Typin’ Tyootorrrial — Here in the Bonny Glen

September 5, 2008 @ 6:34 am | Filed under: Fun Learning Stuff,Games

This quiet blog must make it obvious I’m still taking it slow and easy after last week’s excitement. We’ve kept mostly to home, except for piano lessons. Our old high-tide mood is upon us, has been for a couple of weeks, so there are lots of read-alouds and lively discussions going on (this I can do from the sofa!), and Jane is in love with a giant tome on chemistry, and Beanie and Rose are elbowing each other for FlashMath turns on my iPod Touch, unaware that this game is nothing but math drills. I guess if it’s on the Touch, it’s automatically fun?

Yesterday Beanie asked for a turn on the computer to play “the typing game,” which means the Mavis Beacon typing tutorial CD-rom. Jane hunted it up for her. But I think she might enjoy this new discovery even more: the BBC’s online Dance Mat Typing site. I found the link at Educating Emme. Personally, I’m a little mixed on these lessons—the whole rock-and-roller goat thing wears thin very quickly. I mean, he’s a goat. On the other hand, I love his Scottish accent. On his tongue, banal phrases like “use either of your thumbs on the space bar” become delightful dialogue.

On the other hand, he’s a goat.

(And his cartoon hands—a goat with hands?—in the keyboard demos: shudder.)

But I guarantee Beanie’s gonna love it.

Tags: Typing

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Jennifer says:

I agree. I think even a goat with a Scottish accent would be mesmerizing.
We used to spend our boring summer hours on typing tutorials. I’m an excellent typist now because of that. Except oh my heavens! There was a major typo in that last sentence. And that will be the last time I brag on myself. Ah, anyway. Happy Firdae Lissa! Hee, hee.
Posted on September 5th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Beck says:

I think that game would be pretty perfect for MY girl. I’ll check it out with her tonight!
Posted on September 5th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Katya says:

I dunno… the Octopus annoys me WAY more than the goat. My son LOVES this… he will stay up past his bedtime playing it… and his touch typing is improving dramatically. So I try to tune out the characters…
Posted on September 7th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Jennifer says:

Just wanted to let you know – Lucy LOVES this. I bribe her with typing time now. Thanks for the tip.
Posted on September 24th, 2008 at 10:54 am
In Praise of Keyboarding — Here in the Bonny Glen says:

[...] is to give them access to a word-processing program and a fun typing tutorial. (Beanie has enjoyed this one.) Handwriting is still an important and useful skill, but there’s no reason it must be tied [...]
Posted on January 28th, 2010 at 1:37 pm

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