diff --git a/arcade/gui/experimental/typed_text_input.py b/arcade/gui/experimental/typed_text_input.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3f1037b9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arcade/gui/experimental/typed_text_input.py
@@ -0,0 +1,250 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import Callable, Generic, Optional, Type, TypeVar, cast
+
+import arcade
+from arcade.color import BLACK, RED, WHITE
+from arcade.gui import UIEvent, UIInputText, UILabel, UITextEvent
+from arcade.types import Color, RGBOrA255
+from arcade.utils import type_name
+
+__all__ = ("UITypedTextInput",)
+
+
+T = TypeVar("T")
+
+
+# This is almost certainly doing at least one thing wrong
+class UITypedTextInput(UIInputText, Generic[T]):
+    """A text box which auto-converts to and from a :py:class:`type`.
+
+    The simplest usage is passing a :py:func:`type` which supports
+    :py:func:`repr` and allows a single :py:class:`str` as an argument:
+
+    .. code-block:: python
+
+       self.float_input = UITypedTextInput(float, text="0.0")
+
+    In the example above, setting :py:attr:`self.float_input.text` to
+    ``"string"`` will:
+
+    #. Set both the text and the caret to the ``error_color`` passed at
+       creation
+    #. Re-raise the :py:class:`ValueError` from ``float("string")``
+
+    To stop error propagation, pass
+    You can customize your conversion to and from strings by overriding
+    the following arguments with custom :py:class:`callable` objects:
+
+    .. list-table::
+       :header-rows: 1
+
+       * - Argument
+         - Default
+
+       * - ``to_str``
+         - :py:func:`repr`
+
+       * - ``from_str``
+         - the ``parsed_type``
+
+    .. important:: This class is meant to handle simple types in simple
+                   dev and test tools.
+
+                   As a general rule, if you need to highlight a specific
+                   syntax error, this class is not the right tool.
+
+    Args:
+        parsed_type:
+            The :py:class:`type` to require. This is not meant to
+            be changed after creation.
+        from_str:
+            A type or other :py:func:`callable` which converts a
+            :py:class:`str` to an instance of :py:class:`parsed_type`.
+            It may raise exceptions and perform cleaning of text.
+        to_str:
+            A :py:func:`callable` which converts ``parsed_type``
+            instances to :py:class:`str`.
+        x: an X position (see :py:class:`.UIInputText`).
+        y: an X position (see :py:class:`.UIInputText`).
+        width: an X axis width (see :py:class:`.UIInputText`).
+        height: a Y axis height (see :py:class:`.UIInputText`).
+        text: The initial text to display.
+        font_name: (see :py:class:`.UIInputText`).
+        text_color: The color to use for non-error text.
+        error_color: The color to use when ``to_str`` or ``from_str``
+            raised an exception.
+        multiline: See :py:class:`.UIInputText`.
+        size_hint:  See :py:class:`.UIInputText`.
+        size_hint_min:  See :py:class:`.UIInputText`.
+        size_hint_max: See :py:class:`.UIInputText`.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        parsed_type: Type[T],
+        *,
+        to_str: Callable[[T], str] = repr,
+        from_str: Callable[[str], T] | None = None,
+        emit_parse_exceptions: bool = True,
+        x: float = 0,
+        y: float = 0,
+        width: float = 100,
+        height: float = 24,
+        text: str = "",
+        font_name=("Arial",),
+        font_size: float = 12,
+        text_color: RGBOrA255 = BLACK,
+        error_color: RGBOrA255 = RED,
+        multiline=False,
+        size_hint=None,
+        size_hint_min=None,
+        size_hint_max=None,
+        **kwargs,
+    ):
+        if not isinstance(type, type):
+            raise TypeError(f"Expected a type, but got {parsed_type}")
+        super().__init__(
+            x=x,
+            y=y,
+            width=width,
+            height=height,
+            text=text,
+            font_name=font_name,
+            font_size=font_size,
+            text_color=text_color,
+            multiline=multiline,
+            caret_color=text_color,
+            size_hint=size_hint,
+            size_hint_min=size_hint_min,
+            size_hint_max=size_hint_max,
+            **kwargs,
+        )
+        self.emit_parse_exceptions = emit_parse_exceptions
+        self._error_color = error_color
+        self._valid_color = text_color
+        self._parsed_type: Type[T] = parsed_type
+        self._to_str = to_str
+        self._from_str: Callable[[str], T] = cast(Callable[[str], T], from_str or parsed_type)
+        self._parsed_value: T = self._from_str(self.text)
+
+    def _set_current_color(self, new_color: RGBOrA255) -> None:
+        validated = Color.from_iterable(new_color)
+        if self._text_color == validated:
+            return
+
+        self._text_color = validated
+        self.caret.color = validated
+        self.doc.set_style(0, len(self.text), dict(color=validated))
+        self.trigger_full_render()
+
+    def _checked_parse(self, text: str):
+        try:
+            self._parsed_value = self._from_str(text)
+            self._set_current_color(self._valid_color)
+        except Exception as e:
+            # print(e)
+            self._set_current_color(self._error_color)
+            if self.emit_parse_exceptions:
+                raise e
+
+    def on_event(self, event: UIEvent) -> Optional[bool]:
+        # print(f"In {type_name(event)}")
+        if isinstance(event, UITextEvent) and self._active:
+            text = event.text.replace("\r", "").replace("\r", "")
+            event.text = text
+
+        handled = super().on_event(event)
+        self._checked_parse(self.doc.text)
+        return handled
+
+    @property
+    def parsed_type(self) -> Type[T]:
+        """Get the type this input field expects to parse.
+
+        .. note:: This is not meant to be changed after creation.
+        """
+        return self._parsed_type
+
+    @property
+    def value(self) -> T:
+        """The current instance of :py:attr:`parsed_type`.
+
+        Setting this automatically updates the text of the widget.
+        """
+        return self._parsed_value
+
+    @value.setter
+    def value(self, new_value: T) -> None:
+        must_be = self._parsed_type
+        if not isinstance(new_value, must_be):
+            raise TypeError(
+                # We pass self here to support subclasses
+                f"This {type_name(self)} was created to expect {type_name(must_be)}"
+                f", but got {new_value!r} (a {type_name(new_value)})"
+            )
+        self.doc.text = self._to_str(new_value)
+        self._set_current_color(self._valid_color)
+
+    @property
+    def text(self) -> str:
+        """Get/set the text of the widget.
+
+        In addition to basic behavior from :py:class:`UITextWidget`,
+        this also performs validation. To silence error propagation
+        from validation, set :py:attr:`emit_parse_exceptions` to
+        ``False``.
+        """
+        return self.doc.text
+
+    @text.setter
+    def text(self, new_text: str) -> None:
+        self.doc.text = new_text
+        self._checked_parse(new_text)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    width, height = 400, 400
+    center = width / 2
+    from arcade.gui import NinePatchTexture, UIView
+
+    class MyView(UIView):
+        def __init__(self):
+            super().__init__()
+            self.ninepatch = NinePatchTexture(
+                left=5,
+                right=5,
+                top=5,
+                bottom=5,
+                texture=arcade.load_texture(":resources:gui_basic_assets/window/grey_panel.png"),
+            )
+            self.instructions = UILabel(
+                text="Valid float values -> black text\nNon-float values -> red text",
+                x=center - 150,
+                height=center + 80,
+                text_color=WHITE,
+                multiline=True,
+                font_size=16,
+                width=300,
+                align="center",
+            )
+            self.ui.add(self.instructions)
+
+            self.float_box = UITypedTextInput(
+                float,
+                text="0.0",
+                x=center - 100,
+                y=height / 2,
+                width=200,
+                font_size=16,
+                height=30,
+                emit_parse_exceptions=False,
+            ).with_background(texture=self.ninepatch)
+            self.ui.add(self.float_box)
+
+        def on_show_view(self):
+            super().on_show_view()
+
+    window = arcade.Window(width, height, "Typed input text test")
+    window.show_view(MyView())
+    window.run()
diff --git a/arcade/utils.py b/arcade/utils.py
index 680efcf3a..5db832f27 100644
--- a/arcade/utils.py
+++ b/arcade/utils.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 from typing import Any, Callable, Generator, Generic, Iterable, Sequence, Type, TypeVar
 
 __all__ = [
+    "as_type",
+    "type_name",
     "copy_dunders_unimplemented",
     "is_iterable",
     "is_nonstr_iterable",
@@ -49,6 +51,33 @@ def __iter__(self) -> Generator[_T, None, None]:
             yield item
 
 
+def as_type(item: Any) -> type:
+    """If item is not a type, return its type. Otherwise, return item as-is.
+
+    Args:
+        item: A :py:class:`type` or instance of one.
+    """
+    if isinstance(item, type):
+        return item
+    else:
+        return item.__class__
+
+
+def type_name(item: Any) -> str:
+    """Get the name of item if it's a type or the name of its type if it's an instance.
+
+    This is meant to help shorten debugging-related code and developer
+    utilities. It isn't meant to be a performant tool.
+
+    Args:
+         item: A :py:class:`type` or an instance of one.
+    """
+    if isinstance(item, type):
+        return item.__name__
+    else:
+        return item.__class__.__name__
+
+
 def is_iterable(item: Any) -> bool:
     """Use :py:func:`iter` to infer whether ``item`` is iterable.
 
diff --git a/util/update_quick_index.py b/util/update_quick_index.py
index 933ee749d..60f6456ae 100644
--- a/util/update_quick_index.py
+++ b/util/update_quick_index.py
@@ -328,7 +328,8 @@
         "title": "GUI Experimental Features",
         "use_declarations_in": [
             "arcade.gui.experimental.password_input",
-            "arcade.gui.experimental.scroll_area"
+            "arcade.gui.experimental.scroll_area",
+            "arcade.gui.experimental.typed_text_input"
         ]
     },
     "advanced_cameras.rst": {