Learning to type: a guide for families and schools

Updated November 14, 2026.

The demo is currently in European Portuguese and uses a Portuguese keyboard. Versions for other languages are planned.

Touch typing means using assigned fingers to type without looking at the keyboard. This guide is for adults helping a child use an English US or UK QWERTY keyboard. It covers a starting position, letter keys, and a manageable way to practice.

When to start

Look for interest and comfort rather than a fixed age. Can the child read the practice words, reach the keys comfortably, and follow a short activity? If so, try a few minutes together. If reaching is awkward or the activity is frustrating, stop and return another day. Typing practice can sit alongside reading and handwriting.

Posture and hand position

Set up a seat and screen that the child can use comfortably. Encourage relaxed shoulders, bent elbows, and lightly curved fingers. Avoid leaning body weight onto the wrists. Adjust the setup or take a break if it feels uncomfortable.

The starting keys are A S D F for the left hand and J K L ; for the right. The right little finger rests on the semicolon key. The index fingers rest on F and J; their raised marks help you find the starting position by touch. Use a thumb for the space bar.

This is the home position used in the BBC Skillswise keyboard guide. Ratatype's touch-typing instructions also explain the F and J marks, returning to the home row, and keeping movements small.

Which finger types each letter?

The table shows the standard letter assignments in the BBC guide's keyboard diagram. It applies to the letter keys on English US and UK QWERTY keyboards. You can check the letter positions in Microsoft's US layout and UK layout. The table leaves out punctuation and other symbols.

Help the child find the assigned finger for a new letter, then return to the starting position. Keep the movement small rather than reaching with the whole arm.

A suggested order for learning the rows

Here is one practice sequence you can use. It is a suggestion, not a rule that every learner or course must follow.

1. Home row: begin with the letters A S D F G H J K L and learn where the hands return.
2. Top row: add Q W E R T Y U I O P in small groups.
3. Bottom row: add Z X C V B N M, keeping earlier letters in practice.
4. Mixed rows: combine familiar letters into words and short phrases.

For a home-row word, try “sad”: left ring finger for S, left little finger for A, left middle finger for D. Use the table to check the movement together. Add capital letters, numbers, and punctuation as separate practice tasks when the learner is ready.

How to practice

• Keep sessions manageable. Try five minutes to start, or less if attention fades. Agree on a stopping point before you begin.
• Choose accuracy before speed. Give the child time to find the assigned finger instead of setting a speed target.
• Look at the text. Start with a few familiar keys and use the F and J marks to find the home position.
• Use words the child understands. Choose short words from the letters already practiced. Ask the child to suggest one.
• Notice specific progress. For example: “You found F without looking.” Avoid comparing children or treating mistakes as a punishment.
• Take breaks. Stop when the learner is tired, distracted, or uncomfortable.

Common difficulties

• Looking down after every letter: reduce the number of keys in the exercise and find the starting position again.
• Using whichever finger is closest: slow down and check one letter against the finger table.
• Moving the whole arm: check that the keyboard is within comfortable reach and return to small movements.
• Rushing through repeated errors: shorten the exercise and remove the timer.
• Pressing hard or tensing up: pause and try a lighter touch when the child is ready.

What the Typistia demo offers today

Typistia is a typing game in development. Only a free 3-minute demo is available. It has four phases that open one by one: middle row, top row, bottom row, and all keys. Words start short and get longer. There are no lives or punishments, no account, no cookies, and nothing stored on the device.

The demo's words and on-screen keyboard are Portuguese. The English QWERTY table above is for practice outside the demo; it does not change the demo's layout.

Try the free demo

The demo is currently in European Portuguese and uses a Portuguese keyboard. Versions for other languages are planned.

Adults can join the waitlist for project news.

Frequently asked questions