Typing speed test for kids
How fast does your child type? This free one-minute test uses short, kid-friendly sentences and shows characters per minute and accuracy while they type. At the end there is a friendly result, and a certificate to print if they want one.
This test needs a real keyboard. On a phone or tablet without one, the result says little. Try it on a computer.
How the test works
- Sit up and find the home row. Left fingers on A S D F, right fingers on J K L ;, thumbs on the space bar.
- Click the box and start typing. The clock starts with the first key and runs for 60 seconds.
- Type what you see. Correct letters light up. After a mistake the letter turns red and the test waits until you type the right key.
- See the result. After one minute you get your speed and accuracy, a short message, and a link to print a certificate.
The sentences are short and simple, and they come in a different order every time. Nothing your child types leaves this page.
Characters per minute: how speed is counted
The test counts characters per minute: every character counts, letters, punctuation and spaces alike. Words can be short or long, so counting characters is the fair way to measure: a long word simply takes more keystrokes than a short one. Only characters that are right count toward the speed: a mistake that is still there adds nothing.
Accuracy shows how many keystrokes were right the first time. Every wrong keystroke counts, even if the right key follows straight after. That is on purpose: accuracy tells you whether the fingers know the way, and that matters more than speed while kids are learning.
How fast should a kid type?
There is no standard for this, and kids differ a lot. That is why we deliberately give no numbers per age. Typing accurately without looking at the keys matters more than speed; the speed follows on its own.
A kid who has just switched from two fingers to ten is often slower for a few weeks. That is normal and it passes. The best comparison is your child's own score from a few weeks ago. More about practice time in How long should kids practice typing each day?
Getting faster: accuracy first
Speed comes from fingers that know where to go without looking. That takes short, regular practice: ten minutes a day works better than an hour on the weekend. Keep the keyboard finger chart next to the screen, praise neat typing more than fast typing, and let the speed follow.
In Typcoon, your child practices exactly that: one new letter at a time, with the next key lit up in the color of the finger that should press it. Play Typcoon for free, no account needed.
Frequently asked questions
Is this typing speed test free?
Yes. It is free, with no account and no sign-up. The text your child types stays in the browser and is not sent anywhere.
Can my child take the test on a tablet or phone?
Only with a physical keyboard. On a touch screen kids type with one or two fingers, so the result says nothing about touch typing. Use a laptop, a desktop computer or a tablet with a keyboard.
How often should my child take the test?
Once every week or two is plenty. Scores go up and down from day to day, so look at the trend over a few weeks instead of a single result.
Why is my child slower than with two fingers?
Because touch typing is new. For the first weeks, typing with ten fingers is often slower than hunting with two. Once the fingers know the way, kids catch up and then type faster.
Learn to type while you switch a city back on
In Typcoon: Nightcode, every command your child types switches a piece of a blacked-out city back on. Typing neatly earns the most, so your child learns to touch type without even noticing. Free to try, no account needed.
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