Number pad typing for kids
Most typing programs for kids stop at the letters and the number row. That's fine for writing a book report. But the first time your kid has to enter a column of prices, scores, or science measurements, the block of keys on the right side of the keyboard is the faster tool. Grown-ups who do this for work call it "10-key." Kids can learn it the same way they learned the home row: one home position, short reaches, and lots of coming back home.
What the number pad is
The chart below is the common PC-style number pad on a full-size keyboard. Many laptops and most Chromebooks skip it. A plug-in number pad works great on those (more on that in practicing 10-key without a number pad).
| Top row | Num Lock | / | * | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Row 2 | 7 | 8 | 9 | + (tall key) |
| Row 3 (home) | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| Row 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Enter (tall key) |
| Bottom | 0 (wide key) | . |
Apple's full-size keyboard keypad is arranged a little differently. Its top row is clear, =, /, and *. Minus and plus sit down the right side, and plus is a normal-size key. It has its own = key. Most PC-style pads have no = key, so use = on the main keyboard, just left of Backspace.
When is a child ready?
There's no magic age. A good sign is that your child already types letters with the right fingers and doesn't hunt for keys on the number row. In Home Row Mojo, the number pad comes after the letter rows, the number row, and punctuation. It's one hand doing one small job, so for a kid who already touch types, it's a short step.
Use it when there are lots of numbers in a row: prices, scores, money, measurements, spreadsheets. For a single number inside a sentence, the top row is just fine.
The home position in one minute
- Put your right hand on 4 5 6: index finger on 4, middle finger on 5, ring finger on 6.
- Feel the tiny bump on 5. It's there for the same reason F and J have bumps: so you can find home without looking.
- Rest your thumb on 0 and let your pinky rest along the side of the pad on Enter.
- Reach up or down with one finger, tap, and come straight back to 4 5 6.
Left-handed kids can use the left hand instead. The full chart for both hands is on the number pad finger placement page.
A simple 4-week plan
Short practice beats long practice. Five to ten minutes is plenty for this skill.
| Week | Focus | What to type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home keys and up | 456 654 474 585 696 |
| 2 | Down and zero | 414 525 636 40 50 60 |
| 3 | Decimals and Enter | 4.5 0.5 19.99 4.25, one number per line |
| 4 | Math signs | 4+5 9-3 8*2 9/3, then whole problems like 12+7=19 |
Ask for accuracy first. A slow, clean line teaches the fingers more than a fast, messy one. Speed shows up on its own.
Printable practice lines
Print this section and keep it by the keyboard. Type each line, then press Enter.
456 654 456 654
474 585 696 474
414 525 636 414
40 50 60 4.5 0.5
19.99 4.25 100 37.5
45 456 789 123 1024
4+5 9-3 6+1 8-2
8*2 9/3 6*4 8/2
For more, see the number pad practice sheets and number pad math lines.
Common snags
- Numbers move the cursor instead of typing. Num Lock is off. Press it once. Apple keyboards have clear instead of Num Lock and normally type numbers. If the keypad moves the pointer, Mouse Keys may be on (System Settings, Accessibility, Pointer Control). Some other-brand pads used on a Mac do have Num Lock.
- The whole hand slides around. Only the reaching finger moves. The others stay on 4 5 6.
- Eyes keep dropping to the pad. Have them find the bump on 5 first, then look at the screen and go slower.
How Home Row Mojo teaches it
Home Row Mojo has two number pad lessons, Meet the Number Pad and Number Pad Math, that walk through the home keys, reaches, decimals, Enter, and the math signs with an on-screen keyboard. A button switches the lesson between right-hand and left-hand number pad. Then Drills Level 13: Number Pad and Level 14: Number Pad Math give real practice, and finishing both lessons and both levels opens Mission Control, an arcade game where you zap falling meteors by typing their numbers.
One note: the number pad lessons only work on a keyboard that has a number pad. If your keyboard doesn't have one, an inexpensive plug-in USB number pad works. No number pad on your laptop? Start with practicing 10-key without a number pad.
You can try Home Row Mojo free as a guest, with no account and no credit card. If it clicks, $29 once unlocks every lesson, drill, and game for the whole family.