Typing the number row, 1 to 0
The numbers 1 to 0 sit at the very top of the keyboard, two rows above home. It's the longest reach so far, and that's the main thing to know: go slowly at first, and always come back to the home row.
Fingers still start on home
Nothing changes about the starting position. Fingers rest on A S D F and J K L ;. One finger reaches up, taps the number, and comes straight back. The other fingers stay put.
Which finger types each number
| Number | Finger | Reaches from |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Left pinky | A |
| 2 | Left ring | S |
| 3 | Left middle | D |
| 4 | Left index | F |
| 5 | Left index | F (a little toward the middle) |
| 6 | Right index | J (a little toward the middle) |
| 7 | Right index | J |
| 8 | Right middle | K |
| 9 | Right ring | L |
| 0 | Right pinky | ; |
Notice that each index finger covers two numbers, just like it covers two letters on every other row.
Practice one hand at a time
Each group starts and ends on a home key. That's on purpose: the finger practices the trip up and the trip back.
Left hand:
a1a s2s d3d f4f f5f
a1a s2s d3d f4f f5f
Right hand (keep the left hand resting on A S D F):
j6j j7j k8k l9l ;0;
j6j j7j k8k l9l ;0;
Then put them together
10 20 30 40 50
60 70 80 90 100
123 456 789 1024
42 99 100 365
Every number in the first line ends in 0, which is the right pinky. Good warm-up for a finger that doesn't get much work.
Numbers inside sentences
This is where the number row really earns its keep: a number or two inside a regular sentence. Switching between letters and numbers without looking is the skill.
room 12 has 34 desks
page 456
gate 15 at 9
there are 365 days and 12 months in a year
room 42 is on floor 3 near gate 17
Printable mini-chart
LEFT: pinky 1 | ring 2 | middle 3 | index 4 5
RIGHT: index 6 7 | middle 8 | ring 9 | pinky 0
Reach up. Tap. Come home.
Tips for parents
- Expect a slowdown. The number row is a long stretch for small hands. Accuracy first.
- Watch the hand. If the whole hand slides up, the fingers lose home. Only one finger should travel.
- Symbols live here too. With Shift, the number keys type symbols like ! (Shift + 1). That's covered in capital letters and punctuation.
Number row or number pad?
For one number in a sentence, use the number row. For lots of numbers in a row, like prices, scores, or a column in a spreadsheet, the number pad on the right side of a full keyboard is faster. Here's our guide to number pad typing for kids. No number pad on your laptop? See practicing 10-key without a number pad.
In Home Row Mojo
The Meet the Number Row lesson in Home Row Mojo walks through these reaches on an on-screen keyboard, one hand at a time, with the same practice groups shown above. Then Drills Level 9: Numbers practices whole numbers, short phrases like "room 123" and "year 2048," and full sentences with numbers mixed in.
Try Home Row Mojo free as a guest. If it fits, $29 once unlocks every lesson and level for the whole family.