Common Sense Media Review
By Jeff Knutson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Engaging lessons and games help kids learn to type.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 21 parent reviews
Based on 49 kid reviews
Kids say the website is a mixed bag; while some appreciate its potential for improving typing skills, many find it frustrating, laggy, and full of distracting ads. Users frequently criticize it for emphasizing speed over accuracy, leading to a poor learning experience, and report that the interface can hinder their progress due to glitches and confusing lesson designs.
- frustrating experience
- speed over accuracy
- laggy interface
- distracting ads
- mixed results
- needs improvement
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
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Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
The homepage is simple and clean, and kids can get started simply by clicking a large button. Kids login using the tab at the top of the page. It's possible to play without logging in; however, you can't save progress in that case. The site encourages users to create a login to save progress at regular intervals throughout. Kids progress through 100 different touch-typing lessons and games of increasing difficulty, from the alphabet through numbers and symbols.
Is It Any Good?
TYPINGCLUB is a fun way to learn how to type as well as to improve typing skills. The site's best aspect is the learning potential it provides for kids. With a simple interface, beginning to advanced keyboarders can become better at touch-typing (using all of one's fingers, without looking at the keys). On the surface, lessons may seem simplistic and rote. However, the game structure, feedback, and rewards make TypingClub more engaging than many similar sites.
Gameplay is geared toward learning new skills one at a time, and then building on that knowledge. This aspect is what makes games like this so engaging and even addicting. Kids can replay the exercises and attempt to earn three stars for each level. However, kids can skip ahead to other levels, which somewhat diminishes the challenge. Players get immediate, ongoing feedback, allowing for fast, easy, and natural learning. It would be nice if players could see a little more data on their performance; for example, a summary page showing the levels passed, words-per-minute for each, and skills mastered would help learners better monitor their progress.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Parents can learn and play along with kids. Parents can also discuss how and when they learned to type, and talk about times when typing skills have helped them.
Why is it important to know how to type well? What are the benefits of knowing how to type quickly and accurately?
What's the history of the QWERTY keyboard? Why are the letters arranged in this pattern? With the advent of new technologies, is the QWERTY keyboard becoming obsolete?
Website Details
- Subjects : Language & Reading : spelling , vocabulary
- Skills : Tech Skills : digital creation , using and applying technology , Communication : conveying messages effectively , Self-Direction : effort , goal-setting , identifying strengths and weaknesses , personal growth , self-assessment , working efficiently , Thinking & Reasoning : memorization
- Genre : Educational
- Pricing structure : Free (There is a free version that allows for many basic lessons. There is a 3-day free trial for the Individual Premium Edition, which allows for no ads, story typing, replay attempts, two additional games, more themes, and more advanced reports. The Individual Premium Edition costs $78/year or $8.50/month.)
- Last updated : March 25, 2021
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