Learning how to type is as important of a skill in a school’s curriculum as other foundations like reading and math. Technology has become an integral part of our lives in everything from work to school, where everything has some degree of it built into the daily routine. Proper typing is a vital skill that everyone should have, regardless of their occupation.
And, if you’ve ever texted with a kid, you know that their typing isn’t always the best. If your child is doing the chicken pecking dance at the keyboard, there are typing games for kids to increase their speed, accuracy, and confidence. Here’s why having great typing skills is something every child needs to have.
How typing relates to student success
With all the devices we have these days, are you ever not typing? Walk into a classroom, and you might see a few students finger tapping at the keyboard. Proper typing proves to be a time-saving skill, and sometimes it takes kids a minute to get there.
Why do kids need typing skills? They won’t have to keep looking for letters one by one, and as they increase in speed, they get work done a lot faster. Additionally, there are other benefits for kids who learn how to type.
Perks for those who type well
- Typing improves spelling and grammar.
- Typing provides a helpful tool for students who struggle academically by improving motor skills through navigating the keyboard.
- This skill enables students who have trouble with handwriting to succeed.
- Typing is easier for people who have dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyspraxia.
These advantages cross over to other areas of learning, such as language acquisition, mastering a musical instrument, and creating a narrative.
How to teach a child to type
The skill of typing comes with its own set of perks. So, how do you teach your kids how to type in the first place? For starters, show them the correct sitting posture to use. No hunched backs here. Proper posture prevents back and neck issues later in life and helps increase productivity.
Next, demonstrate the correct hand position. This gives your kids a sense of where to place which finger when hitting the keys. Make the comparison between typing and playing a video game. If you don’t know where to place your fingers on the controller, you can’t play the game well.
Finally, make this process enjoyable for them by including some fun typing games for kids. Games are more engaging than just telling them to do typing drills. Plus, most games allow kids to keep track of their speed and accuracy.
The most fun typing games
There are plenty of awesome typing games out there now. There are typing games for kids, ranging from simple online exercises to writing blogs and researching topics that interest them.
Give these games a try
- Type Fighter is one of the most engaging for teens. The person plays against an AI adversary by typing words as fast as they can against their opponent, and the one with the highest score wins. It improves speed and efficiency.
- TypingClub is a website aimed at helping kids to learn typing. With over 600 lessons, plus many videos and games, TypingClub covers everything from basic to highly advanced skills.
- TapTyping transforms what kids love to do into an educational activity. Many kids love smartphones or tablets for typing purposes, so TapTyping teaches the proper touchscreen typing skills. With stats on how accurate or fast they type, kids easily track their progress.
- ABCya is an educational website with games aimed at young grade-school kids. With free keyboarding games, kids taking their first typing steps will find the activities quite fun.
- Turtle Diary has so many free typing games (Typing Ninja is a favorite) and offers various levels for your children to go at their own pace.
- Typing.com goes pretty deep into the typing world. Not only will your child learn typing skills, but typing.com goes into learning tech readiness, coding, and even career prep as it pertains to typing.
- Roblox is a game your kids are already playing, but there are educational games in there, such as Typing Simulator, which turns typing into the way to play the game, so your kids are learning while playing Roblox.
No matter their age or career, typing is a needed skill. The earlier your child learns how to properly type, the better. After all, the ability to type from a young age helps build confidence and navigate their environment as they get older.
The teen years still present an opportunity to acquire this skill, and with many typing games for kids available, your child is sure to find the best site for them to practice their keyboard prowess. It’s never too late to gain this skill to set your kiddo up for future success by turning that chicken peck into some amazing typing skills.
