Chess lessons for kids

1. Chess lessons for kids, why is it important?

2. Books and Media – Our Recommendations for Chess lessons for kids

3. How to teach to your kids Chess?

4. Links and Free resources on “Chess lessons for kids”

1. Chess lessons for kids, why is it important?

Chess is a game that can mould kids into thinking, making decisions and strategizing. It is one of the indoor sports that can de-stress and relax kids from their usual homework times! Moreover, research has shown that kids who play chess have stronger and significantly better developed memory than those who do not play the game.
While playing chess, your kid can learn the art of thinking so he can solve the problem thinking about all the opportunities available to him. Chess is known to increase focus and concentration level. Because it demands slow strategic thinking, chess is a game that helps to develop patience and encourages your kids to pay attention for longer span of time.

2. Books and Media – Our Recommendations for Chess lessons for kids

Recommendations based on our parenting experience and the site’s visitors opinions. For info and reviews click on each item.

3. How to teach to your kids Chess?

Learning chess is a natural progression, and as kids grow and mature their skills will develop and the complexity of the game will increase for them. A kid can start to learn the pieces, points and direction of movement as young as 5 or 6. There are many ways to help a kid learn strategies, understand the effects of their choices and be able to see things from their opponent’s view. One important tool for parent to use to teach chess to a kid is asking questions. For example, as you are contemplating a move, ask the kid the value of that piece, explain why are you doing something or ask what might happen if that piece is moved. Another helpful thing to do is to turn the board once, or more during a game to allow for a kid to gain back the advantage and help them be successful, but it also allows for them to learn perspective and how a move or placement of pieces looks to the other player. Another helpful idea is to encourage them think forward to how a move will effect the board, and how will the board look after their move and encourage them to make two to three moves in their mind before moving a piece instead of doing the first one that they see. This will help the kid look forward to the consequence of their choice and train their minds to think before they act. Encourage them to gain ownership of their game by asking questions about why they did something and getting them to explain their thought process out loud, this will allow them to feel responsible for their own decisions. Winning needs to be earned to allow for feelings of accomplishment, it does not help a kid to be given the win. They should also sometimes play against someone their level, they will win or lose but will learn to be gracious in both instances. You must encourage your kids to play chess with someone who already knows to play the game and do not let it lose just because he is a kid. In US Chess as a game is not encouraged as much as it is in other countries. There are parents who are not well versed with the game but want their kid to learn it so they can read up on the game and ask someone to help you or you can also enroll your kids for chess classes.
It is not just a game. The skills developed will benefit a player beyond the scope of the game, his mind will become sharper and thinking more complex, his ability to make choices and feel responsible for those choices has increased.

4. Links and Free resources on “Chess lessons for kids”

PS. Send us your story on how and what you “learned with your kid” and the great time you had together. You’ll find it here next time you visit us!