Keyboard Classroom in Use

** This post contains affiliate links. **

 A few months back I was contacted by someone about Keyboard Classroom with the opportunity to become an affiliate. If I didn't like the product I could of course back out after trying it out and ship them back their product. I've tried other typing products with YCJ and none of them have seemed to work. I decided that this was worth a shot. So, I eagerly accepted the opportunity. Within a week or so our materials arrived in the mail.

As you can see there aren't many materials to this. It's a disk and two finger guides that you attach to your keyboard. Those finger guides look a bit weird to me but I was willing to give anything a chance at this point. I mean, just about everything is going on computers and by the time YCJ is grown typing will be a skill that she'll badly need.

So, you peal the back off of one piece of the Velcro tab and put the finger guides in their places. The materials also came with one and a half sheets of instructions for installing and using Keyboard Classroom. The directions for placing the guides literally takes up less than three lines of the instructions. It was super easy. And, just in case you're like me and were freaking out about how hard these things might be to pry off of your keyboard when you're child's not using them...

It took me less than ten seconds to remove the guides. I also tried typing with them on my keyboard. I personally didn't like it. These are not designed for adult fingers or for anyone who already knows how to type. They are a learning tool.

Installing the disk only took a few minutes. I had a rough moment where I didn't type the product key in correctly (remember to put the dashes in folks!) but resolved the matter quickly. I have a single user version of this program which means only one child can use it at a time. Which is fine with me as YCJ is the only one who really needs this at the moment. ECJ knows how to type even if he is slow at it and Peanut is just not ready for it yet. After YCJ has completed the program I may have ECJ go through it just to help him get more practice ... But, I digress.

The shot above (please ignore my messy desk) is a quick screen shot of one of the first practice lessons. The student can practice as long as they want. You also have timed portions of just what you practiced. Once you pass that part x amount of times you earn a new rank and some tokens that you can then use to play a game. YCJ hasn't gotten that far yet but she's excited to keep working towards that goal.

YCJ likes to wear her headphones for this just to block out the background noise of the house. So far the program itself hasn't "talked" to her. This is the first program that she's ever used that she enjoys and keeps wanting to do more of. Remember she hasn't earned any tokens yet so it's not the game factor here. (Again, please excuse my messy desk. I promise I'll clean it soon.)

I set her up on my computer as her netbook keyboard is just too small for the finger guides. Yes, this means another one of the campers is on my computer for part of the day but I deem it well worth it.

Although at this point YCJ has not gotten even halfway through the program it is one that I am so willing to promote and recommend to anyone trying to have their child/student learn to type. Keyboard Classroom has five different sets you can purchase along with extra finger guides. A single user set with finger guides costs just shy of $40! It's a great value and if you are like me with children of various ages and developmental skills you can always use it again for the next child. With the single user set the only thing is that only one child can use it at a time.

I'll be posting more about this program as we continue to use it. Keyboard Classroom was designed by educators and they don't use games to teach, the games that are within the program are earned through achievement when your child finishes the tasks set correctly.

** By clicking on any of the links above you will be directed to Keyboard Classroom through my affiliate link. If you purchase this product through these links I will earn a small amount that will go towards my children's education. I do not endorse products that we do not use and I do not believe in. This product works! **

Find us on Facebook here or subscribe to the blog for tips on homeschooling, book reviews, how to get your children helping out in the kitchen, and to see many pictures of the cute kiddos, plus much more!