Why Typing With The Home Row Is Important

In your quest for the best typing practice resources, have you or your child ever wondered why typing with the home row is important?

The home row is the most important area of the keyboard. In order to be a fast and accurate typist, it’s essential to focus on mastering these keys.

colorful keyboard illustration with the caption why typing with the home row is important

This holds true no matter how old you are when you first learn how to type.

In this article, we’ll discuss why typing with the home row is so important and how you can go about teaching your child or students how to do it.

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What Are The Home Row Keys?

Before we get into the home row keys, let’s talk keyboards.

Did you know there are multiple types of keyboards and different ones have different layouts?

The most common keyboard layout (at least in the United States – I can’t speak for other countries) is the QWERTY keyboard.

The home row keys are the middle row of keys on a QWERTY keyboard. They include the following letters:

A, S, D, F, J, K, L ;

On a Dvorak keyboard, they are:

A, O, E, U, I, D, H ;

Most QWERTYkeyboards have small bumps on the letter F and letter J keys (or U and I keys on the Dvorak keyboard). This is where you place your left and right index fingers. These small bumps give you a nice reference point so you can refind your home row keys should you ever lose your place – all without having to pull your attention away from the screen.

For the purposes of this article, we will be focusing on touch typing with the QWERTY keyboard and those home row keys, but know that the basic principles of typing are easily transferred from one keyboard to the next – it’s just a matter of relearning which letters are where.

white keyboard with hands inside yellow sleeves illustration with the caption why typing with the home row is important

Why Is It Important To Focus On The Home Row?

There are a few reasons why it is important to focus on the home row when learning how to type.

Unless you have incredibly tiny hands, you can reach all the keys while hovering on the home row keys.

When you have your fingers on the home row, you are in a position to type most letters without having to move your hands from that comfortable resting place. You can even reach the backspace key for those times you need to correct a mistake.

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This increases your speed and accuracy because you’re not having to search for keys all over the keyboard.

In addition, when your fingers are on the home row, it’s easier to type in a straight line. This again increases your speed and accuracy because your hands are not moving all over the place – they are staying in one general area.

Finally, when you are typing with the home row, it’s easier to maintain good posture. This is important for both your physical health and your typing speed and accuracy.

Bad posture can lead to strain on your wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, and back – not to mention it’s just plain uncomfortable. When you’re in a good typing position, however, you’re more likely to type faster and with fewer errors.

Free Ad Libs Typing Templates

Do you want to give your kids even MORE typing practice?

These Ad Libs Typing Templates (similar to Mad Libs) are a great way to encourage kids to improve their typing skills – all while having FUN!

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Click here to view the Ad Libs Typing Templates in my shop.

Or click here to download a free Ad Libs Typing Template sample page!!

How To Position Fingers On Home Row Keys

Now that we’ve discussed why it’s important to focus on the home row, let’s talk about how to position your fingers on those home row keys.

The first step is to find the ASDF and JKL; keys – these are the home row keys we discussed earlier.

Once you’ve found those keys, placing your fingers on them is fairly simple. Just follow these steps:

1. Start with your left hand. Place your index finger on the F key, your middle finger on the D key, and your ring finger on the S key. Your pinky should be resting on the A key.

2. Next, place your right hand fingers on the J key, the K key, and the L key. Your index finger should be on the J, your middle finger should be on the K, and your ring finger should be on the L key.

3. Finally, place your thumbs on the space bar. Some people tend to hit the spacebar with one thumb over another, you want both thumbs to be easily available.

Remember – each finger should be lightly hovering, not pressing down. You should only be pressing the keys when you are actually typing. Before you start typing lessons, it is important to practice finding this position and getting comfortable with it.

Now that you know where to place your fingers, it’s time to start typing

white keyboard with hands inside turquoise sleeves illustration with the caption why typing with the home row is important

How To Teach Your Kids Typing With The Home Row Keys

There are a few different ways you can go about teaching your kids home row typing.

One option is to use a program like Typing Club or Nitro Type. These programs are designed specifically for teaching typing and they have exercises that focus on home row keys.

Another option is to use a regular word processing program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. You can create your own home row exercises or find home row typing games online.

Finally, you can also just have your kids practice typing words and sentences using the home row keys. This is a good way to start out because it helps them get comfortable with the position of their fingers and the feel of the keys.

In short, it doesn’t really matter HOW your kids learn to type. In this case, practice is key and repeating daily typing exercises will go a long way in improving speed and accuracy.

But, if you want to give them a head start, focus on the home row keys and make sure they are comfortable with that finger placement. From there, they can branch out and start typing words and sentences. With a little practice, they’ll be typing like pros in no time!

More Learn To Type Resources

If you’re serious about teaching your kids to type and want to give them some more structured practice, check out these fun typing resources.

These resources will go a long way in helping your students become faster typists – the easy way!

Congratulations! You’re well on your way to raising a master typist! Be sure to track your child’s progress with each exercise they complete so they can feel and see the improvement in themselves.

Great job working to improve your child’s typing skills. Their future selves will thank you!

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Charlene Hess

Charlene Hess is the founder of Hess UnAcademy. She spent many years teaching before she had her own kids. She now has 8 kids of her own, whom she has been homeschooled for over a decade.

She has now moved on from Hess UnAcademy to focus on her family and her new site, Secret Life of Homesteaders.