Learning activities/Typing and Mouse Skills

Typing and mouse skills are important for children to use computers. This is a simple activity that teachers can use to help students improve their typing and mouse skills.

Created By

Pia Waugh on the advice of Australian teachers. Many thanks to Mrs and Mr Kiely for their wonderful input! An OLPC Friends Project.

Suggested Age Group

5-12 years old

Subjects and Skills

This activity is for developing typing skills for young children.

Goals and Objectives

To develop better typing skills, and help improve basic literacy. Students can also engage in competitions for the best times and fastest typing if appropriate.

Resources

• An XO with the Gcompris activity loaded. This is not one of the core applications for the XO.
• Some young children (5-7) find the touch pad quite hard to get used to. It can take some getting used to. If required and possible, you can purchase a small children size USB mouse which will help the younger children gain the fine motor skills.

Activity

• Start the Gcompris activity
• Click on the "Discover the computer" activity
• Click on the Keyboard
  • Use the "Simple Letters" activity to build up basic skills
  • Falling words is a good step up once children become comfortable with "Simple letters"
• To move to Mouse activities, you can click on the "Discover the computer" activity icon up the top of the application, and then click on the Mouse
  • The Fish mouse activity is an excellent way to help young children in particular use the mouse
  • The rest of the mouse activities are all very useful
• Ask the children to report their scores at the end of the class, and teachers can then use the scores for some basic markers of improvements in these skills