The home row keys: where little fingers live
Every key on the keyboard is a short reach from one row: A S D F for the left hand and J K L ; for the right. That's the home row. Once a child's fingers know it, the rest of the keyboard is "reach, tap, come back."
Find home without looking
Look at the F and J keys. Each one has a tiny bump. Put your index fingers on the bumps, and the other fingers fall into place next to them. That's why the bumps are there: so you can find home without looking down.
Which finger goes where
| Finger | Left hand | Right hand |
|---|---|---|
| Pinky | A | ; |
| Ring | S | L |
| Middle | D | K |
| Index | F (bump) | J (bump) |
| Thumbs | Space | Space |
Both thumbs rest lightly on the Space bar. Either thumb can press it.
G and H: the index fingers reach in
Two keys sit in the middle with no finger resting on them. The left index reaches right from F to G, and the right index reaches left from J to H. Then they go straight back to F and J.
The rule for the whole keyboard
Reach. Tap. Return home.
Only the reaching finger moves. The others stay put, so they always know where they are.
Good posture in four lines
- Sit up with feet flat (on a box or a stack of books if they don't reach the floor).
- Wrists float a little above the keyboard instead of resting on it.
- Fingers curve, like holding a small ball.
- Eyes on the screen, not the hands.
Printable practice: home row only
These use only A S D F J K L ;. Type each line, then press Enter.
asdf jkl; asdf jkl;
aaa sss ddd fff jjj kkk lll ;;;
fj fj dk dk sl sl a; a;
sad ask dad lad fall salad
ask dad
a lad asks dad
a lad asks dad as dad falls
Printable practice: adding G and H
fgf jhj fgf jhj
gag had has gas half
a sad lad had a glass
half a glass
dad has a flag
Every word above is a real word your child can spell with the home row, which makes it more fun than "asdf" over and over.
How you know it's sinking in
- They can put their fingers on home without looking.
- They type the lines above with very few mistakes.
- They stop watching their hands, even if it means going slower.
Slow is fine. Accuracy first, speed later.
What's next
After the home row and G and H, kids reach up to the top row (Q to P) and down to the bottom row (Z to /). See top row typing and bottom row typing, or print the full keyboard finger chart.
In Home Row Mojo
The first lesson in Home Row Mojo is Meet the Home Row. It shows the F and J bumps, places each finger on an on-screen keyboard, and practices the G and H reaches with words like "ask dad" and "half a glass." Then Drills Level 1: Home Row and Level 2: Home Row + G H practice real words, phrases, and sentences. A level is passed at 90% accuracy. Both are in the free version, along with the Chicken Run typing game on Easy.
Try Home Row Mojo free as a guest, with no account and no credit card.