The chessboard is a battlefield of black and white squares where knights charge, pawns advance, and kings and queens strategize. For many children, it's more than just a game; it's a portal to a world of critical thinking, logic, and boundless imagination.
I've personally been teaching chess to kids for over 12 years now, many of them have received the master title and have become state and national champions, so, sure to say I know a couple of things about this.
But how can you, as a parent, help your child navigate this journey? How can you nurture their passion for chess and watch them blossom into the confident, strategic players they aspire to be?
Forget the drill sergeant approach. Instead, let's explore some creative ways to help your child improve at chess, strategies backed by science and sprinkled with a touch of fun:
Here are a couple of ways to keep your kids engaged in chess
Make it a Family Affair
Research shows that shared activities strengthen family connections and boost learning. Who knows, you might even discover a hidden chess talent within yourself!
We know some of the parents at MM Chess do things like "Chess Friday" when all of the family gathers to play the game, learn, and create a familiar environment to improve.
Spark the Storyteller
When you're working with children in early childhood, every chess piece has a story. Encourage your child to create narratives around their moves. Perhaps the knight is a brave warrior on a quest, or the pawn is a cunning spy infiltrating enemy lines. This imaginative approach not only keeps them engaged but also helps them visualize and remember different strategies.
Gamify the Learning
Turn practice into an adventure. Set up challenges, create a reward system for solving chess puzzles, or even organize a mini-tournament with siblings or friends. Chess.com and Lichess.org both have great gamification features built in. Gamification taps into our natural competitive spirit and makes learning fun and addictive.
Embrace the Digital World
Technology can be a powerful learning tool. Explore online chess platforms where your child can play against others, solve puzzles, and even take chess lessons from experienced coaches. Look for interactive websites and apps that make learning chess for kids engaging and effective.
Extend Chess Beyond the Board
Chess skills extend beyond the board. Encourage activities that strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving, like logic puzzles, brainteasers, and even board games like checkers or Go. These activities train the mind to think strategically, a valuable skill both on and off the chessboard.
Celebrate the Journey:
Remember, progress takes time. Celebrate your child's victories, big or small, and encourage them to learn from their losses. Take them out to a pizza restaurant if they play well in a tournament. Focus on the joy of learning and the thrill of the challenge, not just the final outcome. This fosters a healthy attitude towards competition and builds resilience.
What is the best online chess platform for my kids to learn chess?
Online chess platforms have revolutionized the way children learn and play the game. They offer a safe and controlled environment where kids can:
Learn at their own pace: Online platforms provide interactive lessons and puzzles tailored to individual skill levels, allowing children to progress at a comfortable pace without feeling pressured.
Connect with qualified coaches: Many platforms (like ours) offer chess lessons from experienced and certified coaches for kids. This personalized guidance can significantly accelerate their learning and help them refine their skills.
Play against other children: Young players from around the world can now connect and play, providing opportunities to practice and test their skills in a safe and friendly environment. This fosters a sense of community and healthy competition.
Now, let's explore some of the top websites and resources that can turn your child's chess journey into an engaging and rewarding experience:
Chess websites for kids:
ChessKid.com: This vibrant platform, designed specifically for children, offers interactive lessons, puzzles, and games in a safe and engaging environment. Its colorful interface and kid-friendly features make learning chess fun and accessible for young minds.
ChessMatec: It offers resources like printable worksheets, interactive lessons, and a mobile app to help children learn the rules, basic tactics, and strategies of chess.
Lichess.org: This free and open-source platform boasts a vibrant community and a wealth of learning resources. It offers puzzles, lessons, and matches against players of all levels, making it suitable for children of varying abilities.
Chess.com: This comprehensive platform caters to players of all ages and skill levels. It offers a vast library of lessons, puzzles, and matches, along with interactive features like video lessons and chess variants.
Chess books and resources for kids:
"How to Beat Your Friends in Chess" by MM Chess: This workbook provides a structured and engaging way for children to practice their chess skills offline. Following the Chess Steps Curriculum, the puzzles are designed to develop the skills to reach the 1200elo mark. (Recommended for 2nd grade or older)
"ChessKid Beginners' Guide To Chess" by ChessKid: With colorful illustrations, storytelling and a playful learning style, this book aims to provide a joyful learning experience. (Recommended for younger kids)
Chess Clubs and Local Tournaments: Participating in chess clubs and local tournaments provides children with opportunities to practice their skills in a social setting, fostering a sense of community and healthy competition.
Go in on the Chess Steps curriculum. If you as a parent have time to learn chess with your child, is a great series of self-guided workbooks. Chess Steps is the base of how MM Chess teachers teach.
Lichess Puzzle Streak and Chess.com Puzzle Rush are great resources for children to solve puzzles. Chess.com requires a paid subscription to do unlimited puzzles, Lichess is free.
Choosing the Right Resources:
When selecting resources, consider your child's age, learning style, and chess experience. For younger children, prioritize platforms with interactive and gamified elements. As they progress and introduce more challenging resources like puzzle workbooks and advanced online lessons.
Remember, the most important factor is to keep your child engaged and motivated. Choose resources that spark their curiosity and make learning chess a fun and rewarding experience. With the right tools and guidance, your child can embark on a lifelong chess journey filled with intellectual growth and endless possibilities.
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A role-model approach to teach kids chess
When it comes to kids, one of the bests ways they learn is by following the steps of their elders. Like the child who wants to be a doctor like his dad, or like his cool grandad who beats everybody in chess at family reunions.
Learning directly from skilled players, whether in person or online, allows them to:
Witness the power of strategic thinking: Seeing how masterminds navigate the chessboard inspires children to develop their own critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Learn from the best: It provides valuable insights and helps children expand their chess vocabulary.
Fuel their passion: Seeing someone excel at something they love can be incredibly motivating and push children to pursue their own chess goals with renewed dedication.
More so, learning from people who went through the same learning process can be much more efficient, since they can recall from their childhood, the things that made them excel.
That's why, not coincidentally, the best coaches with kids are coaches with a background of chess proficiency from a young age.
Encourage Chess Programs in Schools and Tournaments: Keeping the Flame Alive
School-based chess programs and tournaments play a crucial role in fostering a child's love for the game, it also allows them to play with friends and learn from a coach through a curriculum instead of just playing games.
Many of our top-performing students learned first from their after-school programs, only to find their passion for the game and look to get a more personalized experience through our private online coaching.
Chess school programs provide:
Regular practice
A sense of community
Healthy competition
By combining the flexibility of online learning with the inspiration of role models and the structure of school programs and tournaments, we can create a rich and rewarding environment where young chess players can flourish and reach their full potential.
Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single move, and every move on the chessboard is a step toward a world of possibilities.
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