Posts tagged learn to type
Farm Defender
Aug 21st
To play, type the letters on the birds as fast as you can. Each time a bird goes down, you earn some points. If you destroy the birds near the bottom of the screen, you will earn more points than you will if you dont catch them until they near the top. This is a simple and fun typing games for the kids.
using typing games as a homeschooling resource
Jul 13th
I have become aware over the past couple years that many parent-teachers are using parts of this site as a resource for improving typing skills in a homeschooling environment. As such, I wanted to share a few words with any parents/teachers about this practice and try to shed a little light on why this is valuable and also to answer a few questions that I have been asked.
First of all, let me point out that typing skills are a very important aspect of most homeschooling curricula. Unless you are preparing your child/students for a life working the land or learning a very specific craft, learning how to use a computer properly is an important skill to develop. Typing proficiency is particularly important for anyone who will be doing any degree of writing on the computer, which is hard to avoid. The difference between a hunt-and-peck typist who is capable of typing 25 words per minute and a trained touch-typist who can type anywhere from 50-100 WPM means an efficiency factor of 2 to 4 times. And while not all things should be measured in speed and efficiency – certainly there are things worth doing slowly and carefully – being able to get your computer work done quickly leaves so much room to do other things away from the computer, so it’s definitely a skill worth cultivating.
Now that I have established the importance of learning how to type and developing strong typing skills, let me remind you that games are one of the most effective ways to learn since they are so engaging and encourage students to keep playing. The various typing games offered on this site were developed with that purpose in mind: providing a fun learning environment that keeps students coming back. So these can be valuable resource once the groundwork has been laid.
But first you need to establish that foundation, and this is best accomplished through an online typing tutor of some sorts. While this site does not offer such services, we do have an extensive collection of links to other websites and software where you can find useful typing programs.
Now on to the two questions I am most commonly asked:
Q: Are the games here appropriate for children?
A: All of the original games here draw words from a carefully edited word list that contains kid-friendly vocabulary. I am unable to certify that regarding the third-party games offered elsewhere on the site, but I have never received any complaints about inappropriate language in these (the only critique I can point out is that some of them involve shooting and weapons)
Q: Is there any way to track typing speed and progress over time?
A: No, this is not a feature currently available here. At this point, there are only individual tests that will output WPM typing speed at the end, but do not track it at all. However, if you are looking for that sort of functionality, it is available at my other typing test site
Enjoy. Please let me know if you have any other question or comments regarding the use of this site in a homeschooling curriculum!
Arrow Dance
Jul 12th
This typing game focuses specifically on the arrow keys. It’s a relatively simple concept, but with nice graphics and sound, it is enjoyable to play even if a little repetitive at times. But definitely great practice for anyone who wants to gain better command of the arrow keys on your keyboard or keypad.
Keyboard Action Hero
Jun 9th
This typing games features ActionHero, the superhero made of magical cleaning fluid in a tube. The goal is to clean dirty keyboards while learning keyboard-character placement. Face three vicious enemies with different strategies to defeat them, and catch the floating health powerups to restore health. You can play this game at many different difficulty levels.
Keyflex
Mar 26th
The object of this game is to react as quickly as possible by pressing the appropriate key. You will see a visual representation of the keyboard on your screen, and one by one, keys will become highlighted. Once a key lights up, you need to press that key as quickly as possible. Once you do, a new one will light up and you must then press that.
You have a total of 60 seconds of reaction time in each round. As soon as a a key lights up, the clock starts ticking and your time will drain until you press that key. Once you have used up all 60 seconds of your time, the round is over.
In order to pass the round, you need to hit a certain number of keys before your time expires. This number will increase by 5 each round. Your score is based on how many keys you catch above this target. You will also lose points for every mistakes you make, so type quickly but carefully.
more games updated
Mar 23rd
Just a quick note to let you know that I have posted updated version of three more typing games: Keyball, Keypad Keyball and Keyboarding. This leaves just two more to go before I’m done, which will hopefully happen sometime on thursday. Once I have converted all the games, I will turn my attention to reinstating the high scores to encourage a little friendly competition.
a new typing game and some big updates
Mar 16th
First of all I have just released a brand new typing game called Keyboard Simon, so have a look and let me know what you think or how it can be improved.
Secondly, I am in the process of redoing all the games to work out any kinks and generally improve the game experience. I have currently changed over 6 of the games and I will be working on the remaining six in the coming week. Once I get them all updated I will get the high score system working again to encourage a little friendly competition.
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!