There are plenty of software and Web sites, free and for a price that is specifically for teaching children how to type. But keep in mind the most important thing in learning to type is practice, practice, practice. And keyboarding games, for kids, is a great way to practice, if they'll even call it that!

If you are looking for online typing games for your child, make sure the games fit your child's age and maturity. Older kids won't practice if they are boring baby games and younger children can get frustrated with games that are too advanced for their fingers.

Also look at the focus of the keyboarding game. Before the age of 8, kids can start getting familiar with the placement of keys, but they generally aren't ready to type. From the age of 8 to 10, the child can get familiar with using 2 hands and all fingers and memorizing the layout of the keyboard. From the age of 10 and up, the child can start concentrating on better fingering and accuracy.

So your child is learning to type? No matter where they are in the process, there are lots of free Web sites with games that will entertain as well as encourage them to practice. Here are a few quality, free Web sites.

Dance Mat Typing - This BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) Web page teaches keyboarding while entertaining with belly dancing hippos and zen yaks. There are lessons for every age and stage and fun games to practice skills.

FreeTypingGame.net - As the name says, this site has free typing games (no downloads, no signing up), many of which are space-themed, but all are fun. For actual lessons, click on the Lesson tab. The pace of most of the games is best for a third grader on up, but there are lessons on this site as well.

Glencoe Keyboarding Lessons - A nice interactive lesson that with a slow pace, simple instruction and good graphics that is good for elementary school students.

Growing with Technology - This is a great site that talks about all types of computing technology including keyboarding. Everything is aranged by grade level, and each grade has an age-appropriate keyboarding game for practice.

Novelgames.com - Has many games for kids, mostly for entertainment. Scroll to the bottom for the typing games like "The Typing of the Ghosts". These games are a little challenging to 10 and under.

Typing, or keyboarding, is one of those things that have to be repeated in order to get the hang of it. But the great thing is, as any fast typist can tell you, once your fingers have "memorized" the keyboard, you don't spend time 'typing', you are using that time to think and compose on the fly. Get your kids started typing young and keep them interested and practicing with keyboarding games for kids.