A free homeschool typing program
Teach keyboarding at home with a ready-made lesson path, short daily sessions and games your kids will ask to play. All you need is a computer with a keyboard.
RiteType gives your homeschool 100 step-by-step typing lessons, typing tests, kids’ games and a printable finger chart, all for $0. It runs in a web browser on a desktop or laptop with a physical keyboard, so there’s nothing to install. Kids can start right away without an account, and a free K–8 plan tells you what to teach at each grade.
What’s included
A K–8 homeschool typing plan
This table condenses RiteType’s K–8 keyboarding curriculum for home use. The weekly minutes come from that page and are a starting point, not a rule. Move on when your child is comfortable, not when the calendar says so. The full page has week-by-week detail and goals for each grade band.
| Grades | Focus | Minutes a week | Start with | Matching games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K–1 | Find the keys | 10–30 | Animal Words, A Tiny Story | Key Hop, Bubble Pop, Treasure Dig |
| 2–3 | Home row and top row | 30–60 | F and J, E and I | Balloon Pop, Key Hop |
| 4–5 | The whole keyboard | 30–60 | C and comma, Capitals, Punctuation, Numbers | Kids typing test |
| 6–8 | Speed and real writing | 20–30 | Paragraph Challenge, Writing an Email | 1-minute typing test |
A sample week
Here’s one way to fit typing into a homeschool week, at about 10 to 15 minutes a day. It’s a sample, not a requirement: swap days around, skip one when life gets busy, or stop early while it’s still fun.
| Day | What to do |
|---|---|
| Monday | A new lesson, then a short game |
| Tuesday | Repeat Monday's lesson for more stars, then a game |
| Wednesday | The next lesson, then a game |
| Thursday | Review a lesson that felt hard, then a game |
| Friday | A short typing test, then a free-choice game |
Teaching tips for parents
- Set up first. Feet flat on the floor (or on a box), elbows about level with the keyboard, and the screen straight ahead. The finger placement guide shows where each finger goes.
- Start at home. Show your child the small bumps on F and J. The home row keys guide explains it step by step.
- Eyes on the screen. Tape the finger chart beside the monitor so your child looks up at the chart instead of down at the keys.
- Accuracy before speed. The right finger on the right key matters more than a fast time. Speed follows.
- Praise the habit. Celebrate a streak of practice days and a finished lesson rather than a high score.
For more ideas, read how to teach typing. It’s written for classrooms, but it works at home too.
Keep records for your homeschool portfolio
Each lesson awards stars, and RiteType’s free plan includes Home Row and typing-test certificates you can print. A simple portfolio page might list the dates your child practiced, the lessons finished and a typing test result now and then, showing words per minute and accuracy. If you want more, RiteType Pro adds a printable progress report and a parent dashboard.
Check your state’s homeschool record-keeping rules.
Teaching more than one child or a co-op
A parent can create a free class and share the join code with each child. Kids sign in with picture passwords, with no student email needed, and you get a student progress view for everyone, plus all lessons, tests and games. This works for one family or a small homeschool co-op.
RiteType Pro is a family plan with up to 6 kid profiles and a parent dashboard, for $19.99 a year. See the Pro page for details.
Privacy and safety
RiteType runs in a web browser, so there’s nothing to download. Kids can practice without an account, and their progress saves in that browser. When kids join a class, they never give an email address: just a first name and their typing progress. Read the student data privacy policy (COPPA and FERPA) before you sign up.
Want the bigger picture on when and how kids learn to type? See the parent’s guide to typing for kids.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good free typing program for homeschool?
Look for a program that teaches touch typing step by step, starting at the home row, with short lessons and games for practice. RiteType offers 100 lessons in 20 units, typing tests and kid-friendly games at no cost in a web browser, plus a K–8 scope and sequence you can use as your homeschool plan.
What age should homeschoolers start learning to type?
Most children are ready for real typing lessons around ages 7 to 8, once they can read short words, spread their fingers across the home row and focus for about 10 minutes. Younger kids (4 to 6) don't need formal lessons; letter-finding games are a gentle start. RiteType's typing-for-kids guide explains more.
How many minutes a day should a homeschooler practice typing?
Short, regular practice works better than long sessions. RiteType's K–8 keyboarding curriculum suggests short, frequent sessions of 10 to 15 minutes, three or more times a week, and lists weekly minutes for each grade band as a starting point, so you can fit typing into your homeschool schedule.
Can I use a classroom typing program for homeschool?
Yes. On RiteType, a parent can create a free class, share the join code with each child, and see every child's progress. Students join without an email address, using picture passwords. This works for one family or a small homeschool co-op.
How do I show typing progress in a homeschool portfolio?
Keep short records: dates practiced, the lessons finished, and a typing test result now and then (words per minute and accuracy). RiteType's free plan includes Home Row and typing-test certificates you can print and add to a portfolio, and Pro adds a printable progress report. Check your state's own homeschool record rules.
Is RiteType safe for kids to use at home?
RiteType runs in a web browser with no download, and kids can practice without an account. When kids join a class, they don't need an email address. RiteType publishes a student data privacy policy covering COPPA and FERPA, which parents can read before signing up.
Ready for day one?
Open lesson 1, put two fingers on the bumps, and you’ve started your homeschool typing program.