Programs to teach kids to type

A reader, Gramps, writes, “Can you recommend a Windows software game-type program suitable for a 9-year-old to learn to type on our castoff laptop? She would really benefit from learning to touch type.”

There are lots of free typing games online you can find just by Googling “typing game,” but they typically don’t teach the fundamentals or keep a record of improvement. For a more full-featured package, “Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum 5” (available at individualsoftware.com), which is available for PC and Mac for under $20, seems to be the best bet. It includes lesson plans in both Spanish and English and tracks progress through more than 30 game challenges.

The same company also makes a Disney-themed “Mickey’s Typing Adventure” for about the same price. The software is available in stores such as Staples and there’s also a Web subscription version at typinginstructorforkids.com.