Typing Skills for 1St Grader

I believe this is what I had my granddaughter learn on:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

She had fun and learned to type well. My guy in preschool is learning to use computers (he knows really) and they're working on typing skills.

It's been many yrs but I just wanted to encourage you. Both mine started in K with typing skills and one was pretty proficient by 2nd grade.
The words are phoneticly spelled. It's not necessary to have correct spelling. You can have them read you the sentence or two they write.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/
This is what my daughter's 2nd grade teacher recommended.
It is free and fun.

But being your child is so young, you will have to help her/him and "read" the prompts etc.

Also practice "writing" with your child.
Kids this age do not write well yet.
Penmanship.
And comprehension etc.

But yes, nowadays kids have to know how to "type." Keyboarding on a computer. From Kindergarten, at my kids' school, they have computer class.

I honestly would wait. Kids at this age can hardly write, and only read a little. I think that third grade, once they're reliably reading chapter books, is a good time to start.

Most typing games and programs use words in practice. It's going to be rough on a 1st grader who cannot even read those words and only knows 3 or 4 letter sight words.

For example: http://www.customtyping.com/typing_tutor-parents.htm

Jump start, does colors shapes and letters. Its great. You can get it at target etc.

I wouldn't push. They need to practice handwriting skills a lot.

As an educator as well.... I teach a lot of K-3 and keyboarding starts in k around here. The program used is Paws in Typing Town. We also have daily handwriting skills through 3rd grade. Specific time devoted to handwriting!!!

Programs you can introduce at home that are good are the Jump Start series.

Stil.... Don't push... They get a lot of it in class time and you don't want to make writing and keyboarding a chore. We want fun!! Fun to learn!

Good luck!!

Mavis Beacon. I think that's how you spell it. That's what my kids use.

I bought SpongeBob Typing for my kids. Son cheated so he could win the games; daughter learned to touch type fairly well.
It isn't expensive, and can't hurt, and they enjoyed it ok.

http://www.amazon.com/Nickelodeon-12440-SpongeBob-Squarep...