easy for students to identify no matter where they are in their alphabet lessons.No sound or animation distracts from the job of finding keys.
I see this is a pro. In my classes, students don't notice that there isn't music or movement. Their brains are too busy!ConsThis site doesn't teach the intricacies of keyboarding. Once students are ready for that, go to KidzType.
Intermediate typistsThe free offers the full spectrum of typing practice including drills, games, exercises (24-plus graduated exercises to cover all keys in a skills-building approach), and lessons. This includes a hard-to-find focus on typing words (rather than letters), sentences, and paragraphs. Additionally, it transits seamlessly to the popular DanceMat Typing games that kids love.This program teaches students good keyboarding habits (like posture) and then reinforces them through practice.ProsNo login, no downloads, few distractions, and no fee.I love that KidzType teaches keyboarding one row at a time – home row, QWERTY row, and lower row, followed by symbols and numbers. Most keyboarding sites teach a mixed-up collection of keys that might make sense to an academician, but not a child.
KidzType recognizes that their customer is the grade 2-8 student, not the parent or teacher.ConsThere is no way to track student progress. Because the site is fairly new, I’m hoping this is planned for future updates. Mature typistsIn free Nitro Type, students practice typing by racing their car through the streets of a fictional town, either competing against themselves, anyone online at the time, or classmates they've selected. They can race as an individual or a class team.
It is designed to improve typing skills rather than teach. Students can register or race as a guest.Nitro Type is amazingly popular. In my classes, given a choice, students pick this game. And it's not just my group. Look at these 2015 statistics for Nitro Type users:.
Typing Jungle
Overall Avg Speed: 32 WPM. Fastest speed: 142 WPM. Highest accuracy: 99.45%. New Players: 3,346,290. Races Completed: 128,908,149.
Highest races for one player: 5,286 in the year. Largest Typing Day: 1,126,208 races in a single day!Nitro Type is part of, which includes lessons, traditional typing games, and tests - besides Nitro Type. Know: This is a very engaged typing community. For example, when a blog post comes out, it gets several THOUSAND comments from members.This game reinforces skills students already have as they practice speed and accuracy.ProsWhile you can race against other players, you can't chat with them. Well, you can send canned chat lines that are friendly and G-rated. Lots of schools use Nitro Type.Racing sounds can be muted - a good option if you're playing without headphones.You can race without an account (as a Guest), but when you register, you can create/join teams, find friends, and track your progress.ConsThe game centers around illegal street racing.
Racers willfully destroy property, run roadblocks, break the law, evade - and sometimes fight back against - police who try to stop them. It includes disclaimers to explain the dangers and illegality of street racing and a reminder to wear safety belts in real life.There is a lot of advertising (which can be removed for a fee). Students must look past that to find the details on how to race. Once you know how to start, it's easy (for example, click “race”), but not terribly intuitive.If these don't work for your student group, try another from this list of. Before unpacking them for students, test them out yourself. Make sure they are suited to your unique student group. More on keyboarding.