14 best typing games for kids

Twelve short, silly lessons with animal hosts that teach the home row and every row after. Free and a good first step. Kids can do one stage a day.

Watch for: Uses UK terms; that rarely matters.

A step-by-step typing course with hundreds of short lessons, videos and games. Many US schools use it. Lessons are short, with stars and badges for accuracy, and teachers can track progress.

Watch for: Free version may show ads; school accounts are often ad-free.

Free lessons from beginner to advanced, plus a games page for practice. Also includes digital citizenship lessons. Progress saves to a free account, and lessons cover every key on the keyboard.

Watch for: Free version may show ads.

Arcade-style typing games that pair with the Typing.com lessons. Good for kids who need a reward after drills. Games are sorted by skill level, so a beginner is not thrown into a speed contest.

Watch for: Ads on the free site.

Type to race cars against other players. It turns speed practice into a contest kids ask to play. The fun of beating a friend's speed keeps many kids practicing for months.

Watch for: Ads, paid Gold membership, and racing strangers; chat is limited.

Free typing lessons and games for young kids, including a Dance Mat-style track. Lessons start with the home row and use simple words, and games add a bit of fun between drills.

Watch for: Ad-supported; ads show around lessons and games.

Adaptive lessons that find your weak keys and drill them. Plain, no-nonsense and free. It uses made-up words that drill letter patterns, which builds real speed for older kids who already know the keys.

Watch for: Not built for little kids.

A space shooter where typing words destroys incoming ships. Fast, free and fun for tweens. The words get longer and the ships faster as you go, so it is a good test of real skill.

Watch for: Shooting theme with ships, though cartoonish and bloodless.

Over a hundred short typing games sorted by level, from single letters to sentences. Games are sorted by grade and skill level, and most work on any computer with no download.

Watch for: Ad-supported; ads show around the games.

Clean typing lessons and a typing test that awards a certificate. Good for tweens with a goal. Its lessons are clear and focused on accuracy.

Watch for: Ads on the free tier.

A beautiful paper-craft adventure where every action, from walking to fighting, is a typed word. Teens forget they are practicing. It is great for middle schoolers.

Watch for: Some spooky fights; not ESRB-rated on Steam, so preview.

The follow-up to Epistory: an archivist explores a magical world by typing spells and words. Longer and more story-driven. It suits kids who already know the keys.

Watch for: Combat themes; preview for younger kids.

A free, goofy game that uses the whole keyboard as a playing field. Builds key awareness in a new way. Each key has a place, and kids learn the layout by running across it.

Watch for: Teaches key locations, not proper touch typing.

A clean, free typing test teens love for tracking words per minute. Lots of themes and modes. Teens can pick word lists, quotes or timed tests, and see words per minute and accuracy right away.

Watch for: Optional accounts and public leaderboards; 13+ for accounts is a safe rule.