Learn to type program - recommendations please

[bass chick]

I'm looking for a learn-to-type program that would be suitable for a 7-8 year old. I looked online and found several free learn-to-type websites but they would bore my son to death. It needs to be fun and engaging. Any recommendations?

Thx!

[moominmamma]

DanceMat Typing from the BBC is often recommended, though my kids had more success with plain old Mavis Beacon. But I'm not sure you can ever find something that produces continued development of good touch-typing skills without a lot of repetitive practice ... which really does get kind of boring no matter how slick and game-like the presentation. Seven is very young to focus much on keyboarding: it's a long process to get good at it and requires a lot of focus and ongoing practice. Not peeking at the fingers and keyboard requires a lot of self-control. My kids are precociously academic and have had handwriting struggles so I tried to encourage keyboarding proficiency from about age 7-8 onwards, but it really took until they were 10 or 11 for them to develop the maturity and motivation that was up to the task.

Miranda

[Chicky2]

I have to disagree about age, and feel that it depends way more on the kid.  For instance, my just-turned 5 yo has been playing the piano for 6 months now.  She's the only student her teacher has who can read music and not constantly look down at her fingers.  She is also learning to type (I'm teaching her) and is doing great.  I think the kids who are good at math and music (since they go hand in hand) will also be able to learn keyboarding at an earlier age.

OP, try it and see!  FTR, I have used the BBC one and my kids did not enjoy it.  They all prefer old-fashioned teaching for this.  I have them practice by typing up lists, stories, jokes, etc.

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by Chicky2 

I think the kids who are good at math and music (since they go hand in hand) will also be able to learn keyboarding at an earlier age.

My eldest is at 17 a freelance professional musician (both violin and piano), and currently excelling at calculus through independent study. She was not motivated to learn touch-typing beyond a very basic level until about age 10. She was not by nature a compliant child, though, and me asking her to practice something would never have cut the mustard: she needed self-motivation, at which point everything fell into place quickly. She went from ~12 to 90+ wpm in the space of about a month. At age 6 or 7 she could not see enough immediate meaningful value in speedy touch-typing to motivate the kind of practice necessary for mastery. 

So I guess what I'm saying is that if children are not motivated to do the necessary repetitive practice (either being the sort who are easily "motivated from without" or having reached the age and stage necessary to develop sufficient internal drive) it's a tough skill to master. I don't think it's possible for a "fun and games" software approach to instill sufficient lasting motivation by itself: most of the motivation still needs to come from somewhere other than the software.

Miranda

[Chicky2]

I agree that kids who aren't self-motivated will have a harder time.  My littlest one is just that type, though, but of course that's only when it's something she wants to do with all her little heart.  She'll practice piano or typing ALL day on her own, but just try to get her to pick up her Legos, lol. 

[aHikaru]

I used Mavis beacon and jump start when I was younger, at home, I was around 10-13 when I was using these programs.

[snippets]

Learning Games for Kids has about 20 different fun, interactive keyboarding (typing) games just for kids. It is a free site. I have used lots of their games (they have stuff for lots of different subjects). 

Joyfully,

Jackie

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