Factors to Consider When Shopping for Typing Software for Kids

Drills and Lessons

Irrespective of the age of the kids, typing lessons should start with basic finger movement and placement. Good software should, first of all, teach the child how to move individual fingers on each hand. After the child is aware of proper finger placement, the other lessons should help them on improving their speed and accuracy. To learn all these without difficulties, the training software should have keyboard drills in each lesson. Children are good at copying, and they will do what has been done during the drill to perfection.

The lessons should move gradually from focusing on selected keys to building letters and sentences. The process might take time so you must be patient with your kid. A software with games and other entertaining features keeps the child busy and ensures that they are not bored. By the end of the typing program, the child should be aware of the right typing posture and the right hand and wrist positions. Many people working in offices on computers all day complain about back and neck paints which are majorly caused by poor typing posture. Your child will be lucky to learn about this from an early age.

Features

Children have different learning capabilities. Typing programs should allow the trainer or the teacher to program the software as per the needs of the child. You should be able to change things like timed lessons, word per minute features and many more. Some programs have the option of customizing features which allows the child to practice typing using their favorite storybooks. This is an excellent way to motivate the child. Other engaging features include key sounds, audio dictation and virtual hands over the keyboards. Other than the interactive features, the software should have reward settings which reward the child for their hard work. After completing a task, a clapping pop up or printable achievement certificates will boost the child’s self-esteem.

Progress Reporting

You can monitor the progress of your child as you watch them type, but the reporting features of the software determine real progress. Some of the common progress reporting features include words per minute and accuracy stores. Some software’s break it down to data produced by each finger, hand, and key.

Help and Support

Last but not least, a typing software should come with a user guide. Since many of these programs target home education, they should come up with manuals which enable the parent to study how the program works before engaging their child. They should as well have a support system where you can report issues or seek help concerning the learning to type for kids program.…