In March, like many parents, I suddenly found myself supervising my children’s remote education from home. At school, they did most of their work with pencil on paper, in cursive handwriting. At home, much of their work was done in forms on Google Classroom. I realized how much it would help them to know touch typing—being able to tap the right keys on the keyboard quickly, using all ten fingers, without peeking at the letters on the keys. My husband and I resolved that typing would be one of the skills our kids would learn at home this summer. I hope you will help your kids learn typing, too.
For more ideas about summer experiences you can do while learning at home with your kids, visit the main page, Charter a Summer of Learning.
Online Resources for Kids Learning Typing
I remember from my own experience, when I was around 11 years old, that learning to type is a humbling experience. No matter how smart you are, it takes time and lots of practice. My learn-to-type experience involved an IBM Selectric typewriter and a hardcover book with pangrams like “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
We researched software and websites that could help our kids learn to type, asking in parent groups like the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group, Parent Support for Online Learning, and #learneverywhere. Here is our shortlist of typing sites:
After my husband and I researched different sites, we chose Typing.com because we like the gamification. The software provides encouragement and incentives as kids do more practice and level up.
Devices to Help Kids Learn Typing
As kids learn to type, they tend to want to peek at the keys. When I was learning, we built a cardboard box that fit over the electric typewriter but had room for my hands to reach in and touch the keys. There is a more elegant solution now—Speedskin keyboard covers. They are thin, orange, and rubbery, and fit over the keys so closely that they stay in place while kids are practicing. Another solution would be to use masking tape or stickers to cover over the letters.
Once you have your kids set up with typing software, and you have blocked them from peeking at the keys, it’s just a matter of turning in the time to practice. We use Google Classroom to set reminders for typing practice on weekdays. You could easily keep track on a paper planner or checklist, or make a chart in Excel. The important thing is consistency, and putting in a short amount of time for many days in a row. It’s humbling, but there is no shortcut for practice.
If your kids need encouragement to learn typing, have a conversation with them about dream jobs. Both of our kids love technology and have expressed interest in Computer Science careers. They understand that learning to type will help them become better computer programmers who can make cool games and apps. In addition to succeeding at distance learning, my hope is that typing skills will also help my kids tackle big projects like research papers as they advance to higher grades in school. Typing, keyboards, and other adaptive technologies can also help special education students to participate more and reach their full potential.
Unlocking choices and possibilities for our kids—isn’t that a great reason to pursue summer learning?
Read More About Kids Learning Typing
“Teaching kids to type,” Read & Spell
“6 Websites, Apps and Games to Help Kids Learn How to Type,” Understood
“10 Sites and Games to Teach Kids Typing the Fun Way,” Sandy Writtenhouse, Make Use of, February 28, 2020
“9 fun typing games for kids,” Emily Rivas, Today’s Parent, July 1, 2018
“How to Guarantee Your Kids Learn to Type Correctly,” Happy Teacher Mama
For more ideas about summer experiences you can do while learning at home with your kids, visit the main page, Charter a Summer of Learning.
About the Author
Inga Cotton is the Founder and Executive Director of San Antonio Charter Moms. In the summers, she comes up with lots of activities to keep her kids busy and learning, even when they would probably rather be watching YouTube.
