Typing for Kids Software Review

Why Typing Software for Kids?

Great typing skills are key to getting a good job in life, and typing for kids software provides the instruction that will hold a child’s attention as they learn these skills. These aren’t boring apps; kids will have fun and be engaged as they work through the lessons.

Our top three picks, Typing Instructor for Kids, Typing Quick & Easy and UltraKey have the tools to teach proper keyboarding technique, and they are fun and easy-to-follow. Be sure to read our articles on typing for kids software to learn more.

Some of the benefits of using typing for kids software include the following:

  • Software offers the easiest and most effective way to instruct children on how to type.
  • The best time to start teaching kids how to type is when they are young, before they develop bad habits, such as typing with just two fingers.
  • It prepares children for the eventual typing tests that schools give at progressively younger ages.
  • When it comes to research and writing projects, student typists have a huge advantage over those who don’t have the proper skills.
  • Living in the information age, typing skills are required for a large number of jobs, including entry-level positions.
  • The expense of typing software is nothing compared to the benefits for a child who has acquired keyboarding skills that will last a lifetime.
  • The entertainment in typing software is sure to lure kids in and keep them at the keyboard.

Typing for kids software starts children off with the basics of proper finger placement and movement, and then reinforces those skills with creative exercises and visual rewards. Some of the software applications include games, which make learning even more fun.

Children will be able to learn at their own level and pace using typing for kids software. Because the apps are fun and interactive, children will gain valuable skills – eagerly – with little or no frustration.

Typing Software for Kids: What to Look For

Without test-driving the software yourself, it's tough to know what to look for in a typing program, particularly one for your children. Below are the criteria we used to evaluate typing software. 

Ease of Use
The software should be relatively easy to use so that everyone, from kids to grandparents, can easily work with the application and track their progress.

Feature Set
Quality typing software will offer new users a pretest to automatically determine their typing start level, and it should offer optional warm-up exercise. Below are several other features to look for in the best typing software for kids.

•  Typing software for children should include a variety of lessons, drills, tests and activities that cover all typing skills.

•  Advanced typing lessons should teach 10-key and other numeric typing skills.

•  The typing software practice library should be large enough to offer your child many interesting reading selections for typing practice, and the typing program should allow you
    to input new text for typing practice.

•  Typing practice should go beyond typing from text – children should learn to type from audio narrations as well.

•  Typing software should track typing speed and accuracy, and it should chart the typing progress of several typists.

•  Typing software should be customizable so that your child can focus on and practice weak typing areas – such as one hand, one keyboard row, or even a specific set of keys.

•  Typing software for kids should consistently demonstrate correct finger placement using hand guides, and versatile typing software offers lesson visuals for both standard and split keyboards.

•  Typing software for children should be loaded with a wide variety games to meet all typing skill levels, beginning to advanced.

Ease of Installation
Typing software installation should be easy and glitch-free, and there should be little setup required beyond taking a typing pretest.

Help & Support
The typing software should include telephone and technical support, a FAQs page, a manual, a Knowledge Base and tutorials. Not all manufacturers will have every one of these items, but they should have a majority of them.

If you are ready for your kids to have fun while learning to type, add typing for kids software to their daily activities. The valuable skills they learn will help them in school, every day computer activities and in their future careers.

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Software » Education » Typing for Kids Software
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Typing Instructor for Kids Typing Quick & Easy UltraKey Ainsworth Keyboard Trainer Garfield's Typing Pal All The Right Type Type to Learn Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor Nimble Fingers Letter Chase Typing Tutor
Typing Instructor for Kids Typing Quick & Easy UltraKey Ainsworth Keyboard Trainer Garfield's Typing Pal All The Right Type Type to Learn Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor Nimble Fingers Letter Chase Typing Tutor
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Lowest Price
Visit Typing Instructor for Kids 5.0
$19.99
Visit Typing Quick & Easy 17
$19.99
Visit UltraKey 6
$39.95
Visit Ainsworth Keyboard Trainer 4.2
$48.00
Visit Garfield's Typing Pal 1
$16.16
Visit All The Right Type 3.6
$29.95
Visit Type to Learn 4
$79.95
Visit Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor 4.7
$25.95
Visit Nimble Fingers
$24.95
Visit Letter Chase Typing Tutor 5.1
$19.50
Overall Rating
Ratings
Ease of Use
Feature Set
Ease of Installation
Help/Support
 
Features
Target Age Group 7+ All All All All 8+ 7+ 7+ All All
Lessons
Number of Lessons 160 26 12 62 80 18 100 Unlimited 250 8
10-Key Keypad Lessons
17  
  
Speed Building Exercises
Accuracy Building Exercises
Guide Hands for Keyboards
 
Left Hand Lessons
Right Hand Lessons
Lessons for Individual Fingers
Graduated Lessons - Containing Words, Sentences and Paragraphs
 
Tests
Timed Speed Tests
 
Timed Accuracy Tests
 
10-Key Keypad Tests
 
  
 
Create Custom Test & Timings  
 
 
Initial Skill Level Test  
 
 
  
Warm-ups   
   
  
Results & Progress
Words per Minute Results
Adjusted Words per Minute Results
    
Accuracy Results
Auto Save Results on all Activities
    
Progress Reports by Key, Finger & Hand
 
 
Printable Progress Results
View Progress Results on Screen
Certificates of Achievements
        
Graphs - Bar, Line & Stacked   3 1 1   2     1
Practice Material
Adjustable Challenge Levels
 
 
 
   
Create Custom Practice Material  
 
 
 
Import Custom Practice Material   
 
   
Download Additional Practice Material         
 
Games
Number of Games 30 8   2 2 5   2   2
Keyboard & 10-Key Challenges
 
   
Multi-Level Play
   
 
  
Customize / Personalize
Customizable User Options
Audio and/or Video Dictation
 
 
 
   
Adjustable Text Size
 
   
Create Custom Drills  
Sounds for Correct/Incorrect Keys  
Add Your Own Music        
  
Multi-Language Support
English
Spanish
 
   
 
French        
 
Italian        
 
German          
Technical Support
Phone Support
 
Email address
FAQs
  
 
Manual   
    
Knowledge Base   
       
Tutorials         
 
Supported Configurations
Windows 7
 
 
   
Vista
 
 
XP
2000
Mac