Children may improve their touch typing skills at an early age with the aid of the best typing software. This requires being an expert at using a keyboard effectively and becoming comfortable with spelling, particularly in the most difficult circumstances.
Ensuring that the youngster can maintain a good posture and hand position when typing is one reason why it is important to learn typing correctly as soon as possible. Doing this properly when you’re young might be the difference between a pleasant experience and ailments in the future, such as backache or repeated strain.
When kids use the best typing software for kids, speed is another advantage they may reap since it makes putting their ideas down digitally simpler and faster for them. This may be useful if pupils utilize one of the top online tutoring programs where keyboard-based input is routine. We’ve covered Best Greeting Card Software extensively in our previous article, which you can find here.
When we conduct our assessments, we consider various aspects, including instructional strategies, age-appropriate content, levels of engagement, and more. As an additional fantastic method to apply your newly acquired typing abilities, you may also wish to investigate the top online courses for learning Spanish.
1. Mavis Beacon Keyboarding Kidz
Your youngster may learn to type entertainingly with the help of the colorful and animated Mavis Beacon Keyboarding Kidz software, which also comes at an affordable price. Mavis Beacon provides straightforward, concise teaching and supports your youngster throughout each session.
You can buy Keyboarding Kids either on a CD-ROM or as a digital download, and it is compatible with computers running both Windows and Mac operating systems. Mavis Beacon teaches you how to type with both hands, covering all the fundamentals and providing starter tutorials. But, additional timed typing exams are available for more proficient students. More than 300 courses and 20 user profiles make this software unique.
The eleven games that comprise the program include a wide range of topics, such as outer space, road racing, and even a shark attack. To win, you must type as quickly and precisely as possible. Your youngster can work with either Mavis, a girl, or Dex, a male, as their typing instructor.
2. Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum
Your child will go on exciting journeys while learning to type swiftly and precisely with Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum. It is a complete program that will provide your youngster with true enjoyment since it includes 160 lessons and 30 activities.
Your kid will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of each game and lesson from Tobo Typer and Lafitte the talking parrot, who will also encourage your child to work towards the overarching goal of taking control of the castle. The software has a variety of additional capabilities, such as the ability to change the typefaces used, set your own word-per-minute targets, and accommodate up to five players simultaneously. Most typing software misses the entertaining feature of allowing you to choose the sound that plays whenever your child presses an erroneous key. It contains fundamentals like speed and accuracy assessments and entertaining games and features.
Typing Teacher for typing software for kids review Platinum provides detailed information on your child’s development by finger, hand, key, and row. You may print out certificates of accomplishment for them to keep as physical prizes if they succeed. Typing Tutor for Kids is efficient and, more importantly, entertaining. The Windows operating system is compatible with this software. If you encounter any issues, you may contact the manufacturer’s technical support team over the phone or on the manufacturer’s website.
3. Type to Learn
Type To Learn is a cloud-based learning platform developed by Sunburst Digital in Illinois. It is now in its sixth version and allows students in grades K–12 to practice their typing skills from almost anywhere, provided they have access to the internet and a keyboard.
The program was developed with the assistance of scientific research, but it is presented in a fun and engaging style that should keep children interested in continuing to participate. To rescue the world from a communication breakdown, students are thrown into a future adventure where they must perform a series of gamified typing assignments depending on speed, accuracy, and technique. They start as beginners or recruits, and as they make progress, they move through the ranks to become master agents, which gives them a feeling of accomplishment. It is likely to become rather addicting for smaller children, but due to the simplicity of the activities, it may not be able to keep the interest of an older child for very long.
4. Typing Quick and Easy
Students learn to establish a rhythm by typing to music in Typing Quick and Easy. While it has more than 50 songs, some of the standard functions we discovered in the software we evaluated are missing.
For instance, there is no virtual typing coach and positive reinforcement in the form of phrases that crop up throughout courses is absent. However, compared to other programs such as Mavis Beacon Keyboarding Kids, Typing Quick & Simple does not have as many games; nevertheless, the quality of the games included is far higher. Yet, it has all of the essential elements we searched for, such as the ability to customize your word-per-minute target and many tales and passages on which to practice.
According to the results of our tests, we believe that older pupils would benefit most from using this product. While even a young kid should have no trouble navigating the software, the fact that the instruction is solely centered on music suggests that it is best suited for a somewhat older demographic.
Since it just takes a one-time payment of $14.99, the application is the most affordable software that can be purchased outright among those we researched and evaluated. Typing Quick and Simple does not allow for creating numerous user profiles; therefore, only one person may use the software at a time.
5. Mickey’s Typing Adventure
The same firm produces Mickey’s Typing Adventure as our top selection, and it has all of the essential elements that are included in the very best typing software for children. Mickey and his pals have been put under a spell in this program, and it is up to your child to develop their typing skills to free Mickey and his pals. The software will introduce a new key or row at each level, and after your youngster has mastered it, they can save a new character. A virtual typing teacher may teach students proper hand placement and good typing posture.
Since Mickey and his pals are a part of the program, it has a more childlike vibe than the other programs we tested, and we are concerned that the Disney charm could wear off on older children. There is no way to avoid the Disney theme since all of the program’s writing examples also come from Disney movies and books. We anticipate that younger audiences will be particularly drawn to the software’s enchantments, the makers do not suggest it for children under six. With Mickey’s Typing Adventure, up to five users may improve their speed and accuracy. Click here for more information about Best Software For Digital Scrapbooking.
What are the advantages of being proficient at typing?
As a result of its widespread adoption in the educational system, typing is now on par with writing by hand. Why shouldn’t learn to type get the same attention as learning to write? Many children nowadays may have grown up with touchscreens, which are great for touch and swipe input but not so helpful when transitioning to a regular QWERTY keyboard. You may be interested in The Best Spanish Learning Software 2023.
Knowing how to type correctly may result in quicker input, saving them time. It may result in improved posture, which will help them prevent injuries. Also, it may include improving one’s spelling skills by entering words one letter at a time.
How we tested
We evaluated typing software for children for nearly ten hours and even tried out several applications. While comparing the programs, we considered the number of lessons and activities each software offers, as well as whether or not they include fundamentals like timed typing exams. In addition, we noted whether or not they teach how to type on other keyboards, such as a numeric pad with ten keys.
Although we consider testing serious business, we enjoyed ourselves quite a bit along the way. Throughout our analysis, we carefully noticed the appearance of each program’s visuals, how entertaining its games were, and whether or not they motivated us as we progressed. Considering both user evaluations and video lessons available on YouTube, we preferred more user-friendly apps that don’t need you to read the user manual before getting started.
Your children will learn to communicate more effectively as they get more proficient at typing, both in speed and accuracy. Children of any age may learn to type correctly with programs that provide fun games and prizes. Children may acquire good typing practices, posture, language skills, and the delight that comes from studying on their own via typing software. Click here for more information about Best Software For Cooking Books And Recipes.
When purchasing typing software for children, what to look for
Knowing how to choose the finest typing software for kids is crucial because if you know what to search for, you may discover the right companion for your child’s educational requirements. Age is the most crucial consideration. Ensure the software is appropriate for your kid and, preferably, extends into later ages so that it will endure and you will get your money’s worth. If it is too easy, they may lose interest, and if it is too difficult, they may give up; therefore, finding something that can accommodate various requirements is crucial.
Of course, price should be taken into account. You’ll typing software for special needs kids to determine whether you desire the more complex features enough to pay for them, as there are some free typing software for kids. Before you make any financial commitments, giving your kid a chance to experiment with a free alternative to see how they respond can be beneficial.
Fun is also crucial. Certain software does a wonderful job of making typing into a game, and if your child already enjoys playing digital games, then this may be a hint that they would perform best with the sort of software that makes typing more like playing a game.
When should children begin learning how to type?
Likely, the lowest age at which you may begin learning to type isn’t the best. Your youngster needs to have a solid foundation in the fundamentals of writing and spelling before moving on to more advanced concepts. Then, as an additional layer on top of that, kids may begin to learn how to type. If you start them too early, it may be too much for them to handle, and they may give up.
So, in many instances, the years between seven and ten are ideal for beginners to learn how to type. This should imply that they have reached a level of physical and cerebral development that allows them to study in the most effective manner feasible.
Before age seven, a child’s fine motor abilities, finger span, and hand-eye coordination may not be enough. It’s OK to let them use a keyboard when they’re younger, but it may be best to hold off on intensive instruction until later so that they can learn at speed appropriate for their body’s current stage of development.
Typing might be a helpful outlet for them at this age, which is also a period of mental expression. Any younger than that, and you’re simply providing them another excuse to stare at a screen at a time when it’s usually a good idea to restrict the amount of time spent looking at screens to a minimum.
