I used to feel guilty about it.

I used to lose sleep, worry and then worry some more because I let my boys type, rather than hand write, everything outside of actual handwriting practice and occupational therapy exercises.

Over the years, I have received a lot of criticism feedback.

How will they ever be able to fill out a job application?

If you coddle them now, they will pay for it later.

You are not preparing them for the real world.

I used to feel guilty about it, but not anymore.

The older my boys get, the more I see how much they actually need typing skills in order to succeed long-term.

Please know, although I was compensated for my time in writing this review I only share products that genuinely work for my family. I hope they help yours too.

Although my sons have become quite adept at navigating a keyboard, they have both expressed an interest in learning to type with more speed and accuracy. My youngest wants to type while “looking at the screen and not my hands.” So, I have been looking for a way to teach them to touch type, but definitely one that is different from the way I was taught.

(Y’all, I can still hear the whir of the electric typewriter as I punched in a-s-d-f and h-j-k-l over and over again. Not fun and definitely not for my kiddos.)

Learning With Typing Games

I learned about KidzType from another blogger last month and was excited to try it with my own children.

Fun and free typing games, appropriate for multiple ages?

It sounded like a great fit for my out-of-the-box learners.

Typing Games From  KidzType

KidzType offers a variety of options, with varying levels of difficulty, to teach proficiency in touch typing. My oldest liked practicing with timed trials while my youngest was all over this Ninja typing game –

Incidentally, I find my youngest is also able to practice reading in this multi-sensory, game-oriented approach. Because he is typing real words, in addition to letter sequences, we sneak in a little reading practice too, while we are at it.

KidzType also has a sister site called TypeDojo.com where there is a free typing test. It was a great way for me to assess where my boys were starting from, plus they loved seeing their progress!

Typing Games Are Perfect For Children With Learning Differences

Because KidzType offers such a wide range of options for learning, both of my boys were able to use the program without any special accommodations for their learning styles and differences.

More importantly, the balance between overt instruction, repetition, practice and games kept their attention while instilling confidence and gaining proficiency.

This video shows more about the KidzType approach and gives you a behind the scenes look at what you can expect from the program.

The reality is that, even without my children’s learning differences, typing is an essential skill for them to master in today’s technological world. Rather than resisting it, I think it makes sense to encourage mastery and confidence.

Friday Fun-days: 52 weeks of Easy For Mom Activities

I am grateful that KizType has created such an accessible and fun approach. It really is proving to be a great way for my boys to learn to more proficiently type.

These typing games are a great addition to our list of Friday Fun-Day Activities – easy for mom and perfect for learning.

Happy Friday!

Shawna

Friday Fun-days: 52 weeks of Easy For Mom Activities