Learning touch typing early in life makes a huge difference in how good you can get at it. Kids who start around 5 or 6 years old tend to type much faster and more efficiently than those who start at 15 or later.
Why? When you’re younger, your brain is super flexible and better at picking up new skills. Starting young helps you build strong habits and muscle memory, so typing feels natural as you grow. These early learners often reach speeds above 140 words per minute (WPM) as they get older.
For teens or adults starting at 15+, it’s harder. Your brain isn’t as quick at learning new patterns, and you might already have bad typing habits, like looking at the keyboard or typing with just a few fingers. Most late learners top out at around 65 WPM—less than half the speed of those who started young.
Learning Curves
If you look at learning curves (graphs showing progress over time), early starters improve faster and keep getting better for longer. Late starters improve slowly and hit their peak much sooner (see the data plot below).
