
Top Picks for the Best Typing Apps for Kids
Computers are everywhere, and many children are exposed to typing at an early age. And as distance learning becomes the new normal, kids need to be digitally literate. You can help your child learn to type fast with the help of the best typing apps for kids.
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What Age Can Children Learn to Type?
The general consensus is that children gain the finger span and motor coordination to touch type when they are around 7 or 8 years old. However, that doesn’t mean that kindergarten-aged kids have to wait until upper grades to learn typing.
The best time to teach kids to touch type is when they ask to learn — regardless of their age. It’s easier for a kid to acquire such a skill when he or she is motivated.
Also, kids are practically born with technology in their hands. They are likely to learn how to touch type as they see others doing so magically.
[Related: Internet Safety For Students: Teach Your Children About Internet Security]
It is generally believed that young kids may not have a finger span or motor coordination to touch type until they reach age 7 or 8. If your kid is too young to touch-type, there are other ways they can begin with until they can switch to typing apps for kids.
Low and High Tech Ways to Begin Touch Typing
Toddlers or preschoolers who want to learn how to type but do not have the right finger span or enough motor coordination can use other low-tech alternatives before they can begin with typing apps for kids.
Paper
Print out a paper keyboard that your kid can use for practicing. Encourage your child to spend extra time to practice using the print-out keyboard.
This is an activity that your kid can do anytime and anywhere. Ask your child to spell his or her name, objects, or simple phrases using the print-out keyboard.
You can find tons of free printable keyboard templates on Pinterest.
As you know, the letters on the computer keyboard aren’t arranged alphabetically. Print-out keyboards can help children get familiar with the keyboard layout and arrangement.

Computer Keyboard
You can then switch your child from a print-out keyboard to an actual keyboard, but you don’t have to connect it to the computer right away.
v
You can let your child use the keyboard to get the feel of using an actual computer keyboard and practice reaching the keyboard letters using the proper finger placement.
[Related: How To Be More Supportive Of Your Kids With Online Learning]
The Benefits of Typing for Kids

As mentioned earlier, children nowadays grow up with technology all over the place. Many toddlers and young kids today are reliant on technology in regards to their education.
Not to mention, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced thousands of kids to engage in distance learning, requiring them to be digitally skilled and abled.
Kids are more able to navigate the internet and enter their online classes if they possess typing skills. Aside from that, typing helps them browse books, articles, and other media files that can aid in their studies.
Learning to type also helps children to save time, allowing their dictation to keep up with the speed of their thoughts.
Plus, typing improves visual-motor integration as the eyes guide the hands. Typing also helps children who have difficulty in developing their motor skills.
For example, Michelle Yoder, the owner of Touchstone Therapy, explains that kids with dysgraphia (inability to write coherently due to brain damage or disease) find typing often easier because of motor coordination difficulties. Moreover, typing helps them get their thoughts on paper.
Typing can also improve children’s language skills. It engages various cognitive aspects of a kid’s brain as it is a very demanding motor activity. They tend to become more focused and conscious of what they are typing.
[Related: Remote Learning In A Pandemic: 7 Best Tips From Pediatricians]
The Best Typing Apps for Kids
How thankful we are for the ever-growing technology. Now, youngsters can learn to type fast and accurately with the help of typing apps for kids.
There are, however, quite a number of typing apps nowadays. We’re here to help you pick the best typing app by selecting our top picks.
TypeRacer.com
TypeRacer is an award-winning typing competition that allows people to race each other by typing quotes from movies, books, and songs. This innovative multiplayer typing game is designed to teach adults and young adults to type.
What’s more, TypeRacer is completely free of charge, which is perfect for those who are looking for a more dynamic and entertaining way of learning touch typing without spending a penny.
Remember, though, that TypeRacer does not teach typing per se, but it can help kids to view their progress and practice accuracy and speed.
TypeRacer is available in 50 languages and boasts a user-friendly interface featuring racing cars on a track. This design helps the player monitor their improvements as well as their competitors.
Alpha Munchies
Alpha Munchies is one of the best typing apps for kids. The game offers a keyboarding activity specifically designed for young students.
The Alpha Critters are hungry for food, and the player must quickly type the letters before the Alpha Critters land and start munching. It’s an excellent game that makes typing fun, engaging, and addictive.
Alpha Munchies is developed by ABCya. Kids can play the game on a computer (via a browser) or on a smartphone. You can find the ABCya Games App on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Amazon App.

Keyboard Climber 2 by TVOKids.com
Keyboard Climber 2 is simple, easy to use, and perhaps, one of the best typing apps for kids. The vivid graphics and fun animations will truly capture the hearts of young players.
The goal of the game is to help the monkey get the bananas by typing the letters. One mistake and a coconut will fall on the head of the monkey.
The game will provide instructions to help young players type accurately. It’s a great game for kids to master the use of lowercase, uppercase letters, and numbers.
[Related: How To Choose A Truly Educational App For Your Toddler]
Animal Typing
Animal Typing is an iOS app designed to support kids as they learn how to develop touch typing skills. Typing can increase our productivity, and this useful skill can really be a great help for children.
This game helps kids to write their thoughts into written words quickly and fluently. Kids can track their progress and accuracy, so they know what aspects they need to improve.
You may connect a Bluetooth keyboard as a conjunction to your tablet, although you may still use the screen-based keyboard (but without the tactile feedback and size of a physical computer keyboard, which are essential to fully develop the skill).
Each exercise will show the progress of the player. Their speed will be reflected by an animal, and players need to strive to be the cheetah.
Mistakes won’t be glossed over. The player must correct the spelling by using the backspace key before progressing.
Although the game is designed for young users, children of any age and adults could use the app to develop their typing skills.
The game offers a safe environment for kids. There are no in-app purchases and advertisements to interrupt the game, giving everyone a seamless and fun typing experience.

Typing.com
Typing.com is a web-based platform that offers a rich library of fun and addictive typing games that help improve typing speed and accuracy. Each game can be tailored according to the player’s skills.
You can change the difficulty level (easy, medium, hard, or insane) and select a word list (hard words, easy words, top row, home row, bottom row, all letters, or numbers).
The Keyboard Jump is a fun typing game that allows kids to master their motor coordination skills. Help the fox get to the top by typing the letters in the branches. Every mistake can make the branches weak!
There are more games you can play on Typing.com, including Keyboard Ninja, Tommy Q: Zombie Defender, ZType, Type-a-Balloon, Type Toss, and NitroType.
Dance Mat Typing
If you’re looking for a fun way to learn touch typing for your kids, you might want to consider Dance Mat Typing. It is one of the most fun typing apps for kids featured on BBC Bitesize.
Dance Mat Typing aims to introduce the keyboard letters to kids in fun and engaging ways. At the end of each level, the players can test their typing speed and get a fun reward.
Level 1 will help kids learn to type the keys on the home row:
f d s a j k l ; g h
e i
r u
The next level will teach kids to type six new keys just above the home row:
t y w o q p
So on, and so forth. As kids progress through the game, they will learn to use the correct fingers.
Conclusion
Children today are no longer strangers to digital technology. As distance learning becomes more popular and computers more predominant, kids must learn touch-typing and other computer skills.
Help your child learn touch typing using the best typing apps for kids. Go ahead and let your child try out these typing apps for kids and let us know which one works best for them.
[Related: Homeschooling: Pros And Cons For Parents And Students]
Related Questions
What is the difference between touch typing and regular typing?
Touch typing is the ability to type using all one’s fingers without looking at the keys. It is generally faster than hunting and pecking.
In touch typing, you use all eight fingers to navigate the letters and thumbs on the space bar. Regular typing, on the other hand, uses a two-finger typing method.
What are the benefits of touch typing?
Touch typing can help you become more productive. It lets you type fast, saving you time in creating notes. It also improves accuracy and helps you become more focused.
Can you think of other ways to help kids learn touch typing?
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