Practicing 10-key on a laptop or Chromebook with no number pad
Lots of families find out about this the hard way. You decide it's time to learn the number pad, and then you look down at the laptop or school Chromebook and there isn't one. That's OK. Here are the real options, and which one we'd pick in each situation.
Option 1: A plug-in number pad (closest to the real thing)
A separate USB or wireless number pad is a small block with the same keys as the right side of a full keyboard: 0 to 9, the decimal point, Enter, and + - * /. They're usually inexpensive. Your child learns the exact same finger positions they'd use on a full desktop keyboard, so nothing has to be relearned later.
A couple of things to check before buying:
- Does it have a bump on 5? Most do. That bump is how fingers find home without looking.
- Does it work with your computer? Plain USB number pads generally work on Windows, Mac, and Chromebook, but check the listing for your device.
- Num Lock. Some pads have a Num Lock key. If the keys move the cursor instead of typing numbers, press it once.
Option 2: A full-size keyboard
If you'd like a better typing setup anyway, a full-size plug-in keyboard brings the number pad along with it. For kids, a separate keyboard also lets you place it at a comfortable height, which a laptop can't do.
Option 3: Use the top number row
Every keyboard has the number row above the letters. It's slower for long lists of numbers, but it's a real touch-typing skill and worth learning anyway. Fingers reach up from the home row:
| Key | Finger |
|---|---|
| 1 | Left pinky |
| 2 | Left ring |
| 3 | Left middle |
| 4 and 5 | Left index |
| 6 and 7 | Right index |
| 8 | Right middle |
| 9 | Right ring |
| 0 | Right pinky |
The full lesson is on the number row typing page. A good rule of thumb: the top row is great for a number inside a sentence ("room 12 has 34 desks"). The number pad wins when there are lots of numbers in a row.
What about the "hidden" number pad on some laptops?
Some laptops have small numbers printed on letter keys like J, K, L, U, I, O, along with a key or shortcut that turns them into a number pad. If yours has it, it can work in a pinch, but it isn't the same layout or feel as a real pad, and it varies by brand. We'd still choose a plug-in number pad for learning.
Left-handed kids: put the pad on the left
A plug-in number pad doesn't have to sit on the right. Some left-handed typists put it on the left side of the keyboard and use their left hand. The keys don't move, so the fingers flip: ring finger on 4, middle on 5, index on 6, the pinky reaching down for 0, and the thumb near Enter. The finger placement chart has both hands side by side.
A quick practice set for any setup
Whether you have a plug-in pad or the top row, these lines work:
456 654 456 654
474 585 696 414 525 636
40 50 60 4.5 0.5
19.99 4.25 100 37.5
On the top row, think of it as finger practice for 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1, 2, 3 and 0. On a pad, it's home keys, reaches, zero, and decimals.
Mac number pads
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.
In Home Row Mojo
Home Row Mojo's Meet the Number Pad lesson has a short section called "No number pad? That is OK" for exactly this situation. It points laptop and Chromebook users to the top row or a plug-in pad. To practice the lesson itself you'll need a keyboard that has a number pad, because the number pad lessons only work on one. If your keyboard doesn't have one, an inexpensive plug-in USB number pad works. If you stick with the top row, Drills Level 9: Numbers practices it with real words and sentences. One more note: Home Row Mojo needs a physical keyboard. A computer, laptop, or tablet with a physical keyboard works. An on-screen keyboard won't.
Try Home Row Mojo free as a guest. If it fits, $29 once unlocks everything for the whole family.