The Best Typing Games for Kids

Summer is a very important time for learning, as many studies show that without a concerted effort to sustain their education in the summer, students are likely to fall behind. But you don’t have to send your kids to summer school to overcome this pattern, as there are lots of great apps for Reading, fun Math games and Writing tools perfect for Summer learning. One great way to keep your child’s study skills sharp over the summer is give them a concrete goal, like learning how to type. While this could be a tedious task, there are so many great typing games for kids that your child is certain to enjoy this challenging and useful goal.

For children with poor handwriting, problems with written organization, or who struggle to complete written assignments efficiently, becoming an expert keyboarder can be a transformation skill. Keep in mind, your goal will be to use these typing games for kids to help your child become an “expert” typist, not simply a competent one.

We encourage teaching typing as early as seven years old. First, find an appropriate keyboard that fits your child’s size: one which his fingers can easily fit across (consider the LearningBoard or the GMYLE Super Slim Mini Keyboard). When using these typing games for kids, it’s important that your child really practices, and not simply go with the “hunt-and-peck” method. Explain the benefits of learning to type fast, and how it can make the process for writing for school much easier. You may also at some point need to directly speak with your child’s teacher to ensure keyboard with writing assignments is OK, both in and out of the classroom.

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In order to make this summer project successful, you must make it fun. If you expect your child to put forth the necessary effort over the course of the summer to become an adequate typist, you will need to build in regular rewards, positive feedback, and use tools that children will enjoy. The best program that we have found for children who are learning typing skills is Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum. This program not only has a very structured and organized approach, there are many games for children to enjoy. Combining Typing Instructor with a number of fun websites, games, and apps that practice typing skills in a different way will also be important.

Rewards need to be both daily and given at the point of accomplishing goals. You should expect your child to spend no more than 20-30 minutes per day typing. When they are able to achieve specific goals, you can add some goals from the typing program. They should be able to receive some type of privileges or rewards, such as going to their favorite restaurant, renting a video game, or an opportunity for a sleepover with their peer.

Try to get other family members to participate in improving their typing skills, as well as yourself, so that it feels like a cooperative venture. Consider playing the same games as your child, too, competing for high scores. Track progress for all participants to see who has improved the most and who’s words-per-minutes rate comes out on top at the end of the Summer.

Here are some of our suggestions for the best typing games for kids: