Posts tagged learn to type
Learn to Touch-Type
Feb 23rd
Whether you are new to typing or an experienced computer user who never learned to type properly, taking the time to learn touch-typing can go a long way to saving you time and minimizing strain on your hands. This learning process takes some time, but it is well worth the effort and it is rewarding to see how much you improve. Back in the ol’ days, there were limited options for learning this art, but now with the explosion of the internet, there are all sorts of useful utilities for developing touch-typing skills, from regimented tutorials/lessons to activities/games. Here is a list of the very best the web has to offer in this department:
Online Typing Tutors
Typing Web
Typing Adventure
Good Typing
Typing Software
TypeMaster
Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor
Online Typing Games
The Keyboard Playground
FreeTypingGame.net
OnlyTypingGames.com
As far as I am concerned, those are the best of the best, but for a more thorough list of resources, be sure to check out the typing directory.
More Typing Games for Kids
Feb 17th
I just came across an excellent post today which covers various different games/tutors that are appropriate for children learning how to type. The post (Reverting to Type) covers 5 valuable tools and provides links at the end to access even more. Several of the games / touch-typing tutors highlighted have already been mentioned on this blog, but a couple of them were new to me so I figured I would pass them on to you.
Keyboard Climber
This is a very simple but effective game in which you need to help the monkey climb up towards the sky by pressing the correct letters. Incorrect keystrokes cause you to tumble down and require you to restart the level. Simple yet effective with graphics and sound sure to be catchy to your average 6 year old.
keyboard climber game
first keys typing tutor
And here’s another excellent resource for finding some typing games for children, with over 20 games listed!
That’s it for now, happy typing!
The Typing Directory
Jan 25th
Typing is very important for most people using a computer. At any given time, their are millions of people learning to type or working to improve existing typing skills, and as a result their are over 10 million typing-related search queries each month. Yet, in spite of all the interest in keyboarding, there are relatively few quality sites on the topic, and the good ones out there are sometimes hard to find. At least that’s how it was until last week before the release of the Typing Directory by The Keyboard Playground and A Playground for the Mind.
With links to over 100 of the best typing tutors, typing games, typing speed tests and other resources, the Typing Directory is the most comprehensive and well-organized compilation of keyboarding resources around. Divided into 8 different categories including tutors, games, WPM tests, articles, hardware and mobile, the links represent the best the web has to offer in the realm of typing and keyboarding, all in one place.
It’s a great tool for educators looking to incorporate typing practice in their curriculum, as teachers can use the directory to find the right lessons, tutorials and games for their students. It’s also valuable for professionals looking to improve their typing speed to increase productivity or land a job. Finally, the directory can be used for casual games players looking to pit their typing skills against others; one of the features of the directory is a compilation of all the typing games on the web.
The directory is a result of webmaster Alex Colket’s realization that no one had yet fully cataloged the numerous keyboarding resources on the internet. What began four months ago as a short list of potential link partners has evolved into a collection of all the highest-quality and most useful websites in the realm of typing. Additions to the directory are still being made and webmasters or users aware of any quality sites not yet listed are encouraged to make suggestions through the online form.
In adding the Typing Directory, The Keyboard Playground takes another step towards becoming a preeminent destination for typists. With over 20 typing games (including a dozen originals), 5 typing tests, a typing competition, and droves of information about keyboards, typing practice and touch-typing lessons, The Keyboard Playground is an invaluable resource for all looking to practice their typing.
Finger Frenzy
Jan 12th
This is a very basic typing game – hardly even a game actually, more of an exercise – where you need to type the letters of the alphabet in order as fast as you can. That’s it. Compete for high scores and try to improve on your own best times.
Dino Kids Trash Typer
Dec 18th
This is a cute, kid-friendly game in the type-the-falling-words genre. Nice graphics accompanied by music and sound effect make it an engaging play.
Typing Tone
Dec 18th
A catchy little typing game with a musical theme. Type the correct letters as they pass by like music notes and the little boy plays his guitar.
The 10 Best Typing Games
Dec 10th
Strong touch-typing skills can go a long way towards making your time at the computer more efficient & productive (and less frustrating). No matter how strong of a typist you are, anyone can benefit from an improvement in this area, and growth is fostered when we are focused, motivated and challenged. So if you are looking for a place to learn touch-typing, or a way to improve on existing skills, you should be asking yourself “what could I possibly do to stay focused, motivated and challenged while typing?”. The answer, of course, is typing games.
Online typing games are a perfect way to give your fingers a rigorous typing-workout. Such games come in a variety of different formats and many include stories, music or other thematic elements to make the play more engaging. Before you know it, you might spend 30 minutes practicing keyboarding and having fun. The incentive to score or pass a level adds an extra layer of intensity to the practice session which, for most of us, will compel us to push ourselves that extra bit needed to facilitate improvement.
Now, there are a lot of typing games out there, so I figured I would take a little time to sort through them and compile a list of the best options the web has to offer. As part of my work in running The Keyboard Playground, I have grown to be very familiar typing games and websites, so this is a well-researched list. Of course, it’s also subjective; for a more complete list you might want to check out this directory of typing games. Here they are, in no particular order:
Top 10 Typing Games
KeyMan – This game has a lot of good elements to it and seems to run smoothly. It’s basically PacMan except that you navigate through the maze with the keyboard instead of the arrow keys. It’s fun to play, and a decent way to practice your knowledge of the keyboard layout, but slightly limited in that you aren’t spending as much time typing in this game as you do in some of the others on this list.
Keyboard Revolution – This like like a light version of guitar Hero using the keyboard instead. You have letters floating up the screen in time with the music and you need to press them as they pass over the designated area. This is similar to KeyMan in that it is a catchy game but has a low density of typing involved.
Typo II – I like this game because it used the whole keyboard, not just the letters. I also think it’s interesting because you are typing nonsense phrases which makes it more necessary to touch-type.
Typer Shark – TyperShark is the most commercial and popular typing game on the web. It’s the classic example of the ‘type the falling words’ genre except in this case you are trying to type them before they are consumed by sharks.
Great Red Herring Chase – The idea behind this game is that you are in a car chase and you need to give directions to your driver by typing. It becomes a little bit like those choose-your-own-adventure books as you have 4 choices for lines at any given time and the story goes to different places depending on which line you type. Certainly not a game for everyone, but worth checking out if you are looking for something a little different.
TypeDown – A fast-paced typing game in which you need to eliminate the rising words from the column before it reaches the top. This requires non-stop typing for the duration of the rounds, around two minutes. Unlike many other typing games, this one pulls it words from a dictionary so the words are always different.
Typeroids – There are a number of different games in this format, but I think this is the best one. It’s nice and simple which is good because the game concept is also very clean so its a good complement. This game requires an intermediate amount of typing as sometimes you will be working feverishly while other times you will be taking short breaks in between waves.
The Typing Test – This game in unique in that it is actually 5 different typing games in one, and it’s a daily competition. You login each day to work your way through the various tasks and then you can find out how you perform relative to other players.
TypeRacer – The gameplay here is very straight-forward and relatively uninteresting, but what sets this game apart is the ability to compete in real-time with other players. You can challenge someone in particular or you can get set up with random opponents.
Typing Race – Not to be confused with the previous game, this is a Facebook typing competition where you race against other players and earn points based on how you perform.
That’s it, enjoy!
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WPM Test #4
Dec 8th
Type the words as fast as you can. Letters disappear as you type them. After you complete the test, you will see a results screen that shows your wpm (words per minute) typing speed.
The text for this test is latin. For some, this might be a more effective way to assess your typing speed as you will be using words you don’t recognize and therefore will have to type by sight. There are a number of different paragraphs to test yourself with
Type Master
Nov 17th
This is a simple little typing game / wpm typing test. You have a series of 10 phrases you need to type as quickly as possible after which it gives you a score and your WPM typing speed. The game has catchy graphics and sound, but unfortunately it is limited to one set of sentences so it gets old really quickly. Still, it’s worth playing a couple times to test your typing skills.
Sunrise Typer
Nov 13th
This is a simple yet compelling typing game. Basically, the object is to make the sun rise. You start off at night time and each successful keystroke you type elevates the sun and brings you closer to your goal. Conversely, incorrect keystrokes lower the sun and bring you back closer to night. So the faster and more accurately you type, the faster the sun will rise.