Keyboard Finger Chart for Kids
A free, colour-coded chart that shows which finger presses each key. Tap or press any key to see the finger light up, then print it to keep next to the computer.
Keyboard finger chart · Match the key colour to the finger colour · tippytyping.thornbyte.in
Tap a key to see which finger presses it.
How to use this chart
Every key has a colour, and every finger has the same colour. To type a letter, find its key on the chart and use the finger of the matching colour. Left and right fingers share colours in mirror image: both pinkies are purple, both ring fingers blue, both middle fingers green, and the pointer fingers are yellow (left) and orange (right).
Children don't need to learn the whole chart at once. Start with the home row, then add one or two new keys at a time, exactly as our typing lessons do.
The home row: where fingers live
The home row is the middle row of letters. The left hand rests on A S D F and the right hand on J K L ;, with both thumbs resting lightly on the space bar. After pressing any key, a finger goes back to its home key. This one habit is what lets typists type without looking.
Why do F and J have bumps?
Feel the F and J keys on any keyboard and you'll find small raised bumps. They are there so your pointer fingers can find home by touch. Ask your child to close their eyes, find the two bumps, and let the other fingers fall into place. It's a fun game, and it's the start of real touch typing.
Keys that aren't on the chart
Real keyboards have a few extra keys at the edges. The left pinky also presses Tab, Caps Lock and the left Shift key. The right pinky looks after the keys on the far right: ' / [ ] - = as well as Enter, Backspace and the right Shift key. To type a capital letter, hold Shift with the pinky of the other hand.
Practise with games
- Typing lessons: 19 short lessons, two new keys at a time, with this same colour guide.
- Balloon Pop: find letters fast by popping balloons (ages 4–8).
- Space Words: type whole words to blast space rocks (ages 6–10).
For age-by-age goals and how long to practise, read our guide for parents and teachers.
Questions from parents
Which finger presses which key?
Each finger looks after one slanted column of keys. Left hand: pinky 1 Q A Z, ring 2 W S X, middle 3 E D C, pointer 4 5 R T F G V B. Right hand: pointer 6 7 Y U H J N M, middle 8 I K comma, ring 9 O L full stop, pinky 0 P semicolon. Thumbs press the space bar.
What age should kids learn finger placement?
Most children are ready at around age 6 or 7, when their hands can rest on all eight home row keys. Younger children can start by just finding letters on the keyboard, which is what Balloon Pop on slow speed is for.
Does it matter which finger my child uses?
Yes, in the long run. Hunting with one or two fingers feels quicker at first, but it's slow and hard to unlearn later. Using the right finger from the start builds the muscle memory for typing without looking.