Trackpad or mouse first?

Laptops come with a trackpad built in. You may have a mouse too, but which should a child learn first? This guide covers the differences, the common sticking points, and why scrolling can feel backwards.

The short answer: you don’t have to choose

There is no single right answer. If your child’s school or home computer is a laptop with a trackpad, practicing on the trackpad is natural. On this site, we think one mouse can make the very beginning easier. That is our view, not something set by research.

Mouse vs. trackpad

Skill	Mouse	Trackpad
Click	Press the button once	Press the pad, or tap it lightly
Double-click	Press the button twice, quickly	Tap the pad twice, quickly
Drag	Hold the button and move	Press down and move with another finger (a setting can make it easier)
Scroll	Roll the wheel	Slide two fingers up and down

With a mouse, moving (the whole hand) and pressing (the pointer finger) are separate. On a trackpad, the same fingertip moves and presses, so the two easily get mixed up.

Common trackpad sticking points

• The pointer moves when pressing. Pressing down can nudge the finger, and the pointer slips.
• The palm moves things by accident. A palm or a sleeve touching the pad can move the pointer.
• Two-finger scrolling is tricky. Fingers that are too close or too far apart may not register.
• Dragging stops halfway. It needs pressing down and moving with another finger. → Drag and drop practice for kids

Why scrolling can feel backwards

There are two ways to think about scrolling direction:

• The page follows your fingers (“natural scrolling”): like a phone, sliding your fingers up moves the page up.
• You move in the direction you read: rolling the wheel toward you moves further down the page.

Children used to phones and tablets may find a computer scrolls the “wrong” way. A school device and a home computer may also be set differently.

Menu names can differ a little depending on your version.

Windows 11 (touchpad)

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Touchpad.
2. Open “Scroll & zoom,” and choose the “Scrolling direction.”

Mac

1. Open “System Settings,” and choose “Trackpad” or “Mouse.”
2. Under “Scroll & Zoom,” turn “Natural scrolling” on or off.

On a Mac, the mouse and the trackpad may share the same direction. Setting them separately can require a separate app.

Choosing at home

• Match what they use at school. Practicing on the same kind of device they use every day helps them get comfortable.
• On a laptop, start with the trackpad. If it seems hard, try a small mouse.
• Try both, and go with the easier one. Every child has different strengths.

Practice with games

Hajimari Garden works with a mouse or a trackpad. The “How to” button in the game shows short animations of how to do each skill on a mouse and on a trackpad.

• The scroll game uses both zooming in and zooming out, so children practice both directions.
• A gauge on the screen shows where they are and where to go.
• Even if the direction feels backwards, it never counts as failing in the game. Children can try freely.

Free · No download · No sign-up · No ads on the game screen

FAQ

Which is easier for kids, a mouse or a trackpad?

It depends on the child. A mouse keeps moving and pressing separate, which can make it easier to start. On a laptop, though, the trackpad may feel more natural. Whichever your child finds easier is fine.

Scrolling feels backwards compared to a phone. What can we do?

The scrolling direction can often be changed in settings. This guide shows where to find it on Windows 11 and Mac. Setting it to the direction your child expects is one simple fix.

Should we get a smaller mouse?

An adult mouse can be large for a child’s hand. A smaller mouse is one option. If you can, let your child try a few and pick one that fits.

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