Keyboard Town Pals Learn to Type makes learning to type simple for children ages 6-12. In just an hour, the program covers all a child needs to know to learn to type (letters and simple punctuation).
The program itself is simple. The rows of letters on the keyboard are each given a name. The middle row is Home Key Street, with Uptown and Downtown being the other two. There are eight lessons, each one named after a key (or keys) in Home Town Street.
- Lesson 1 – Left Hand Amy
- Lesson 2 – Left Hand Sam
- Lesson 3 – Left Hand Dora
- Lesson 4 – Left Hand Frank & George
- Lesson 5 – Right Hand Jane & Helen
- Lesson 6 – Right Hand Kay
- Lesson 7 – Right Hand Larry
- Lesson 8 – Right Hand Semicolon
The child is guided through the learning process by a Sun, who looks a bit strange but has a very kind voice. Everything is explained very clearly. Each lesson focuses on a particular finger, and covers all the keys that finger is used for in typing.
The Helper Hand shows the child how to type each letter.
One of the biggest perks of the program, in my opinion, is that it takes a very laid back approach. There is no focus on speed or drilling. There is no “punishment” for making a mistake. It is just learning to type at its simplest. The creators have achieved that goal very well. Sometimes learning games apply pressure and feel almost stressful. That is certainly not that case here, and I greatly appreciate that!
With only eight lessons in the program, repetition is certainly required for mastery. The claim is that the program teaches your child to type in one hour. It covers the material in one hour, but of course, anyone needs more than an hour to truly master the skills. If your child doesn’t mind repetition, this program can do that. However, if they need a lot of variety, they may find themselves wanting something new.
The puppets seem geared for younger children, but the age of the program is 6-12. I think the younger side of that age range is more accurate, due to the nature of the puppets, tone of voice of the characters, etc.
Keyboard Town Pals Learn to Type is available as a web-based program for $30. You can purchase a CD-ROM version for $35. In addition, finger puppets, concentration cards, coloring pages, and other items are available for purchase on their website. You can find it all here.
To read what other TOS Crew members had to say about Keyboard Town Pals, read their reviews here.
Disclosure: I received an online trial of this program free of charge for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received, and the opinions expressed are my own.
