Free Kids Typing Games You’ll Want to Try Right Now
Inside: A review of TypeDojo and KidzType Dance Mat typing, free typing program and typing games for kids.
This is a sponsored post. I received compensation for my time in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I didn’t learn touch typing until my freshman year in high school. It was a required class and I was in the unfortunate section who had to wait until the second semester to take it.
I was so jealous as I watched friends that first semester. Their fingers flying as they typed reports while I was slowly pecking away at the keyboard, disgruntled the letters weren’t in alphabetical order so I could find them easier.
Our kids today can’t wait until high school to begin typing practice. That’s why I’ve been using TypeDojo Typing Learning for Kids and KidzType Dance Mat Typing in my homeschool. My kids have enjoyed utilizing the free typing lessons and games they offer to teach touch typing.
TypeDojo Free Typing Practice
With a fun logo of a ninja holding a keyboard, kids are going to want to enter this dojo for free typing lessons. TypeDojo offers four levels of typing lessons: Basic, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
TypeDojo focuses on accuracy as opposed to speed. They help children learn to type by touch typing, which is where you memorize the keys with your fingers to develop muscle memory.
With practice, children can increase both accuracy and speed. As children type, there is a pastel color over the letter they should type. If they type the wrong letter, they will hear a sound and the letter will turn red. They are not given the option to correct it but encouraged to move on. This way they work on improving both accuracy and speed.
My son, Haydn, (10) chose to start on the Beginner level to brush up on his skills. Even though he has taken typing lessons before he wanted to improve his skill and get reacquainted with the rows of keys.
He quickly moved up in levels.
The typing lessons were short and fun, so even if he didn’t have a lot of time, he could login for a few minutes and get through a lesson.
Free Typing Test and WPM Test
TypeDojo also has a free typing test and a WPM test.
For the typing test, you pick your grade level, and then pick what you want your test to be on from a list of topics they offer. They can test on everything from two letter words, keyboard specific exercises or even vocabulary words.
The WPM test gives a selection of text to type, that utilizes all necessary keyboard skills, such as capital letters and punctuation.
After the tests, there is an option to print a certificate with their stats.
Haydn has enjoyed competing against himself. Everyday he takes a typing test to see if he can beat his previous days score.
Signing up for a free account allows you to track progress, but it is not necessary to use the program. Sometimes my kids would log in, but they forgot just as often. However, remembering to log in would give you a great way to track their progress and see where they may need to spend more time.
KidzType Free Typing Games
Olivia, my 7-year-old, preferred the Dance Mat Typing lessons on KidzType. These lessons are more colorful and appealed to her younger age. She also liked that the correct finger lit up on the side to show which one to use to type the flashing key. New keys are introduced as the levels progress.
KidzType is also where all the free typing games are located. My kids loved the typing games! I even played a few and enjoyed them. Some transported me back to my youth. Ghosts ‘N Goblins anyone?
There are a wide variety of games, each of which focuses on improving muscle memory to increase speed and accuracy.
With so many different typing game themes available, kids can pick the ones that appeal most to them. The typing games for kids are created to appeal to a broad spectrum of ages as well.
Kids will be having so much fun playing these typing games, they won’t even realize it’s really typing practice. Their typing skills will improve while enjoying some fun game time.
Online Ads
Because these are free typing sites, there are ads on the pages. I am always cautious when letting my kids use websites with ads because I want to make sure the ads are appropriate and they are not easy to accidentally click.
The ads for the site were all on the top or side of the page and not on the middle of the screen where my children’s attention was focused. Ads did not pop up in the middle of the game either.
The ads catered to parents–shutterfly, ibotta, xfinity, etc., but there were none I saw which would make me uncomfortable if my child accidentally clicked on it.
Kids Will Beg to Play These Free Typing Games
My kids asked every day if they could do their typing. They were eager to sign on and start typing practice and playing typing games. They considered it as play time on the computer and I viewed it as necessary skill practice. It was a win-win for all of us.
Kids of all ages will enjoy the free typing games and the typing practice found on KidzType and TypeDojo. Whether you are looking for a site to teach touch typing, want to increase your accuracy and speed, or have fun playing typing games, these are the sites you need.
Head over and set up your free account today or pin to find later.
