Typing test for kids

How the typing test works

• 60 seconds from the first key. The clock waits until your child starts.
• Real words. Words spelled only with the keys you picked, as long as the grade reads: K to 2nd, 3rd to 5th, 6th to 8th. With Capitals too, about one word in four starts with a capital.
• A wrong key waits. It counts against accuracy and waits for the right key, so there is nothing to delete.
• Hands on the screen. The keyboard lights the next key and lifts the finger that presses it.

How it is scored

Words a minute is the letters and spaces typed right, divided by five, per minute. Accuracy is right key presses out of all key presses. Stars are against the keys you picked: one for a whole minute of typing, two at the keys' target speed with 90% right, three at one and a half times it with 97%.

Below 3rd grade the test shows stars and no numbers at all, as all of Peabody's typing does: a young child's speed changes week to week. The line under the stars still says whether to slow down or speed up.

Typing speed by grade

These are Typing.com's grade-level averages, which it gives as planning guidance (Typing.com, read 29 October 2026). A child well below them is common, and careful typing gets faster with practice.

After the test

• Learn the keys. Peabody's typing lessons go two keys at a time with the hands on screen, and each one earns a typing game.
• Play. The typing games for kids page has all seven games, typing by grade and the other typing sites' facts.
• Test again next week. Same keys, same grade, so the stars mean something.

Questions parents and teachers ask

Is this typing test free?

Yes, free through the end of 2026, with no sign-up and no ads.

Is my child's score saved?

No. The test sends nothing and keeps nothing: the score is on the screen until you leave, and the name on the certificate is never saved. Write it down or print the certificate if you want a record.

Why doesn't my 1st grader see a speed?

Peabody shows words a minute and accuracy from 3rd grade. Younger children see stars, because careful typing matters more than a number at that age.

How do I get the typing certificate?

Three stars earns it. It shows the stars, the date and, from 3rd grade, the speed and accuracy, and the Print button prints only the certificate.

What is a good typing speed for a kid?

Typing.com's guide gives 8 to 20 words a minute for 3rd to 5th grade and 20 to 30 for 6th to 8th, with accuracy of 85% or more and then 90% or more. Accuracy first; speed follows.

Does it work on a Chromebook, tablet or phone?

Yes, in the browser. A real keyboard gives a fair result; on a phone or tablet the on-screen keyboard works but is slower.